Artificial Flavors Free Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Few things in the kitchen deliver the kind of pure, primal satisfaction of shattering crackling skin giving way to juicy, spiced pork beneath. This Cantonese classic gets its incredible texture from a methodical process — aggressive skin-poking, a vinegar-and-baking-soda wash, and a long overnight salt-dry in the fridge — rather than any shortcuts or additives. The marinade is built entirely from real pantry staples: garlic-infused oil, tamari, five-spice powder, white pepper, sugar, and salt. No flavor packets, no mystery seasonings, just honest ingredients doing exactly what they're supposed to do. For anyone avoiding artificial flavors, store-bought roasted pork can be a minefield of undisclosed additives and marinades with ingredient lists that go on forever. Making it at home means you control every single component from the first poke of the skewer to the final dipping sauce. The two-stage roast — low and slow to cook the meat through, then a blast of high heat to blister the skin into golden, crackling perfection — is what makes this recipe genuinely rival anything you'd find hanging in a Chinatown window. Serve it sliced into bite-sized pieces with a little tamari on the side and watch it disappear from the plate faster than you'd believe.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the pork
- 2 ½ lb skin-on pork belly, in one slab
For the marinade
- 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp fine salt
For the skin
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
For serving
- 3 stalks scallion, green tops only, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tbsp tamari, for dipping (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the pork belly completely dry with paper towels. Using a sharp skewer, fork, or the tip of a paring knife, poke the skin all over — aim for at least 50–60 punctures across the entire surface, going no deeper than the fat layer beneath the skin. This is the most important step for achieving a bubbly, crackling crust.
- 2
Flip the pork belly skin-side down. In a small bowl, stir together the garlic-infused oil, tamari, five-spice powder, white pepper, sugar, and fine salt until combined. Rub this marinade evenly over the meat and fat sides only — keep it off the skin entirely.
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