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Home Asian Recipes

Chinese Crispy Pork Belly

By:Nagi
Published:4 Feb '19Updated:20 Dec '22
527 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

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!)

Close up of sliced Chinese Crispy Pork Belly with super crispy perfect crackling

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 ↓↓↓.

Close up of Chinese Crispy Pork Belly super crispy golden crackling

Overhead photo of Chinese Crispy Pork Belly with some slices cut

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!

How to make Chinese Crispy Pork Belly, the best crackling in the world

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.

How to make Chinese Crispy Pork Belly, the best crackling in the world

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!!!

Chinese Crispy Pork Belly with the best crackling in the world, just out of the oven with the salt crust

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).

Ingredients in Chinese Crispy Pork Belly

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!

Chinese Crispy Pork belly slices on a plate, ready to be eaten

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?

Plate of Chinese Crispy Pork Belly with the best crackling in the world. Pork belly slices on a plate, ready to be served

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. ❤️

  • 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!

  • 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?).

  • If pricking the holes seems like too hard work, skip it and opt for the Alternative Easy Non Pricking Method for Crispy Pork Belly

  • 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.

  • 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!

  • Potstickers – steamed dumplings with crispy golden undersides

  • Spring Rolls – better than Egg Rolls!

  • Fried Rice – Chinese takeout standard (no false promises)

  • Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu) – just like you get from Chinese BBQ meat shops! 

  • Chinese Steamed Pork Buns – big fluffy white buns filled with BBQ pork

  • Browse all Chinese Recipes and Asian Takeout copycat recipes

 

Close up of sliced Chinese Crispy Pork Belly with the best crackling in the world

Plate with slices of Chinese Crispy Pork Belly with the best crackling in the world

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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Close up of sliced Chinese Crispy Pork Belly with the best crackling in the world

Chinese Crispy Pork Belly

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 1 hr 30 mins
Total: 1 hr 50 mins
Appetiser, Dinner
Chinese
4.98 from 130 votes
Servings8 - 8
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 5509
Recipe video above. This is Chinese pork belly, just like you get from the Chinese BBQ meat shops! The best crackling in the world, with the signature bubbles, super crispy and golden. If pricking the skin is too daunting for you, use the Foolproof Easy Method (Note 7)

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:

1. Pork belly - try to get one with even thickness, it will make the best evenly cooked crackling. Look for pork belly with lovely ribbons of fat streaking through it.
2. Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) - sub for dry sherry (near perfect) or Mirin (very good sub). If you can't consume alcohol, just skip it and add an extra 1/4 tsp salt. Read here for more info.
3. Chinese Five Spice Powder - a spice mix used in Chinese cooking with 5 spices that's widely available at everyday supermarkets.
4. Rock Salt is called for because it's easy to remove and also the salt doesn't slip down into the holes which would make the pork too salty.
5. Skin piercing  - If you pierce the fat too much (a bit is ok) or flesh, then after you remove the salt crust and place it under the grill/broiler, juices will bubble up onto the skin and prevent the skin from getting crispy. It's not the end of the world if you have a handful of pricks that went too deep, you will just get tiny splotches or little strips of crackling that's not 100% crispy.
6. Broiling - Ensure the pork isn't too close to the heat source. That's the key to an even golden crackling, rather than burnt splotches here and there. The further away it is, the better!
7. Foolproof Easy Method - Use this if pricking is all too hard. Makes super crispy crackling and the same juicy flesh, but without the bubbly crackling. It's really really good and super easy. Read in post for more information.
  • 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.
7. Servings - Pork belly is very rich so a 1 kg / 2 lb raw piece (shrinks to about 700g/1.4lb) serves 6 - 8 people as part of a multi course meal or as a starter. I don't serve pork belly as a main because I find it too rich. In the photo pictured in the post with the slices, that is the sort of starter I would do. It's plenty!
8. STORING / MAKE AHEAD: Cook per recipe, including crispy skin. Once cool enough to handle, separate crispy skin from meat. Cool, THEN cover and refrigerate separately - crackling stays crispy! Reheat meat in microwave and reheat crispy skin just until warmed in oven at 180C/350F (~ 5 minutes). Because crackling stays crispy even after refrigeration, reheating for the skin is JUST to reheat, not to crisp. Don't take the skin too far in the oven, it starts to lose crispiness, believe it or not!
9. Recipe created / adapted from numerous sources over the years, including but not limited to: Woks of Life, Chinese Crispy Roasted Pork by Garden Time (this is my main reference point for the traditional method), and a Gordon Ramsay cooking show (can't remember which one!).
8. Nutrition estimate, taking into account 1/3 cup of fat that is discarded from the foil. 

