Some people enjoy long romantic walks on the beach. I enjoy long romantic walks through Chinatown. Nothing excites me more than the sight of roasted meats hanging in the windows of Chinese BBQ shops. My favorite? Crispy roasted pork belly, also known as Thit Heo Quay in Vietnamese or Siu Yuk in Cantonese.
What makes crispy roasted pork belly so irresistible? It’s all about the textures. First, the crackle of crispy skin. Then, the melt-in-your-mouth layer of juicy fat. Finally, the tender meat underneath it all. Every bite is an explosion of textures.
Since ordering at Chinese BBQ shops can feel like a competitive sport (elderly Chinese women don’t mess around in line), I’ve learned to make crispy roasted pork belly at home.
There are many ways to prepare roasted pork belly. You can air fry it (great for smaller slabs of pork belly), roast it straight in the oven, or blanch it first to remove any strong porky smell.
In this recipe, I blanch the pork belly with aromatics, then season it with a few Vietnamese pantry staples like bouillon powder, which we use as a flavoring agent rather than just a soup base. Once blanched and marinated, the pork belly goes into the oven to roast to crispy perfection.
The most important rule is to start with a slab of pork belly that’s even in height all around. An uneven cut won’t cook evenly, and crisping the skin becomes more difficult. If one side is thicker, cut the slab into pieces of equal height and cook them separately.
Crispy Roasted Pork Belly (Thit Heo Quay)
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
Description
This oven-roasted pork belly is surprisingly easy to make at home. This recipe will yield a juicy interior with a crispy crackling skin. It’s a taste of Chinatown without ever having to leave the house.
Ingredients
Pork and Braising Aromatics
- 3 lbs pork belly
- 1-inch ginger (unpeeled, cut into thin coins)
- 2 scallions/green onions
- 1 large shallot (peel, slice into thin wedges)
Marinade
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing cooking wine
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
Instructions
- Blanch pork belly: Add about 1-1/2 quarts water (or just enough to cover pork) to a medium pot and bring it to a boil. Add the aromatics (ginger, scallions, and shallots), then the pork belly. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes to parboil. Remove the pork belly from the pot. Once it’s cool enough to handle, cut slits into the underside to help it marinate more quickly.
- Marinate: In a small bowl, mix together five-spice powder, sugar, salt, chicken bouillon powder, cooking wine and white vinegar. Apply all over pork belly, including the skin. Set aside to marinate while preheating oven.
- Roast: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the pork skin side up on a baking tray or roasting pan. Wipe the skin layer with paper towels to get the skin really dry. Roast for 35 minutes.
- Broil: Switch to broil at 400°F for 15 minutes or until skin is puffy and crispy. Rotate if necessary for even crispiness. Be careful of pork skin explosions. If there is any burnt spot, just scrap it away with a knife when done roasting. Slice into bite-sized pieces and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Category: side dish, appetizer
- Method: stovetop, oven
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese, Chinese
