Gelatin Free Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Few things in the world of roasted pork can match the sheer satisfaction of pulling a slab of belly from the oven with a skin that crackles like glass when you tap it. The secret here is a two-stage process — a long, uncovered rest in the fridge to dry out the skin, followed by a blast of high heat that transforms it into a deeply blistered, golden crust with serious crunch in every bite. The meat underneath stays juicy and fragrant, soaked in a savory marinade of tamari, five-spice, white pepper, and garlic-infused oil that works its way into every layer. Because this recipe is built entirely from pantry staples and a single slab of pork belly, there are no hidden additives or thickeners to worry about — what you see in the ingredient list is exactly what ends up on your plate. The baking soda and rice wine vinegar brushed onto the skin before the salt cure is a clever trick that helps the surface dry out and blister beautifully in the oven. Sliced into thick pieces with the crackling intact and served alongside a simple tamari dip, this is the kind of dish that disappears fast at the table. It takes patience, but nearly all of that time is hands-off — and the payoff is absolutely worth it.
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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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