Chinese Crispy Roast Pork Bely (Patreon)

Hope you all enjoy this recipe, it's a classic and goes well with plain or fried rice!

Chinese Crispy Roast Pork Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs pork belly
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 tsp five spice
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp white vinegar

Instructions:

DAY BEFORE COOKING

1. Prepare the marinade by combining ketchup, sugar, 1 tsp of salt, five spice, and black pepper in a bowl.
2. Cut the pork belly into 2-inch thick strips.
3. Using a sharp knife, make deep slits on the meat side of the pork belly, making sure not to cut through the skin layer.
4. Massage the marinade into the meat side and inside the slits, avoiding the skin side.
5. Make individual aluminum foil boats for each pork belly strip, ensuring it's snug inside, and the height is tall enough to be at least flush with the meat.
6. Ensure the pork is resting skin-side up.
7. Using a sharp fork, skewer, or knife, prick a bunch of small holes into the pork skin, being careful not to prick beyond the skin layer and into the meat.
8. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining salt and white vinegar.
9. Brush the vinegar onto the pork skin evenly, and set aside the remaining mixture for the next day.
10. Put the pork in the fridge uncovered overnight, allowing the skin to dry out to achieve a crispy texture when cooked the next day.

DAY OF COOKING

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Brush the pork with the remaining vinegar mixture before placing it in the oven.
3. Bake for 20 minutes skin side down.
4. Remove the pork from the oven and flip skin side up, dab off excess oil on top of the skin using a paper towel, prick more holes into the skin, and brush once again with vinegar.
5. Put the pork back in the oven for another 20 minutes.
6. Repeat step 14 and brush the pork with vinegar again.
7. Put the pork back in the oven with skin side up for another 20 minutes.
8. Remove the pork from the oven, dab off excess oil using a paper towel, and do not brush with vinegar again.
9. Set the oven to broil and put the pork back into the oven.
10. Broil for 5 minutes.
11. Remove the pork from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.
12. Cut and serve the Chinese Crispy Roast Pork while hot.

*Note: If during the baking process, parts of the skin start to burn or darken faster than the rest, cover the burning areas with aluminum foil to prevent uneven cooking and remove when ready to broil.