This is a Crispy Pork Belly recipe, just like you get from the Chinese BBQ meat shop! The best crackling in the world with juicy seasoned flesh, no one does crispy pork belly like the Chinese.
And this is how they make it. (It’s easy!)
Chinese Crispy Pork Belly recipe
In my humble opinion, the Chinese are the undisputed king of two things: crispy duck and crispy pork belly.
It’s unlikely that I will ever share a proper Peking Duck recipe because it’s too hard to make properly in an ordinary home kitchen.
Pork belly, on the other hand, is totally doable. That juicy, seasoned flesh. But mostly, it’s all about…..
The best crackling in the world
Chinese pork belly crackling is, in my humble opinion, the best crackling in the world. With the signature puffy bubbles all over, this Pork Belly Crackling is crispy and crumbly in a way that you will never achieve on a pork roast, even pulling out all the secret crackling tips.
That’s what makes Chinese Crispy Pork Belly so sought after. The reason why the best Chinese BBQ meat shops have queues around the block on weekends.
And today, my friends, you’re going to see how easy it is to make your own Chinese pork belly that comes out looking just like this ↓↓↓.
The secret to the best pork belly in the world
And here are the two secrets to perfect crispy pork belly that the Chinese discovered*:
1. Pricking lots of holes in the skin = puffy crackling with bubbles. This is what makes all the difference, yielding that beautiful bubbly crackling that is so unique to Chinese pork belly.
The Chinese have a special tool that they use to prick the skin. Me, I have my Basic Instinct moment and use an ice pick. It works remarkably well. But anything that is pointy and sharp will work just fine – for example, metal skewers.
And yes, if you find it all too hard, you can skip this pricking step. More on that below in the Easy Non Pricking Method. 🙂
* I credit them for this genius discovery, but I’m not actually sure if they discovered it!
2. Roast covered in rock salt = crispy crackling. Salt draws moisture to the surface, helping to guarantee you’ll get crispy crackling every single time. And yes, it works whether you do the pricking or not. Again, more on that below.
Why rock salt?
Rock salt is easy to remove and also will not penetrate into the holes while roasting, making the pork far too salty.
The pork belly is first roasted with the salt crust, then the salt crust is removed. At this stage, the skin is rubbery and looks thoroughly unappetising (step 7 above).
All it takes to transform the ugly ducking into a crispy golden swan is to stick it under the grill/broiler for 25 minutes. Watch in amazement as it starts to puff and crackle and becomes soo crispy!!!
Pork Belly Marinade
The pork flesh is infused with subtle flavour by marinating it in classic Chinese flavours – Chinese cooking wine (or dry sherry or even Mirin), five spice powder, salt and white pepper.
There are some Chinese pork belly recipes “out there” that don’t marinate, but I really think it’s worth the time to do this otherwise the flesh somewhat lacks Chinese flavour (in my humble opinion).
ALTERNATIVE:
EASY NON PRICKING METHOD
If you don’t have something suitable for or are having troubles pricking the skin, don’t be sad, there is another way to Chinese Crispy Pork Belly heaven!
With this alternative method which is virtually foolproof, you can skip pricking the skin and the crackling will still be outrageously crispy, however, it will not have the signature puffy bubbles that Chinese Pork Belly is known for.
When you break the crackling, it will snap cleanly rather than partially crumbling which the puffy crackling does (which you can see in the video).
The reason this method is foolproof is because with the traditional Chinese method, if you are too enthusiastic with the pricking and pierce too far into the fat (or even worse, into the flesh), the juices will bubble up onto the skin, and the wetness as the skin is being grilled/broiled will cause little splotches where the skin is not super crispy.
Doesn’t the crackling using this simple Alternative Method look almost impossibly perfect?? Check out that colour!
How to serve crispy pork belly
This is the typical way to serve it: cut into slices, then each slice cut into smaller pieces. Small pieces is the go here because pork belly is rich!
As for sauce, Chinese pork belly is typically served with mustard. Either your everyday yellow mustard or Hot English Mustard which is my favourite. The kick of fresh heat pairs so well with the richness of the pork belly!
I’ve also had it served with white sugar. Just a small dish of everyday white sugar that you dip the pork into. It’s really good.
As for sides, because pork belly is rich, I just serve it with plain fresh vegetables. My favourite is cucumber and radish because they’re so fresh and radish also has a kick of spiciness.
Plus, they add great colour to the plate, don’t you think?
Chinese Crispy Pork Belly – SUMMARY
I realise there’s a lot of information in the above, so I though it would be useful to finish with a summary. ❤️
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Traditional Chinese Crispy Pork Belly has a golden puffy crispy crackling that almost crumbles when you bite into it. It’s complete and utter bliss to experience!
