Dairy Free Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Few dishes deliver the kind of primal satisfaction that comes from biting through a perfectly shattered pork skin into juicy, spiced meat underneath. This Cantonese-style roasted pork belly is a labor of love that rewards patience — the overnight dry-brine pulls moisture from the skin, and a two-stage roast first cooks the meat through, then blasts the surface into a deeply blistered, golden crackling that practically shatters on contact. The marinade of garlic-infused oil, tamari, five-spice powder, and white pepper goes only on the meat side, keeping the skin completely clean and primed for maximum crunch. That detail matters — and so does the baking soda and rice wine vinegar wash, which raises the skin's pH and helps it bubble and blister in the oven's high heat. Every step here is intentional and every ingredient earns its place. Naturally free of dairy in every component, this is one of those recipes where the dietary need never feels like a compromise — rich, savory pork belly simply doesn't need butter, cream, or cheese to be extraordinary. Serve it sliced into bite-sized pieces with a scattering of scallion greens and a small dish of tamari for dipping, and it disappears fast. Whether you're making it for a weekend feast or a special occasion, this is the kind of dish that makes people ask for the recipe before they've even finished their plate.
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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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