Homemade Crispy Roast Pork (自制脆皮燒肉)

Homemade Crispy Roast Pork, or 自制脆皮燒肉, is a tantalizing dish featuring a perfect balance between crunchy skin and succulent meat. It's a bit of a project but totally worth it for that sublime final result.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Equipment

Aluminum foil
Baking tray
Wire rack
Sharp knife
Paper towels

Ingredients

For the Pork:

1 kg pork belly skin on
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon five-spice powder

For the Marinade:

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
2 cloves garlic minced

For the Skin:

1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

Instructions

Preparation:

Wash the pork belly and pat it dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Marinate the Meat:

Combine soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and minced garlic in a bowl.
Rub this marinade on the meaty side of the pork belly, avoiding the skin.
Sprinkle the meaty side with five-spice powder and salt.

Prepare the Skin:

Using a sharp knife, carefully score the skin of the pork belly without cutting into the meat.
Rub the skin with vinegar and then pat it dry.

Drying Process:

Place the pork belly, skin-side up, on a tray and refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight to dry out the skin. This is essential for achieving that crispy texture.

Preheat Oven:

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).

Prepare for Roasting:

Place a wire rack on a baking tray and lay a piece of aluminum foil on the rack.
Place the pork belly on the foil, skin-side up.

Salt Crust:

Cover the skin entirely with coarse sea salt. This will be removed later and helps to draw out excess moisture.

Roast:

Place the tray in the preheated oven and roast for 1 hour.

Remove Salt Crust:

Take the pork belly out of the oven and remove the salt crust carefully.
Increase the oven temperature to 240°C (465°F).

Final Roast:

Return the pork belly to the oven and roast for an additional 20-30 minutes to crisp up the skin.

Rest and Slice:

Remove from oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing into it.

Serve:

Cut into bite-sized pieces and serve immediately.