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To make puffy crackling, you need to prick lots and lots of little holes in the skin. If you accidentally prick too far into the fat under the skin, or even worse, the flesh, this may cause juices to bubble to the surface which may result in some splotches that are not 100% crisp. The Chinese have a special tool to do this. I use an ice pick (aka my Basic Instinct moment?).
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If pricking the holes seems like too hard work, skip it and opt for the Alternative Easy Non Pricking Method for Crispy Pork Belly
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The Alternative Easy Non Pricking Method yields a crackling that is a beautiful golden brown that is outrageously crispy but without bubbly crackling. The crackling snaps rather than crumbles like the authentic Crispy Chinese Pork Belly. It is still a stunning crackling that many people dream of. ☺️ This method is very easy with guaranteed crispy crackling, every single time.
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DO NOT SKIP THE VIDEO!! Just wait until you hear how crispy that crackling is!!
To all crackling lovers out there, this one is for YOU! – Nagi x
PS Oh wait, it’s also for Chinese New Year which is tomorrow! ❤️
More food for Chinese New Year
Celebrate Chinese New Year with the best of Chinese food!
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Potstickers – steamed dumplings with crispy golden undersides
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Spring Rolls – better than Egg Rolls!
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Fried Rice – Chinese takeout standard (no false promises)
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Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu) – just like you get from Chinese BBQ meat shops!
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Chinese Steamed Pork Buns – big fluffy white buns filled with BBQ pork
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Browse all Chinese Recipes and Asian Takeout copycat recipes
Crispy Chinese Pork Belly
Watch how to make it
Don’t watch this on Mute…. you want to hear how crispy that crackling is!!
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Chinese Crispy Pork Belly
Ingredients
- 1 pork belly, skin on (800 - 1.2kg / 1.6 - 2.4 lb) (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) (Note 2)
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder (Note 3)
- 1 tsp white pepper (sub black pepper)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp white vinegar (helps conduct heat evenly)
- 200 g / 7 oz rock salt (Note 4)
Instructions
Prepare Pork Belly
- Use an ice pick, sharp metal skewer or another tool to prick tons and tons of holes in the skin. Avoid piercing int o the fat as best you can, and really ensure you do not pierce the flesh (Note 5)
- Turn the pork belly upside down. Rub the flesh (not skin) with Chinese cooking wine, dribbling it on gradually. Sprinkle over five spice powder, salt and pepper. Rub all over flesh, including sides (not on skin).
- Turn skin side up and place in a container. Dab skin dry with paper towels. Refrigerate uncovered for 12 hours (max 24 hrs, min 3 hrs).
Cook:
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (all oven types).
- Remove pork from fridge. Place onto a large sheet of foil. Fold up sides of foil around the pork to enclose it snugly (see photos in post or video) with a 1.5cm / 2/5" rim above the pork skin (to hold salt in).
- Transfer pork to baking tray. Dab skin with paper towels.
- Brush skin with vinegar.
- Spread rock salt on the skin (the foil edges will stop it from falling down the sides).
- Roast for 60 minutes.
- Remove pork from oven and transfer onto work surface.
- Switch to grill/broiler on medium high. Move shelf so it is at least 25cm/10" from the heat source.
- Fold down foil and scrape all the salt off the top and sides. Return pork only (i.e. discard foil) to baking tray.
- Place under grill/broiler for 20 - 25 minutes, rotating tray once, until skin is golden, crispy and puffed. (Note 6)
To Serve
- Remove pork onto cutting board. Slice into 1 - 1.5cm / 2/5 - 3/5" thick slices, then into smaller slices like pictured in post.
- Serve with ordinary yellow mustard - or Hot English Mustard if you like spicy like me! Not Dijon, just ordinary American or other yellow mustard (yes really!). Sometimes it is served with white sugar on the side too. Add some fresh raw vegetables (I use cucumber and radish).
Recipe Notes:
- Follow recipe up to and including brushing with vinegar but do not prick skin.
- Cover skin with rock salt per recipe, OR use 1 cup kosher/cooking/table salt (enough to cover skin about 3 - 5 mm / 1/8 - 1/5" thick). If you use fine grain salt, make sure the foil is VERY snug around the edges - if salt falls down the sides, it will make the flesh salty.
- Roast per recipe and scrape off salt.
- Instead of flicking to grill/broiler, turn the oven up to 240C/465F. For this method, oven works better to make skin crispy.
- Place pork on a rack and return to baking tray, roast for a further 30 minutes or until crackling is golden and crispy.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published January 2017. Entire post refreshed, new photos added, brand new (much better!) video. No change to recipe, though writing was cleaned up a bit.
‘Life of Dozer
I had many, many chances to catch this shot…. he was doing this the whole time I was shooting the pork belly!!
Sue says
Also nagi should I have the fan on or off when I put it under the grill ?
