Crispy Roasted Pork Belly

36 hours 30 mins Prep Time

3 hours 0 mins Cook Time

Written By

Vicky Tran

Roasted pork belly is one of those foods that can stand alone with little to no accompaniments when done right. If you are going to make a roasted pork belly, then you must commit yourself to producing the airiest and earth-shatteringly crispy pork belly skin. This recipe will take you through a few steps that are not to be compromised if you want to achieve the latter. The first being a 24 hour curing process that allows for an orange zest laced cure mixture of brown sugar and kosher salt to penetrate deep into the fat and the meat fibres. This curing process is twofold because as the meat cures, excess moisture is pulled to the surface, which aids in the skin's crisping. The second non-negotiable step is the air drying that comes after the cure has been rinsed off, which further aids in the quest for the ultimate crispy skin. The final step is the slow and low roast to render excess fat before the final blast of heat to really blister and pop that skin. Making this amount of pork belly at once may seem daunting but trust me when I tell you, any leftovers chucked into fried rice or sandwiched between crusty bread will feel like a blessing.

Ingredients

Crispy Roasted Pork Belly

3 kilograms boneless pork belly, skin on
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon five spice powder
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 oranges, zested
1 English cucumber, seeded and sliced into strips

Directions

Crispy Roasted Pork Belly

6 Steps

Step 1

Prep the pork belly: score the pork belly skin by making incisions running lengthwise on the skin of the pork, approximately 1 cm apart, cutting about 1/2 cm deep into the fat. Then flip the pork belly over to the flesh side and make incisions the same width and depth as the skin except in a cross diagonal pattern. This will help the cure really penetrate and flavor the meat. Set aside.
Step 2

In a small mixing bowl, combine the kosher salt, dark brown sugar, five spice powder and orange zest, mix until even. Begin rubbing all of the cure mixture onto the skin side as well as the flesh side of the pork belly. Make sure to really massage into all of the incisions. Place in a shallow baking dish or tray over a wire rack and allow to cure in the fridge for 24 hours.
Step 3

The next day remove the cured pork belly from the fridge and rinse off the cure, pat dry with a paper towel, return to the same wire rack lined tray and allow to air dry in the fridge overnight.
Step 4

The next day place the dried pork belly on a wire rack over a roasting pan, fill the pan underneath the pork with hot water approximately 1 inch up the sides. Begin roasting the pork belly in a preheated 275°F for 2 ½ hours.
Step 5

Remove from the oven and turn the heat to 450°F. Brush the skin of the pork with the canola oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Return to the oven and continue to roast for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the skin has puffed and crisped nicely.
Step 6

Remove from the oven, allow to rest on the rack for 20-30 minutes before slicing. Serve with sliced cucumber and hoisin sauce.