Crispy Roast Pork (Hong-Kong Style)

A cross section of the crispy pork belly with a good ratio of fat, meat, and skin.

Cantonese and Southerners have an affinity for BBQ pork.

Though our definitions of BBQ pork are a little different, both are equally delicious. Traditionally, Cantonese-style BBQ revolves around the art of roasting meats rather than slow cooking them over burning wood. Growing up, my grandparents would drive hours to go to a Cantonese BBQ shop. They would stock up on delicious roast duck and pork whenever they visited placed like Orlando or Atlanta. This variety is called siu yuk, pronounced “sil-yook”. If they weren’t able to make the trip, they would get together with neighbors to prepare a big enough batch to share amongst the families.

I learned many of these tips & tricks from my grandfather. He preferred to finish his crispy pork by ladeling hot oil over the partially baked pieces rather than roasting it. I will always remember the sound the skin made when it sizzled and puffed. JAAAAAAAA. As a kid, I mimicked the sound for my grandfather which he found amusing while he cooked. For the purposes of this recipe, we will use a counter top toaster or air fryer. Creating the salt crust is OPTIONAL but definitely improves the texture of the skin.

To reheat, simply toss back into the air fryer or sauté in a dry pan for a few minutes. There are a number of different sauces that can be paired with this beautiful luscious piece of meat. Recently, I have enjoyed dipping it in either Crying Tiger or sweet soy sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients for the Dry Rub

• 1 tablespoon Chinese Five Spice powder

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon white pepper

• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

Ingredients for the Crispy Pork

• 2-2.5 lbs piece of skin-on pork belly

• White vinegar

• 1 egg white (optional)

• 1 cup of Kosher salt (optional)

*For this recipe, I prefer to use center cut piece of pork belly. These tend to have better ratios of fat to meat.

Special Equipment

• Pastry brush

• Meat tenderizing tool with stainless steel needles

• Air fryer or toaster oven

• Oven-proof rack that sits in a tray

Directions for the Dry Rub

1. Prepare the pork belly by burning off any remaining hairs with a lighter. Then, trim the belly of any uneven pieces. Pat dry with paper towels.

2. Make 1/2-inch slices lengthwise down the pork belly. This will allow the spice paste to penetrate the meat. Next, use your meat tenderizing tool with the stainless steel needles to poke shallow holes all over the skin of the pork belly. Avoid going too deep.

3. Combine all of the dry ingredients together. Add in the Shaoxing wine to form a rough paste. Rub the paste into the meat side of the pork belly. Wipe off any spice paste from the skin side. Place into the fridge overnight. You can get away with just a few hours of drying but the best results are achieved overnight.

Directions for the Crispy Pork

1. The next day, remove the pork belly from the fridge. Using the pastry brush, dab a thin layer of vinegar onto the pork belly skin. This will help the skin crisp up in the oven as it cooks. If you’re using a regular oven, preheat to 300-degrees. Shift your racks around so that the pork belly can sit on the lowest level rack.

2. Line your oven tray well with several layers of aluminum foil to avoid a mess. Then, make a little band of aluminum foil to wrap around the base of the pork belly. This will prevent the meat from burning during the two cooking phase. Next, you can mix the egg white and Kosher salt to make a loose paste and spread onto the top of the pork skin (optional). I have baked without the salt crust and the pork belly still has come out crispy. Bake the pork belly for 30 minutes.

3. Remove the pork belly from the oven. Gently take off the salt crust. Dab away any fat that has pooled on top of the skin with paper towels. Crank your oven to 450-degrees. Using your meat tenderizer again, poke a few more holes in the skin before returning to the hotter oven. Brush the skin with vinegar to clean off the skin.

4. Return the pork belly to the oven. Bake for another 15-25 minutes, turning the pan halfway so the skin gets even coloring. Keep an eye on the pork skin to make sure it doesn’t burn.

5. Remove from the oven. Admire your work. Allow to cool for a few minutes before handling. Enjoy that symphony of crispy skin.