How to Make Perfectly Crispy Pork Belly

This recipe focuses on achieving tender meat and ultra-crispy pork belly skin through a combination of marinating, drying, and precise cooking techniques. Here's how it works:

Prepare the Pork Belly:

Begin by poking holes in the skin of the pork belly to allow the skin to crisp evenly later.

Score the underside (meaty side) of the pork belly to help the marinade penetrate deeply.

Marinate the Meat:

Prepare a marinade using salt, brown sugar, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, and Chinese five-spice powder.

Rub the marinade generously over the meat side of the pork belly, avoiding the skin.

Prepare the Skin:

Wrap the pork belly in foil, leaving the skin exposed.

Mix salt, rice vinegar, and baking soda, then rub this mixture over the skin. This step enhances the crispiness of the skin during cooking.

Dry the Pork Belly:

Place the pork belly in the refrigerator overnight to dry out the skin.

Poke and Salt the Skin:

The next day, poke more holes in the skin to ensure it crisps evenly.

Cover the skin side with a layer of rock salt to protect it during cooking.

Cook the Pork Belly:

Air-fry the pork belly at 180°C until the internal temperature reaches 60°C. This ensures the meat is cooked through but not overdone.

Remove the rock salt layer and broil the pork belly at 205°C until the skin becomes golden and crispy.

Serve:

Slice the pork belly into bite-sized pieces, garnish as desired, and enjoy the perfect combination of juicy meat and crunchy crackling!

This method delivers restaurant-quality results with a perfectly balanced texture and flavor.