Pregnancy Friendly Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Few dishes deliver the kind of deep, savory satisfaction that comes from a perfectly roasted slab of pork belly — shatteringly crisp skin on top, tender and juicy meat underneath. During pregnancy, fully cooked pork is absolutely on the table, and this recipe takes no shortcuts: the meat roasts until an instant-read thermometer confirms it's cooked through, and the high-heat finish ensures there's no guesswork about doneness. The marinade uses tamari instead of conventional soy sauce, which keeps things simple and clean, and the garlic-infused oil delivers bold flavor without any raw garlic concerns. Every step — from the overnight salt dry-brine to the careful two-stage roasting — is designed to build flavor and texture in a way that's completely intentional, not accidental. The result is crackling, blistered skin that practically shatters when you cut into it, with meat that's rich and deeply seasoned all the way through. A scatter of fresh scallion greens and a small dish of tamari for dipping round it out beautifully, keeping the whole plate bright and balanced. This is the kind of showstopper recipe that feels celebratory but is genuinely achievable on a weekend at home.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the pork
- 2 ½ lb skin-on pork belly, in one slab
Ingredient noteCook all meat thoroughly when pregnant.
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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