Citrus Free Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Few dishes deliver the kind of primal satisfaction that comes from biting through a shatteringly crisp skin into tender, deeply savory pork — and this Cantonese-style roasted pork belly absolutely delivers that moment. The marinade layers garlic-infused oil, tamari, five-spice powder, and white pepper into the meat side, building warmth and umami from the inside out, while the skin gets its own careful treatment with rice wine vinegar, baking soda, and a thick salt crust that draws out moisture overnight. That two-stage prep is the real secret here — the long refrigerator rest dries the skin down to a near-papery surface, and the high-heat finish at 450°F blisters it into golden, crackling perfection. Many classic versions of this dish call for a citrus-based marinade or dipping sauce, but every ingredient here is naturally free of lemon, lime, and orange, so there's nothing to swap or substitute. The scallion greens and tamari dipping sauce keep the finish clean and bright without introducing any citrus-derived flavors. It takes patience — especially that overnight rest — but the active work is minimal and the payoff is a centerpiece-worthy roast you'll want to make on repeat.
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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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