Honey Free Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Few dishes deliver the kind of sheer textural satisfaction that comes from perfectly blistered, crackling pork skin over juicy, spiced meat — and this Cantonese-style roast pork belly absolutely delivers. The marinade layers garlic-infused oil, tamari, five-spice powder, and white pepper into the meat side, building deep, savory flavor without a drop of sweetener beyond a single teaspoon of sugar. That means no sticky glazes, no floral sweetness, and no hidden ingredients to second-guess — just clean, bold seasoning that lets the pork shine. The real magic happens during the overnight dry-brine, where a salt-and-baking-soda crust pulls moisture from the skin so the oven can do its job and produce those dramatic, golden bubbles. Poking the skin thoroughly before marinating is the step that separates good crackling from truly great crackling, so don't rush it. The two-stage roasting method — low heat to cook the meat through, then a blast of high heat to blister the skin — is straightforward and reliable even if you've never attempted this dish before. Slice it thick, scatter on some scallion greens, and set out a small bowl of tamari for dipping, and you've got a showstopper that tastes like it came straight from a Cantonese roast meat shop.
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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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