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 88gCalories: 339cal (17%)Protein: 21.9g (44%)Fat: 32.8g (50%)Saturated Fat: 10.9g (68%)Cholesterol: 88mg (29%)Sodium: 383mg (17%)Vitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 0.6mg (1%)Calcium: 12mg (1%)Iron: 1.1mg (6%)
Keywords: best crackling, Chinese pork belly, Crispy pork belly, pork belly
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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!!

Dozer-Crispy-Chinese-Pork-Belly

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

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527 Comments

  1. Jenn says

    May 1, 2020 at 7:58 am

    If you don’t have rock salt on hand, could you use himalayan salt?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 1, 2020 at 9:26 am

      Hi Jenn – as long as it is in rock salt form – anything finer will seep into the flesh and make the meat far too salty. N x

      Reply
  2. yuly says

    April 14, 2020 at 1:27 pm

    hello, I’d like to try this recipe..but I don’t have an oven in my kitchen..will air fryer works for this recipe ? thank you

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 15, 2020 at 11:17 am

      I haven’t tried to be honest Yuly! N x

      Reply
  3. Clare says

    April 14, 2020 at 9:47 am

    5 stars
    Crackling was perfect (we did the skin pricking method) but the meat was a little bit dry, I think we cooked it for a bit too long. But the flavour was delicious!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 15, 2020 at 11:24 am

      Hi Clare, sorry it was a little dry, was it a lean piece of pork? N x

      Reply
  4. Michael d Nelson says

    April 13, 2020 at 4:33 am

    Hi I have a 4lb, how long should it cook?

    Reply
  5. Nellie says

    April 6, 2020 at 7:18 pm

    5 stars
    This is the best pork belly recipe I have ever found, thank you! I’ve been cooking pork belly for years and this was my best result, the crackling was unbelievable. The tip to put holes in the top of the skin is genius. I appreciated the video, that was very helpful.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 7, 2020 at 1:52 pm

      That’s the BEST compliment Nellie – thanks so much! N x

      Reply
  6. Lyn says

    April 4, 2020 at 11:38 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe. Had the seperate grill, turned down heat didn’t cook as long watched it like a hawk. The best pork belly I have cooked. Even my husband who is not a pork belly fan enjoyed it.

    Reply
  7. Kerry says

    April 2, 2020 at 2:34 am

    5 stars
    OMG!!!!! I’m officially addicted to pork belly!
    I have never made pork belly before, but I have eaten it on a cruise & wanted to try to make it myself.
    Your recipe is the bomb! It was easy to follow & easy to make & came out fantastic! It was juicy & the crackling was soooo crispy. I didn’t have a good tool for pricking the fat, so I left it untouched & it still came out super crispy. If I score the fat instead, will it crackle just as well as pricking it or leaving it untouched?
    I can’t wait to make this again. It’s a real show stopper too when you take it out of the oven & scrape off all of the rock salt & then see how it magically transforms into a beautiful golden brown crispiness with juices flowing every where! Yummmmm!!!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 2, 2020 at 6:02 pm

      And who wouldn’t be?!?! If you score the skin, you’ll find that too much salt goes into it and it will be inedible, it really needs to be pricked here 🙂 N x

      Reply
  8. Lyn says

    March 29, 2020 at 3:39 pm

    Hi Nagi, love your recipes! My oven has a separate grill so only has a space of 10cm from top to bottom so how do you suggest I do the crackling.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 29, 2020 at 8:38 pm

      Hi Lyn, you’ll just need to watch it & turn down the heat a little to ensure it doesn’t burn 🙂 N x

      Reply
  9. Nick Spann says

    March 19, 2020 at 4:30 am

    What would yoy suggest as a side to this as a main?

