During this pandemic, I’ve been craving things that I normally get at restaurants. One of these items is crispy pork belly. I started to experiment with different recipes and even tried and air fryer version. I still preferred the traditional oven method. This recipe was inspired by Hot Thai Kitchen’s Crispy Pork Belly.

I begin by marinating the underside of the pork belly. Marinate with 1/2 tsp 5-spice powder and 1/4 tsp salt. This powder can be purchased in any Asian grocery store or sometimes can be found in the international aisle in the supermarket. Try not to get any spices onto the skin.

Next is to prepare the skin. This is an important step and should not be rushed. Begin by poking holes (or breaking the skin) with a skewer or something pointy. Don’t poke too far down since we don’t want the juices from the meat to come out. I poked for a good 10 minutes and made sure that the skin was pierced. You can also take a sharp knife and gently score the skin. This will help any moisture escape when you salt it.

Add about 1/2 tsp of salt. I usually eyeball this part and rub the salt all over the skin. Let it sit for 20 minutes. During this time, the salt will draw the water from the fat. The more water it can draw out the crispier the skin. Dab the droplets with a paper towel until it is dry and add another 1/2 tsp of salt.

Place the pork belly on a tray uncovered and place in the fridge for at least 24 hours. This will make sure the rest of the moisture has evaporated from the pork skin.

After the pork has dried out in the fridge for 24 hours, its time to get it crispy!! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roast for 50-60 minutes or until the pork reaches a temperature of 160F.

To get a crispy skin, you will need to switch the oven to broil. The most important thing to do is watch the pork!! (As you notice, mine got a bit burnt because I looked away for all of 2 minutes). This process should take about 10-20 minutes depending on your oven and the height of the rack.

When you get the perfect bubbly, crackling skin quickly take the pork out of the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes before slicing it. Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 1 lb piece of pork belly (hint: look for a nice flat piece)
• 1/2 tsp 5-spice powder
• 1/4 tsp salt for the meat
• 1 tsp salt for the skin

Directions

1. Flip the meat to the underside and add the 5-spice and salt. Rub this in well but make sure to avoid the skin.
2. Prepare the skin by poking it with a skewer or something pointy. Do not poke too far down so that it doesn’t hit the meat.
3. Use a knife to help score the skin.
4. Sprinkle the 1/2 tsp salt onto the skin and leave it to sit for 20 minutes.
5. Dab the liquid from the skin with a paper towel and add the rest of the salt.
6. Place the pork belly on a tray uncovered and place in the fridge for at least 24 hours. This will make sure the rest of the moisture has evaporated from the pork skin.
7. After 24 hours, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roast for 50-60 minutes or until the pork reaches a temperature of 160F.
8. To make get the skin crispy, set the oven to broil. Keep an eye on the skin and turn it off once you get the desired bubbles and crispiness. This should take between 10-20 minutes depending on your oven and the height of the rack.
9. Let the pork rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

If you enjoyed this recipe, check out some of the other recipes on this blog.