I experimented with pork belly for the first time last summer. Even though I am a Chef, I had never worked with it before and was a little intimidated because I didn't know how to work with it. But I did a little research, went out and gave it a try at some restaurants, and this recipe for Crispy Pork Belly was born.
The key to a crisp Pork Belly!
The #1 thing you need to make a crisp pork belly is...a dry pork belly! Any moisture on the surface will prevent it from getting the crust that makes it oh so delicious.
There are a few different ways to go about this, but my favorite is letting it air dry overnight and then heavily salting the top before it cooks. The best way to think about pork belly is to remember that it is the cut of meat that bacon is made from. It is just uncured, meaning that it doesn't have any salt on it and it hasn't been cured.
You also want to be sure to roast the belly on a rack or a broiler pan. Line the pan with tin foil and enough water to coat the bottom. This is a necessary step to ensure the fat that drips off does not catch fire while roasting.
I heavily salt the top to mimic the curing of bacon and then add another dimension of flavor in a sauce or topping later. I have used pork belly inside my Bao Buns, inside a tortilla with avocado salsa, or if you are my dad, just as it is!
Seasoning your Pork Belly
Another option is to marinate the belly in a liquid that only covers the bottom half of the meat, keeping the fat cap dry. This option is the best of both worlds option, as you can infuse flavor while the top airs out overnight.
I have also seasoned the meaty side with a homemade taco seasoning and let that marinate at room temperature for a couple of hours with a heavily salted fat cap. Dry the fat side off with a paper towel and salt it well. The salt will draw out the moisture and allow the fat to crisp when it cooks.
There are many ways to cook a pork belly, I have included instructions on how to roast it in the oven, and I even roast it in my Toaster Oven. You could also slow roast on the grill, just be sure not to cook it directly over a burner or the fat that drips off will catch fire. I hope you enjoy this beautifully crisp pork belly and let your imagination run wild with it!
For more Asian inspired dishes...
Take a look at my homemade Ahi Tuna Tower recipe, it is something I worked on a recreated at home during quarantine 2020 and is one that I think I will make again and again!
My General Tso's Chicken is a dish I would eat every day, and at a minimum, I cook every week at home.
A good soy sauce turns this fall favorite into a dream, try my friend Kristi's mom's recipe for Soy Sauce Pumpkin Seeds.
Bao is another one of those things that just makes me happy in the tummy. Try my homemade version of Bao Buns, and fill them with my Crispy Pork Belly.
📖 Recipe
Crispy Pork Belly
This pork belly can be used to fill bao buns, tortillas, or just for eating by itself. I like to serve it on a bao bun with a cucumber kimchi salad, or take it on a Latin-Asian fusion twist and top it with pico de gallo and cotija cheese on bao buns. I have also thrown it into a tortilla with some avocado salsa. It's a great way to throw a little variety into your dinner line ups!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pork Belly
- Kosher Salt
Instructions
- First, season the meat side of the pork belly with the flavor of your choosing. Taco seasoning if you want some Latin-Asian fusion, or a nice teriyaki sauce if you want to stay in the Asian lane. If you go saucy, soak the pork belly overnight or for at least 4 hours uncovered in the fridge only soaking the bottom, meaty half of the pork belly, keeping the fat cap dry.
- When you are ready to cook, remove from the marinade if you use it, dry the top of the pork belly with a paper towel and season the fatty side with a crust of salt, some will soak in but you will have enough on top when you still see some crystals on top. Let it sit at room temp for at least 2 hours before you cook.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Place the pork belly on a broiler pan lined with tin foil and with enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Bake low and slow for 90 minutes, you want to do this so the meat gets tender and the fat cap melts and becomes crisp. If the cap needs a little more encouragement to become crisp after 90 minutes, you can turn on the broiler to finish crisping the fat.
- Serve in bao buns or tortillas with your favorite toppings.
Notes
If you don't have a broiler pan, cook the pork belly on a sheet pan with a rack on top. Be sure to use the water method in the bottom, this prevents the fat the melts out of the pork belly from catching fire in the oven. It will release a LOT of fat so this is a much-needed precaution.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Did you make this recipe? Let me know by leaving a review or comment! And be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know by leaving a review or comment! And be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
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