Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (2024)

Last Modified: by Elaine| 111 Comments

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The ultimate guide to perfectly done Cantonese crispy pork belly with oven at home. Crispy pork belly is one of my favorite Cantonese dishes for the years in Guangdong province. Each time when I have a chance to enjoy Guangdong cuisine, this crispy pork belly is one of my choices.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (1)

After I learn how to make crispy pork belly from a Cantonese friends at home several years ago. I am always trying to find ways and information for a better result and trying to understand how every step works. And this is my ultimate guide.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (2)

Cook’s Note

This is the most simplified version for home cooking. I will introduce some extra steps if you want to bring this to the next level.

1.Choose the right part of pork| you should use pork belly to make crispy pork belly.

2.Poke as many holes as possible on the rind. The fat oil produced in the roasting process need ways to come out. Why we need oil coming through the holes? Because hot oil brings hot temperature, which can keep the rind something like gently deep-fried for a quite long time.

3.Applying baking soda or white vinegar can help to soften the skin and thus making the crispy pork belly even fluffy. But the remaining flavor of baking soda may bring some bitter taste to the skin. So the best solution is to set the pork for 30 minutes and then wash the skin before air-drying. I did not include this step in this recipe since it is not quite necessary for me.

4.The salt layer can help to absorb water and keep the skin dry.Cover a layer of sea salt on the surface can help to absorb the water released in the early of the roasting and keep the rind dry.

5.Marinating the pork belly for a longer time, at least overnight. We are roasting a large piece. During the marinating time, do not cover the pork belly with plastic wrapper. Place it in a large bowl and let it dry in the fridge.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (3)

You will need

  • 1000g pork belly with beautiful layers
  • 2 small chunks of ginger
  • 2 scallions
  • 1 tbsp. cooking wine
  • 6-10 Sichuan peppercorns (optional)

Marinating

  • 1 and ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tsp. Chinese five spice
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. white pepper

Roasting

  • sea salt to cover the meat
  • white vinegar for brushing

Instructions

Place the pork belly in a large pot (rind site down) with clean water, add cooking wine, scallion, ginger and sichuan peppercorn. Continue cook for 3 minutes after boiling.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (4)

Transfer the pork out and pat dry the water. Then pork as many as possible holes on the rind. Back and forth and repeat several times. This is the most important step. After the hard pork process, apply a small pinch of salt on the rind.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (5)

Cut two shallow lines on the pork (only the lean part, not deep to touch the fat) and then sprinkle the dry rub evenly.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (6)

Wrap the pork belly with foil wrappers and place in fridge overnight.Uncovered please, we need the rind to be dry before roasting.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (7)

Pre-heat oven to 180 degree C. Brush a thin layer of vinegar and spread salt evenly to form a protecting layer. Roast for 50 minutes.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (8)

Remove the salt and place the pork belly on the middle rack. Remember to use a tray to catch the dropping oils. Turn your oven to upper fire mode and turn up the temperature to 220 degree C.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (9)

Continue roasting for 20 to 25 minutes until the skin is well crackled. Let the pork belly stay in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly cooled down. Transfer out and cut into small bites.
Cutting tips: place the skin side down. Cut the meat part firstly and then press the knife to break the crispy rinds.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (10)

How to serve

You can serve this with sugar, mustard sauce or Thai sweet and chili sauce. But not too many cubes each time. I would suggest 2 cubes for each individual. I make three strips this time and serve only 1 strip one meal. We have very similar dish in Western China, where the pork belly rind is deep-fried for crackling. Mixed chili peppers are used to remove the oily.

Other pork belly recipes

  1. Pork belly can be used in stir-fry recipes: twice cooked pork belly
  2. Pork belly can be roasted: Roasted pork belly with honey
  3. Pork belly can be red braised: red-braised pork belly.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (11)

Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)

Crispy pork belly is one of my favorite Cantonese dishes for the years in Guangdong province.

5 from 24 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Crispy, Pork Belly

Prep Time: 12 hours hours

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 13 hours hours

Servings: 4

Calories: 5268kcal

Author: Elaine

Ingredients

  • 1000 g pork belly with beautiful layers
  • 2 small chunks of ginger
  • 2 scallions
  • 1 tbsp. cooking wine
  • 6-10 Sichuan peppercorns ,optional

Marinating

  • 1.5 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. Chinese five spice
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. white pepper

Roasting

  • sea salt to cover the meat
  • white vinegar for brushing

Instructions

  • Place the pork belly in a large pot with clean water, add cooking wine, scallion, ginger and sichuan peppercorn. Continue cook for 3 minutes after boiling.

  • Transfer the pork out and pat dry the water. Then pork as many holes on the rind. Back and forth and repeat several times. This is the most important step.

  • After the hard pork process, apply a small pinch of salt on the rind.

  • Cut two shallow lines on the pork (only the lean part, not deep to touch the fat) and then sprinkle the dry rub evenly.

  • Wrap the pork belly with foil wrappers and place in fridge overnight.Uncovered please, we need the rind to be dry before roasting.

  • Pre-heat oven to 180 degree C. Brush a thin layer of vinegar and spread salt evenly to form a protecting layer. Roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

  • Remove the salt and place the pork belly on the middle rack. Remember to use a tray to catch the dropping oils. Use upper fire only at the temperature of 220 degree C, and roast until the rind is golden brown and well crackled.

  • Let the pork belly stay in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly cooled down. Transfer out and cut into small bites.

  • Cutting tips: when cutting the pork belly, place the skin side down. Cut the meat part firstly and then press the knife to break the crispy rinds.

