Chestnut Free Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Few things in the world of roasted meat can compete with the sound of crackling pork skin shattering under a knife. This Cantonese-style roasted pork belly delivers that deeply blistered, golden crust alongside juicy, spiced meat — the kind of dish that makes people reach across the table before it even hits the platter. The marinade leans on five-spice powder, white pepper, garlic-infused oil, and tamari for a savory, aromatic depth that soaks into every layer of fat and meat. The real magic is in the prep: aggressive skin-poking, a vinegar-and-baking-soda wash, and an overnight salt crust all work together to pull moisture out and set the stage for serious crackling. Many restaurant-style versions of this dish can hide unexpected ingredients in sauces or spice blends, but here every component is straightforward and easy to verify. The two-stage roasting method — low heat to cook the meat through, then a blast of high heat to blister the skin — means you get consistent results without needing a specialty oven or professional setup. Serve it sliced thick with scallion greens and a little tamari on the side, and it disappears fast.
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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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