MY Crispy Chinese Pork Belly (Siu Yuk) - old recipe

It is incredible easy to make and taste just like (or even better) crispy pork belly that you buy from a Chinese restaurant. This video will show you how to make the pork belly crispy and at the same time keep the meat tender and moist.

Reference recipe:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGKFqO1aY78&list=PL38DGcQxn11Cac8...

800g/ 1.7lbs pork belly

Chinese cooking wine

subheading: Spice Rub:

1 teaspoon of five spice powder

2 teaspoons of sugar

2 teaspoons of salt

½ tsp of black pepper

rice vinegar/lemon juice to baste on the pork skin

Blanch the pork belly by placing it into a pot of boiling water for 5 mins. Remove and cool the pork belly in an ice water bath for another 5 mins. Blanching is a common technique in Southeast Asia and will help to get rid of any blood or rough tastes that have leached into the meat. The pork skin is also much easier to poke through after quick boil.

Scrape the skin with the knife to remove any impurities and hair.

Pat dry the pork belly with a paper towel.

Using a meat tenderizer/fork/skewers, poke lots holes in the skin to create a crispy texture. The more holes in the skin, the crispier it will be (I also lightly cross cut scored the skin - couldn't tell if it made a difference). Don't poke all the way through the skin or the fat below will come up and the skin won't crisp.

Flip the pork belly over and make long strip cuts into the meat (don't cut too deep maybe ½ way through the belly and definitely not through the skin). This allows the spice rub to penetrate, ensures even cooking, and makes it easier to portion without breaking the crispy skin

Massage the meat part with some Chinese cooking wine.

Massage the spice rub into the meat except on the skin.

Flip the pork belly over and wrap in foil (create a foil boat) leaving the skin exposed. This helps to maintain moisture in the meat during the air drying process in the fridge and during the initial cooking part.

Pat dry the skin to remove any moisture. Its also important to remove any seasoning (sugars) that might have gotten on the skin. Unless removed, it will cause the skin to burn easily during cooking.

Add some sea salt on top to facilitate drawing the water out from the skin.

Put the pork belly (uncovered) in the fridge overnight or at least 6 hrs. Occasionally check and pat dry to remove any moisture.

Before preparing to cook, wipe of any remaining moisture or sea salt from the pork belly skin and brush the skin with vinegar/lemon juice. The acidity of the vinegar helps to conduct the heat, makes the crackling occur sooner, and the pork belly much crisper.

Preheat the oven to 325°F and roast the pork belly for 1 hour 15 mins. Each oven is different so the roasting time may vary. The key is to observe the process from time to time until you see the skin become brown and slightly puffy. Tip: place foil boat on a rack with a tray underneath to collect any leaking cooking fluids. You can use the pork oil for cooking or simply mix it with a bowl of plain rice. It tastes really good!

Once the pork is cooked, place under the broiler and watch over it until the skin crisps to your liking (about 5 mins to finish the process). I rotated the tray to ensure even crackling.

Once done. Cool down the pork belly in room temperature for 20 mins before you cut it. Otherwise, the skin will break off the meat too easily (spoiling presentation).

Cut it into the small pieces and transfer it into the serving plate.

**Keys to successful crispy crackling**

Poke a lot of holes in the skin

Air dry the skin overnight or at least 6 hrs in the fridge. This removes moisture and helps with the crackling.

Brush some vinegar/lemon juice on the skin before roasting

TIp: air dry up to 2 days, crisp low and slow

7/9/19 - Spice rub was subtle. Use more next time. Make sure to baste skin with vinegar before initial cooking. Use a lower rack during broiling to avoid burning (rotate as needed to ensure evenness)

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