Crispy Pork Belly Recipe (Siu Yuk) (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to crispy pork belly skin? ›

It requires putting a thick layer of salt on the skin of your pork belly, making sure every inch of that pristine skin is covered in salt, then roasting it whole. Roasting this salt-covered belly in the oven will then draw out more moisture from the skin and form a hardened salt crust, which is then removed.

There are several reasons why you might not be getting perfectly crisp crackling. Not enough salt - use the full amount specified in the recipe to cover the pork belly rind when dry brining as this is what causes the crackling to puff up and become crispy when the salt reacts with the fat.

Char siu is barbecued roast pork, whereas siu yuk is roasted crispy pork belly. Not only do they use different parts of the pig — my dad likes to use pork butt for char siu and pork belly for siu yuk — but they're also prepared differently and have varying flavor profiles and textures.

It is a fact of life that dry skin crisps better than moist skin. Scotese's trick to crispy pork belly is to rub equal parts baking soda and salt into the skin—the combo of baking soda and salt will draw out moisture and set you up for success.

Mix vinegar, baking soda and salt, and baste over the skin, saving a little for an extra baste later. The vinegar will help remove any additional moisture and the baking soda will help the skin bubble. Place in the middle of the oven and roast for approximately 1-1.5 hours depending on the size of the pork belly.

Pork belly needs a combination of slow, gentle heat to tenderise the meat, plus a shorter blast at a higher heat to crisp up the skin. Cook at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 2 hrs 15 mins, then turn up the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for a further 35 minutes to crisp the crackling.

Siu yuk (Chinese: 燒肉; pinyin: shāo ròu; Cantonese Yale: sīu yuhk; lit. 'roast meat') is a variety of siu mei, or roasted meat dishes, in Cantonese cuisine.

No they are not the same. Hoisin sauce is made from fermented soybeans mixed with garlic, chilli, sesame, Chinese spices and vinegar. Char siu sauce is a condiment made from hoisin sauce, sugar, Chinese five spice powder, Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce, garlic and often also food colouring.

The red color of char siu traditionally comes from red fermented bean curd, or lam yuh. It doesn't give a very bright, vibrant red, but more of a natural redwood-looking hue. To get a very vibrant red color, most Chinese BBQ stalls add red food coloring.

boiling water trick

This helps to prep the skin to crackle as its now "pre-cooked" so to speak. Make sure to pat dry with paper towel to further dry afterwards.

How do you cook pork belly so it's not tough? ›

Preheat oven to 450°F. Roast pork belly for 30 minutes on the middle rack in a heavy, oven-safe pan or skillet, skin side up / fat side up. Reduce heat to 275°F and roast for an hour or more, until tender but not mushy. (Larger pieces of pork belly will take longer.

Crispen Skin

Increase oven temperature to 425°F, and add a little liquid to the drip pan on the bottom rack so any dripping fat does not smoke up the house. Poke a bunch more holes in the skin. It will be easier when hot. Return pork belly to oven and cook approximately 1 hour, but keep a very close eye.

Preheat oven to 230°C, 210°C fan or Gas Mark 8. Put the joint in a roasting tin on the top shelf for 20 minutes. This sudden blast of heat is the key to crispy crackling. Reduce the temperature to 180-190°C, 160-170°C fan or Gas Mark 4-5 and follow the cooking times below to ensure the joint is cooked through.

Cook over a dry heat

I recommend cooking on high heat in the first instance to scorch the skin. The first 20 minutes of cooking need to be at 220°C or 430°F and after that the roaster can be turned down to a more moderate 180°C or 360°.

Take the meat, put the skin down to soak in salt and vinegar so that when frying, it will be more crispy. It is recommended to let the skins soak in this mixture for about 30 minutes.