Nagi says
Hi Sue, I generally have the fan off here. N x
Sue-Ellen says
Hi nagi wondering when I put the grill on is it just the top grill in my oven or underneath as well ?
Judy O’Brien says
I always struggle with crackle. Cooked, following your instructions to the letter. My husband said, “it’s perfect!” Thanks Nagi. ❤️
Nagi says
You nailed it Judy!!! That’s awesome!! N x
Michael Land says
Cooked this tonight… Worried as have tried this dish a few times with reasonable success…
This came out perfectly! I don’t think I could improve on it. Thank you!
Nagi says
That’s amazing Michael, I’m so glad it worked for you! N x
Anna says
How delicious and juicy it was. Though I replaced pork belly with the pork shoulder (that’s what I had resting in my freezer) it still turned out to be great. Thanks for the amazing recipe. Hope you’ll continue providing more like these. 🙂
Justine win says
Amazing / cracking crackling evert time! Bye bye hair dryer / boiling water over skin…… just this recipe 🥰🕺🍾👍🐾🐾
Nagi says
YES!!!! You’re converted now!!! N x
Luke Skarbek says
Another meal I made from your recipe, and I am King Of The Kitchen! FINALLY – if you follow Nagi’s rules, this pork belly works. Amazing dinner, great clear instructions and recipe – thanks again. When the world is normal you are our guest for my scallop and pumpkin dumplings!
Louise says
I am about to prepare this for cooking tomorrow night. I am nervous as I’ve never attempted pork belly before. Hope it works as well as yours sounds like it did. We are going to have ours (or some of it) in Bao Buns
Luke Skarbek says
Follow the recipe to the T and you’ll be OK. And note to have the grill on medium and far away from the pork skin. Good luck!
Nagi says
YESSS!!! This makes me so happy Luke, I know the feeling of nailing a great roast pork! N x
Isabel says
Hi Nagi, I can only get a pork loin. Is that suitable? Thanks 🙂
Nagi says
No sorry Isabel, this is all about pork belly that has the fat running through it – loin just won’t work the same way. N x
Curran says
Fool proof
I marinaded and then roasted/grilled straight away without putting it in the fridge and turned out perfect.
If you have no time to let it marinade and dry in the fridge overnight, add some salt to the skin and leave for several minutes then wipe off the moisture using a kitchen towel before applying the vinegar and rock salt to the skin.
Jennifer Lai says
I love this recipe and I’ve made it several times with much success!! I am wondering if there are any solution if the skin tough from when the butcher uses a flame on the skin to burn off the fur?? I am finding it very difficult to prick the skin
Greg says
Fantastic! I have always had trouble with pork crackling as I’m not a regular but this recipe just works so well and quick and easy to prepare. I am now a repeater on this and I don’t look any further – just jump on this one every time!
Nolsie says
Thank you for this! Can’t wait to try it. I still wonder how they make it so fluffy and fat looking. This one looks crunchy but it’s still missing that signature thickness that they achieve. Last night I had the most delicious pork belly at a local restaurant where the chef achieved the moist and juicy flavorful meat and the thick looking but soft fluffy and crunchy puff crackling that is out of this world! I will try this recipe and see how it goes for me. Thanks again for sharing!
magdalena says
Hi, can you please clarify how to store it for make ahead? Can I make it per recipe & store in airtight containter for 24h? all of it? will it be crispy? cant understand when you say to separate skin as part of “make ahead”. Thanks!
Nagi says
Hi Magdalena, you’re cooking as per the recipe then to store you need to separate the skin from the meat when refrigerating. When you want to reheat – follow the instructions in the recipe notes. I hope this clarifies things!!! N x
Lynn says
Sooo good!
Pam says
Great recipe! We served it with jasmine rice, a Filipino sauce called mang Tomas and a filo tomato and shrimp paste salad.
Quick question though, can you reuse the rock salt?
HK says
Hi Nagi,
What side dish do you recommend with this splendid pork belly recipe of yours? Hope to see your reply soon 🙂
Mike Mears says
You are the best Nagi!
I love all your recipes and the passion you enthuse then with 🥰🥰🥰
Akriti says
Hi Nagi I love your recipes… The attention to detail really helps… So I am making pork belly for the first time and it’s really nerve wracking… Working with an old oven with no broiler can I still get the same results? If yes what should be the temperature after removing the rock salt? In a lot of recipes foil is used to cover the sides of pork, does that help to maintain the moisture in pork? Thank you so much
Taiga says
If we don’t have rock salt how do we substitute table salt? Thanks in advance
Nagi says
Hi Taiga, note 7 will assist you here! Good luck!! N x
Mike says
This is a superior pork belly recipe compared to others. The rock salt thing makes it hard to fail.