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. ❤️
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
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!!
I have done it over and over again! Can’t beat this recipe!
That’s great to hear Tale! Thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Hi nagi, I love this recipe and have been doing it at least once per week. Can you tell me what you are using to make holes in skin?
It looks like it is sharp and really works well.
I am using a Chinese skin pricker but it is not as effective as the tool you are using.
Thanks in advance
Kim
Hi Kim! I’m using an ice pick. Basic Instinct style!!
Thanks Nagi, I love so many of your recipes ! It seems I’m only able to “reply” but not leave original comment and leave “stars”? If I could have left 10 stars for this recipe I would have!! 😊
Hi Kim! Hmm, not sure what’s happening there 🙂 But that’s ok, your message is all I need! N x
Hi Nagi
we are going to try this recipe next week for a party, will the recipe work If you do the broiling of the skin a day later? So do the baking on friday and broil on Saturday and then serve from the broiler?
Hi David! That doesn’t work, I tried 🙂 I made this the other week and what I did was as follows: Cook per recipe, including crispy skin. Once cool enough to handle, separate crispy skin from meat. Cool, THEN cover and refrigerate separately. Reheat meat in microwave and reheat crispy skin just until warmed in oven – the skin stays crispy even in the fridge, you will be amazed. So the 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! N x PS Updated recipe with these tips! N x
Hi Nagi thank you for this amazing recipe! I have made this countless times (including tonight) and they turn out beautifully crispy and bubbly each time.
That’s terrific to hear Caryn! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
Thank you for sharing this recipe… We tried it and it really taste so good =). Highly recommended.
Glad you enjoyed it Rhoda! Thanks for letting me know! N x
Is 20 minutes under the broiler for the last step a little too long? Even on the lowest rack, my pork belly starts to become burnt and black if I broil it for more than 10 minutes.
I never comment on blog posts, but I just cooked this dish and it was amaaaaazing! I have never cooked pork sucessfully in my life until today. The crackling was perfect and the meat was juicy! I used the awl on my Swiss army knife to make the little holes. Thank you for such detailed and clear instructions.
Hi, this is an amazing recipe and was so good! I was wondering if it would still puff in a high heat oven rather than the Broiler? Just wondering if you had experimented with this. Thanks so much!!
Lol never mind I’m a retard and just read the notes!
Iam a newbie here, I have get a failure :'( may I ask something, can I boil the meat first before pricking and roast the meat ? My family do that because we love to save the broth
And I use electric oven, there is 3 choice of heating, heat on the up side, down side and both side. Which one should I choose?
Hi Fiona! I’m afraid that’s not possible with this recipe, please follow the recipe as is! 🙂 N x
Thx Nagi
Hi Nagi,
The cooking temperature is 180 Celsius, do I have to bring the temperature down with fan oven? Thanks.
Hi Nagi, I’ve tried this recipe with very satisfactory results. I have, however, skipped the vinegar (coz my whole family including myself absolutely hates the smell and taste), but the pork belly still turns out cracklingly nice. 🙂 I’m just thinking if it can really be better with the vinegar brushings (“helps conduct heat?”) – if so, is there an alternative to vinegar which i could use ?
– From Singaporean Guy who cooks at home
Yes I find the vinegar to not be too overpowering as long as you only use a bit
Hi Raphael! I promise you can’t taste the vinegar 🙂 I don’t know of any alternative, sorry!
Hi Nagi, my wife can’t cook for shit. Should I stay or find another one? I really do like her but her cooking. Burns water.
Ba ha ha! I had to laugh 🙂 This is as easy as crispy pork belly will get. Non salt methods are riskier re: skin going crispy. Tell her to do the NON PRICKING version I provide in the recipe, it’s super super easy and the crackling is ridiculous!
Best roast pork recipe ever….and I’ve tried a lot of them! The butcher had scored the skin on the piece I bought but it still turned out perfectly….it’s the best crackling I’ve ever made. Every inch of the skin was perfectly crackly and crispy. Love all your recipes thanks!
Great to hear you enjoyed this Ness! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 N x
Thanks for this great recipe, will try during the weekend.
Have you ever tried roast without any salt on top of the skin (poke hole only) ?
It is hard for me to find rock salt, and I am afraid it will be too salty if I replaced it with sea salt.
Can I use this method for a piece of pork shoulder?
I haven’t tried, sorry Michelle! N x
Just tried this out over the weekend and my only regret is not making a bigger batch of this – everything disappeared and I was left wanting more…will definitely be having this again!
Hi the meat that I have just marinated has been defrosted over 1 night in the fridge. Is it okay for me to leave it in the fridge for another 12 hours? Should I place it in the freezer? Please advice! Thank you 🙂
Hi Sally – definitely don’t put it back in the freezer please! Never refreeze defrosted meat. I’m a bit confused though – did you freeze the meat after marinated?? Or do you mean you marinated defrosted meat?? 🙂
Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe. I’ve cooked this twice now and both times the results were spectacular. The pork crackle is like no other I’ve tasted, I used to rely on my mum to prepare this dish but now I can make it for her instead. It’s now our family favourite 😄 Your recipes are so easy and flavourful, I’m so glad I found your website !!!
LOVE hearing that Cindy!!! So glad you enjoyed it! N x
Going to make this over the weekend. I even made my own pork skin poker for it.
The meat was a thing of beauty, came out perfect!!!! Will be making it again and again.
So glad you enjoyed this Kim! N x ❤️
I bow to yoyu. YOU ROCK!!!!
Hi. The pork belly that’s available here is scored lengthwise about an inch apart. Will the result still be the same?
Annoying i know i buy from coles it comes already scored but i stuck exactlty to the recipe and still turned out beautiful but i will probably buy from butcher in future
Hi Gilbert! Unfortunately not, it needs to have no scoring in order to achieve the pictured results 🙂
Cannot wait to make this perk belly. So glad I stumbled across your recipe and sounds so easy too.
I can already taste it, yum!
It’s SO GOOD!!!! Hope you love! 🙂 N x