Crispy Pork Belly

Directions

  1. 1Pat your skin on pork belly dry and poke holes all across the skin, ensuring the holes only puncture the skin and do not go all the way through the meat.
  2. 2To the meat side, use a knife to make 1/2" cuts lengthwise across the pork belly.
  3. 3In a small bowl, combine salt, white pepper, five spice powder, sugar, and shaoxing wine to make a paste.
  4. 4Evenly spread the paste on the meat side of the pork and crevices, ensuring not to touch the skin.
  5. 5Place the punctured and marinated pork on a piece of foil and create a foil boat wrapping the pork, leaving the skin exposed.
  6. 6Place in the fridge for 24 hours (48 hours for best results) to help the skin further dry out.
  7. 7Once the skin is dry, mix together salt and a beaten egg white.
  8. 8Brush the skin with a layer of white vinegar.
  9. 9Evenly layer the salt/egg mixture directly on the skin.
  10. 10Bake at 300F for 30 minutes.
  11. 11Remove the salt from the skin and brush off any excess salt.
  12. 12Poke more holes throughout the softened skin.
  13. 13Bake at 450F for 30-45 minutes or until the skin has puffed up.
  14. 14If any edges are starting to burn, place a small piece of foil to cover to get the skin as evenly crisp as possible.
  15. 15If needed, place pork under broiler for a few minutes to speed up the blistering process (watch carefully to ensure skin does not burn).
  16. 16Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lb pork belly, skin-on
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tbsp white pepper
  • 0.5 tbsp five spice powder
  • 0.5 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp shaoxing wine, plus 2 tsp as needed to form a paste
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1 egg white, beaten
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar

Tips

  • Pork Belly Selection: Ask your butcher for a boneless, center cut, skin-on pork belly with a thin layer of white fat in between the meat sections for optimal results.
  • 24-48 Hours Before Cooking: Dry the pork belly with the skin exposed in the fridge for at least 24 hours (48 hours is better) to reduce moisture and achieve a super crispy skin.
  • Distilled White Vinegar – My Secret Ingredient: Do NOT skip the vinegar before the salt crust; it softens the skin and removes odor.
  • Ingredient Substitutions: It is NOT recommended to use substitutions for this dish as the recipe has been perfected with the listed ingredients.