    Reply
  10. Emily says

    February 14, 2020 at 1:04 pm

    Could I use whole pink Himalayan salt for the crust?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 15, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      Hi Emily, it needs to be rock salt so it doesn’t sink into the skin and become salty, so as long as the grain is the same size it will be fine – N x

      Reply
    • Alvin says

      May 3, 2020 at 6:04 pm

      5 stars
      If u don’t have rock salt any salt will do as well just add 1 egg white, 2 tablespoon of vinegar and mix it with ur salt then use it as the crust. The egg white will cook first and form a solid layer preventing the salt from getting to the meat and the vinegar will counter the saltiness. I always use this method bcoz I never had rock salt at home. Haha.

      Reply
  11. mark says

    February 9, 2020 at 2:35 pm

    do you remember the weight of the meat you used in the video? mine is 1.5 lb and i am afraid of overcooking!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 10, 2020 at 1:53 pm

      Hi Mark, mine was 1kg – you won’t overcook, it will be amazing! Enjoy!! N x

      Reply
  12. Joy says

    January 26, 2020 at 11:01 pm

    5 stars
    cooked pork belly using this recipe for Chinese New Year and it was a hit with the family!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 28, 2020 at 11:31 am

      Awesome Joy, that’s great to hear!

      Reply
  13. Tan says

    December 31, 2019 at 6:03 pm

    Thanks for this recipe. Will try to make this for Chinese New Year.
    For instruction # 8, what is the temperature use to grill?

    Reply
  14. Helen Parker says

    December 27, 2019 at 1:59 pm

    This worked PERFECTLY!! However, after slicing and piling into a serving dish I stupidly covered it loosely with foil and popped it into the warm oven until my guests arrived- the perfectly crisp crackling was then SOFT ;-(
    It was still delicious…..I will def make again but avoid my stupid last step

    Reply
  15. Grant says

    December 26, 2019 at 12:45 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe, highly recommended!

    Did the non-skin prick option for Christmas – worked perfectly as per recipe. People loved it. Thanks!

    Reply
  16. Suzie S says

    December 23, 2019 at 9:47 pm

    Hi Nagi,

    Wanting to make this for Christmas although the Pork belly I purchased has been scored already and it’s a 4kg piece 😱 Should I cut it in half and do I follow note number 7 to achieve the crispy skin?

    Reply
  17. Val Trio says

    December 19, 2019 at 2:13 pm

    Hi Nagi
    I want to cook this for part of Christmas lunch. Looks delicious. Are temperatures quoted fan forced or not? xx

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 19, 2019 at 7:30 pm

      Hi Val – all oven types as per the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  18. AJ says

    December 19, 2019 at 5:05 am

    5 stars
    Fab. Made this for first time and it worked perfectly.

    Reply
  19. Nana says

    December 15, 2019 at 7:48 am

    Omg! Thank you! Made it, it came out perfect..love it and the family as well 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 16, 2019 at 8:59 am

      Wahoo!!!!

      Reply
  20. Tanya says

    December 6, 2019 at 10:42 pm

    Hi Nagi,

    I’ve made this crispy pork belly before and loved it and now I plan to make it for a Christmas party. The only thing is I need to transport it. How do I store the pork belly so it stays crispy while in transit? Air-tight container? covered or not covered? Thanks in advance:)

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 8, 2019 at 2:03 pm

      Hi Tanya, I talk about making it ahead in the recipe notes – hope this helps!

      Reply
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