Eggless Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Few dishes deliver the kind of primal satisfaction that comes from shattering through a perfectly blistered pork skin into juicy, spiced meat underneath. This Cantonese-style roasted pork belly is the real deal — deeply savory from a five-spice and tamari marinade, with a crackling crust that practically shatters on contact. The technique is methodical but genuinely approachable: aggressive skin-poking, an overnight salt dry-brine, and a two-stage roast are what separate a truly bubbly, golden crust from a disappointingly chewy one. Since the magic here is entirely built on pork, aromatics, and pantry staples, there are no eggs hiding anywhere in the process — not in the marinade, not in the crust prep, not anywhere. That makes it a surprisingly easy win for anyone cooking egg-free, since roast pork is one of those dishes where you might expect a binder or coating to sneak in. A final blast at high heat does the heavy lifting for that dramatic crackling finish, and a quick rest before slicing keeps every piece juicy all the way through. Serve it with sliced scallions and a small bowl of tamari for dipping, and watch it disappear faster than you'd expect.
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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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