Gluten Free Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Few things in the world of roasted pork can compete with the sheer satisfaction of skin that shatters the moment you bite into it — and this Cantonese-style roasted pork belly delivers exactly that. The marinade of tamari, five-spice powder, garlic-infused oil, and white pepper soaks deep into the meat and fat layers, building a savory, aromatic base that carries all the way through each slice. The real magic happens at the skin: aggressive poking, a rice wine vinegar and baking soda wash, and a long overnight salt cure work together to pull out moisture and set the stage for those dramatic, golden blisters. Every ingredient here is naturally free of gluten — the tamari stands in seamlessly for soy sauce without any of the wheat concerns that come with traditional versions, so there's no need to swap or substitute anything. A two-stage roast — low and slow to cook the meat through, then a blast of high heat to blister the skin — is what separates truly crackling pork belly from the merely decent kind. Rest it, slice it into thick pieces with the crust intact, and serve it with extra tamari for dipping and a scatter of fresh scallion greens. It's the kind of dish that makes a table go quiet in the best possible way.
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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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