Nutrition

Calories: 5268kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 96g | Fat: 531g | Saturated Fat: 193g | Cholesterol: 720mg | Sodium: 3193mg | Potassium: 2116mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 340IU | Vitamin C: 10.6mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 9.9mg

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (12)

More pork

  • Pork Potstickers with a Lovely Spicy Dipping Sauce
  • Wontons Egg Drop Soup
  • Lion’s Head Meatballs
  • Pork Floss - Meat Floss

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Larry

    Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (17)
    I know how good it is, that's really a large batch.

    Trial and error, is the way to learn.

    Reply

  2. Leo

    Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (18)
    Great!

    Reply

  3. Joseph Thambiah

    What about the marination? You did not mention. Is it after the boiling? Pat dry & apply marinade and then foil wrap in the fridge?

    Reply

    • Elaine

      Hi, Joseph
      The marinating mixture is sprinkled on the surface when serving at the end

      Reply

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Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between char siu and siu yuk? ›

Char siu is barbecued roast pork, whereas siu yuk is roasted crispy pork belly. Not only do they use different parts of the pig — my dad likes to use pork butt for char siu and pork belly for siu yuk — but they're also prepared differently and have varying flavor profiles and textures.

Why won t my pork belly get crispy? ›

There are several reasons why you might not be getting perfectly crisp crackling. Not enough salt - use the full amount specified in the recipe to cover the pork belly rind when dry brining as this is what causes the crackling to puff up and become crispy when the salt reacts with the fat.

How do you keep pork belly crispy? ›

It requires putting a thick layer of salt on the skin of your pork belly, making sure every inch of that pristine skin is covered in salt, then roasting it whole. Roasting this salt-covered belly in the oven will then draw out more moisture from the skin and form a hardened salt crust, which is then removed.

Why does vinegar make pork skin crispy? ›

White Vinegar helps dry out the skin – but it has a secondary purpose of removing the odour! If you are prepared, place the Pork in the Fridge UNCOVERED overnight – the skin will dry out. When you pre-heat your oven, remove the pork from the fridge and let it return to room temperature.

What is siu yuk in English? ›

Siu yuk (Chinese: 燒肉; pinyin: shāo ròu; Cantonese Yale: sīu yuhk; lit. 'roast meat') is a variety of siu mei, or roasted meat dishes, in Cantonese cuisine. It is made by roasting an entire pig with seasonings, such as salt and vinegar in a charcoal furnace at high temperature.

Is pork Char Siu unhealthy? ›

Arguably Char Siu may be carcinogenic. Despite the charred chunks, many may easily chomp down when the meat is carved and served in thin or thick slices on a plate, all because it is too delicious to resist the temptation. There are also many health enthusiasts who would not lay an eye on anything charred.

Is it better to cook pork belly fast or slow? ›

This process helps the fat run out and skin to crisp. Transfer to a preheated oven. Check your recipe for times and temperatures. Pork belly needs a combination of slow, gentle heat to tenderise the meat, plus a shorter blast at a higher heat to crisp up the skin.

Why put baking soda on pork belly? ›

It is a fact of life that dry skin crisps better than moist skin. Scotese's trick to crispy pork belly is to rub equal parts baking soda and salt into the skin—the combo of baking soda and salt will draw out moisture and set you up for success.

Why do you pour boiling water on pork belly? ›

boiling water trick

This helps to prep the skin to crackle as its now "pre-cooked" so to speak. Make sure to pat dry with paper towel to further dry afterwards.

What is the best tool for crispy pork belly? ›

The Avanti Pork Belly Skin Crisping Tool and Tenderiser is the perfect tool for making pork crackling.

Should you put oil on pork belly? ›

  1. Preheat an oven to 220ºC/gas mark 7.
  2. Score the fat on top of the belly with a sharp knife, being sure not to cut into the meat.
  3. Pat the pork belly all over with kitchen paper to dry the surface, then rub with olive oil and season generously all over with salt and black pepper.
Aug 8, 2019

How to get the best crackle on pork belly? ›

Roast in a slow oven for 2 1/2 hours at 140°C/285°F so the flesh becomes tender; Level the pork so the skin is level (ie. as horizontal as possible) by propping up the belly with balls of foil beneath. This makes the crackling cook evenly = perfect crackling.

Which vinegar is best for pork? ›

I let mine soak overnight but the longer, the better. I used balsamic vinegar but any other vinegar works: apple cider, white wine, rice, etc you decide. In a small bowl combine vinegar, olive oil and sage leaves. Place pork into a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade on top.

Why is apple cider vinegar good on pork? ›

Apple Cider Vinegar – Adds a beautiful and tasty touch of acidity to the glaze that brightens up the apple glazed pork chops. Apple Cider – Gives the pork an intense layer of sweet apple flavor combined with the apple cider vinegar.

What is the difference between Chinese char siu and Japanese char siu? ›

What is Chashu? Japanese have adapted the famous Chinese barbecued pork called Char Siu (叉燒) as chāshū (チャーシュー). Unlike the Chinese version which requires roasting over high heat, we prepare the meat by rolling it into a log and then braising it over low heat in a sauce seasoned with soy sauce, sake, and sugar.

What is siu yuk in Japanese? ›

NOTE: An updated version of this recipe appears in my cookbook, The Ancestral Table.

What is the difference between pork and char siu? ›

Pork is literally just “the meat of a pig” in the most general sense. Char siu is the anglicized rendering of the name of a Cantonese style of roasted pork (usually belly, back, loin, or neck), flavored with Chinese 5 spice and glazed with honey and red rice yeast that produces a rich, red color.

What is another word for char siu? ›

Char siu, often called Chinese BBQ pork or Chinese roast pork in English, is a Cantonese style of barbecued pork. It has become beloved worldwide, Thailand included, because of its unique sweet and savory flavor, the aroma of five-spice powder, and a distinct red color.

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