Oven Roasted Crispy Pork Belly
Alright, Let’s Talk About Pork Belly (And Why I Always Forget the Timer)
I have this memory that pops up every time I make oven roasted crispy pork belly. Years ago, my uncle showed up for Sunday lunch, took one look at the bubbling pork belly crackling away, and immediately claimed the entire top layer as ‘tax’. Typical, right? Anyway, this dish is total comfort food for me—gorgeous crisp skin, juicy, almost sticky meat—and yes, more than once I’ve had to scrape just-a-bit-too-dark edges from getting distracted blathering on the phone. These things happen! Honestly though, the smells wafting through the kitchen while this roasts? Sheer bliss. You’ll totally forgive yourself for any crispy casualties.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe
I make this pork belly whenever I want to look like a kitchen magician (even if, secretly, I’m just winging it). My family goes bonkers for the crackling. It practically disappears before I finish slicing it. Truth be told, I once tried to rush the skin drying step—yeah… no crunch. Never again! Oh, and it’s oddly satisfying to hover near the oven watching the skin puff up like magic. Plus, it’s the kind of dish I pull out when I want something impressive that actually doesn’t need much fussing. I wouldn’t call it lazy, but let’s just say the oven does most of the heavy lifting.
Your Cast of Ingredients (Wiggle Room Included)
- 1.5kg pork belly, skin on – I’ve used anything from 1kg to “close enough to 2” when feeding a crowd. As for which cut, I’m not picky—though my grandma always insisted on the thickest skin she could find.
- 2 teaspoons sea salt – Table salt works. I even forgot it once and just dusted on some flaky Maldon at the end—wasn’t too shabby!
- 1 teaspoon baking powder – This is for crispy skin (discovered it by accident when I misread a chow mein recipe, but it’s a keeper).
- 1 teaspoon five-spice powder – If you’re out, a mix of ground clove, cinnamon, and a little fennel is a sort of workaround (not the same, but good in a pinch).
- 2 teaspoons white pepper
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine – Or dry sherry. I’ve even splashed in cheap white wine, but honestly… Shaoxing really does add something.
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional, but I’m garlic’s #1 fan)
- Handful of coarse salt (for the final roasting stage)
Here’s How I (Usually) Do It
- Score the Skin: Take a super sharp knife and score the skin in lines about 1cm apart—don’t cut into the meat, though I definitely have by accident. If you’ve got a Stanley knife, it actually makes this step easier; just don’t let anyone catch you raiding the toolkit.
- Dry, Dry, Dry: Flip the pork skin-side up on a plate, stick in the fridge uncovered overnight (8 hours, or longer if you forget—has happened). I’ve even tried with just an hour or two in a pinch, but it was less crispy. Pat it dry with kitchen towel if you’re short on time.
- Season Underneath: Mix five-spice, white pepper, salt, and garlic, then rub it into the underside of the belly. Pour over the Shaoxing too. Try not to get the seasoning on the skin—it messes up the popping. (This is the bit where my kitchen gets a little messy.)
- Baking Powder Magic: Mix baking powder with a teaspoon of salt and rub all over the skin. I only started including baking powder after reading about it on Serious Eats—it seemed weird, but now I swear by it.
- Oven Time!: Preheat oven to 150°C (about 300°F). Put the pork belly, skin up, on a rack over a roasting pan (or a wire oven rack with a tray underneath to catch drips—they’re a pain to clean otherwise). Roast for 2 hours; it’ll look a bit sad and pale at this stage. Don’t stress.
- Crank It Up: Remove the belly. Brush a thin layer of oil over the skin, sprinkle a chunky layer of coarse salt, then back in the oven at 230°C/450°F for 30 mins. Now’s when the magic happens—that skin’s going to puff and crisp. If it’s not popping everywhere after half an hour, turn on the broiler and watch closely (don’t go do laundry, seriously).
- Rest & Crunch Test: Let it rest 15-20 mins (though my dad’s always picking off nibbles before it’s cool). Scrape off most of the salt crust, slice, and check for that glorious shatter. If there’s any chewy patch, I’ll just pop it under the broiler again for a minute or two—no shame in that.
