Cantonese roast pork belly (廣東燒豬腩肉) is irresistible! You will love the crispy cracking, and the tender and juicy meat that melts in the mouth.
I always get fresh organic or free-range pork from my butcher. The best crackling comes from a female pig which has more fat under the skin. One of my favourite breeds is Gloucester Old Spots, which is a much treasured British heritage breed. Its belly joint has distinctive layers of meat and fat.
This dish is easier than you think. Pork belly has an incredible rich flavour and so all you need is just some simple seasoning.
The skin will require a little preparation as described in this recipe. It is crucial to keep it dry. I won’t be able to guarantee the perfect crackling as this will depend on the quality of the meat, but this recipe will give you the best chance of making a crispy crackling
Ingredients
- About 1.25kg organic, or free range pork belly
- A very generous amount of coarse sea salt, for pre-salting
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp five spice powder
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
Instructions
- The first step required to produce crispy crackling is scoring. Most butchers will score the skin in a criss-cross pattern with a Stanley knife. However, the Chinese way of doing this is to poke holes all over the skin using a sharp metal skewer. (You may also use special meat needles which are designed for this purpose. They are available in Chinese supermarkets. ) During cooking, the rendered fat under the skin will escape through these holes. This cook the skin like frying and help enhance its crispiness.
- Rub the skin with a generous amount of coarse sea salt and set aside for a few hours. The salt will draw out excessive moisture from the skin. Rinse off the wet salts and dry the skin completely.
- Rub the pork belly with the remaining ingredients everywhere except the skin. Some chefs suggest brushing the skin with vinegar to make it more crispy, but I don't find it necessary. I suggest not to season the skin at all.
- Marinate the meat in the fridge overnight with the skin side up. Do not cover the meat and let the skin dry completely in the fridge.
- Let the meat return to room temperature before roasting.
- Roast on a rack in a preheated oven at 160°C for 50 mins. Then turn up the heat to 230°C, and roast for another 30 mins. The intense heat will blister the skin and turn it into crackling. The internal temperature of the meat should just reach 75°C (use a meat thermometer to test this if you have one).
- Finally, finish off by briefly roasting the skin under the upper grill of the oven so that the skin becomes completely crispy. Be careful not to burn the skin.
- Let the meat cool down for about 30 mins. Serve with mustard and chilli sauce if preferred.
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