Walnut Free Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Few dishes deliver the kind of primal satisfaction that comes from shattering a perfectly lacquered, golden crust of pork skin with a single bite. This Cantonese-style roasted pork belly is all about technique — the deep poking, the overnight salt dry-brine, and the two-stage roast that first cooks the meat through before blasting the skin into a bubbly, crackling masterpiece. The marinade of garlic-infused oil, tamari, five-spice, and white pepper soaks into the meat side overnight, building a savory, aromatic depth that plays beautifully against the shatteringly crisp skin on top. Because every ingredient here is straightforward and whole, there's no need to scrutinize labels for hidden nut-based oils or additives — what you see is exactly what goes into the dish. The baking soda and rice wine vinegar brushed onto the skin might seem like a small detail, but that foamy little step is what helps the surface blister and puff so dramatically in the oven's high heat. Sliced into thick pieces with the crackling skin intact on every bite, it's stunning enough for a dinner party but honestly just as good eaten standing over the cutting board. A scatter of fresh scallion greens and a small bowl of tamari for dipping are all it needs to feel completely complete.
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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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