A Few Hard-Earned Notes
- Lining the tray with foil makes for way easier clean up, but sometimes I forget and then, well—it’s soak-the-pan time.
- I’ve overdone the salt crust before and it really didn’t affect the meat inside, so don’t panic if it looks like a little too much.
- Don’t skip the rest after roasting; actually, the texture’s way better.
- For loads of extra info (and some science-y stuff I’ll never understand), I love poking around this guide on AmazingRibs.
Random Variations (Some Better Than Others!)
- One time, I mixed a bit of honey and soy with the spices—flavor’s good, but the skin goes chewy. Wouldn’t recommend unless you’re feeling experimental and aren’t fussed about the crackling bit.
- Switch up the five-spice with smoked paprika if you want something less traditional but, you know, smoky.
- I’ve swapped Shaoxing for apple cider and it gave the meat a nice tang, though it was a little odd with classic sides.
Do You Really Need Fancy Equipment?
Look, a wire rack helps get the air under the skin for crisping, but sometimes I just set the pork on 3 rolled-up balls of foil and it’s fine. Super sharp knife helps for scoring, but I’ve absolutely used my regular dinner knife and a bit of elbow grease. You definitely want a roasting tin though, unless you fancy cleaning pork fat out of your oven for days!
How Do I Store the Leftovers? (Ha, What Leftovers?)
If, by some small miracle, you’ve got leftovers, wrap ‘em in foil and stash in the fridge. They’ll keep for three-ish days, but honestly in my house they’re gone within 24 hours—pork belly sandwiches are a thing of beauty. Oh, and it reheats pretty well under the broiler; the microwave is a sad end for crispy skin.
Serving Ideas (And My Slightly Odd Traditions)
I always serve this with plain jasmine rice and a little tangy cucumber salad, but my cousin swears by stuffing slices into a crusty roll with mustard (can’t argue with that, really). Sometimes I even pile them onto bao buns if I’m feeling fancy. For whatever reason, we always have way too much hot sauce on the table, even though nobody actually uses it.
What I’ve Messed Up (So You Don’t Have To)
- Don’t try to rush the skin drying step—trust me, I did and the skin was like rubber. Not pleasant.
- Be patient with the high heat at the end—walk away to do something else and you’ll end up with pork belly ‘charcoal’ (been there, done that, smelled it for days).
- Actually, don’t freak out if the skin looks unevenly blistered—once it cools and you slice, it’s honestly always fine.
Curious Questions I’ve Actually Been Asked
- Do I really need the baking powder?
- Short answer: No, but I think it boosts the crisp factor. I skipped it once, and the skin was almost there but not mind-blowing.
- What’s the best cut for pork belly?
- Any with the skin on, a decent fat/meat mix. But if you can only find leaner or boneless, it’ll still work. Promise.
- Can I freeze leftovers?
- Technically, yes. But crackling softens. I’ve done it when desperate, just reheat under the grill to salvage the crunch.
- Got a favorite brand of five-spice?
- Honestly, whatever’s cheapest at the Asian grocery. I bought a fancy imported jar once—couldn’t really taste the difference.
- Any shortcuts for busy nights?
- You can skip the overnight drying and just blast the skin with a hairdryer. (Sounds wild, but it does the trick if Grandma’s not watching.)
- And, does this really taste better the next day?
- I reckon so, especially cold with a tangy salad. Maybe it’s just me?
By the way, if you’re keen for more pork belly ideas, check out the subreddit /r/porkbelly for a mix of pro tips and some truly inspiring kitchen fails. Makes me feel less alone when I overcook mine!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork belly, skin on
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
-
1Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Score the pork belly skin with a sharp knife, being careful not to cut into the meat.
-
2Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels. Rub the meat side with 1 tsp salt, pepper, five-spice powder, minced garlic, and sugar.
-
3Flip the pork belly skin side up. Prick the skin all over with a fork, then brush with rice vinegar and rub with 1/2 tsp salt. Let it air-dry uncovered for 10–15 minutes.
-
4Place the pork belly on a rack in a baking tray lined with foil. Roast for 40 minutes.
-
5Remove from oven, brush the skin with vegetable oil, and return to roast for another 50 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crispy.
-
6Rest the pork belly for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!!
