Ingredients:

  • 1 kg Pork Belly Slab (2.2 lb), skin on
  • 3 Tbsp Coarse Sea Salt
  • 1 Tbsp Neutral Oil (e.g., sunflower or canola)
  • 2 tsp Chinese Five-Spice Powder
  • 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced fine
  • 1 large Shallot, finely minced
  • 1 Tbsp Rice Wine (Shaoxing or dry sherry)
  • 1/2 tsp White Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp White Vinegar (distilled)
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda (optional, but highly recommended)
  • Extra Coarse Salt (Kosher or Maldon), as needed for the crust

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Pork: Pat the entire slab completely dry. Use a sharp knife to score the flesh side deeply, cutting through the meat but stopping 1 cm (1/2 inch) below the fat layer. Do not cut the skin.
  2. Prick the Skin: Using a pork pricker or sharp skewer, prick the entire skin surface repeatedly and aggressively. The more holes, the better the crackling. Focus heavily on the middle sections.
  3. Apply Marinade: Rub the internal marinade mixture (Five-Spice, sugar, garlic, shallots, rice wine, and white pepper) thoroughly into the scored flesh and sides. Keep the skin dry.
  4. Protect the Skin: Wipe the skin surface clean if any marinade touched it. Create a protective foil boat around the sides and bottom of the pork belly, ensuring the foil wall rises above the meat.
  5. Initial Skin Wash: Brush the entire surface of the skin with the 2 Tbsp White Vinegar.
  6. Salt and Dry: Rub 2 Tbsp of Coarse Salt heavily onto the skin. Place the pork belly (still in the foil boat) skin-side up on a wire rack over a baking tray.
  7. Refrigerate: Refrigerate, uncovered, for a minimum of 6 hours, ideally 24 hours. The goal is bone-dry, hard skin.
  8. Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Remove the pork from the fridge.
  9. Remove Salt Crust: Scrape off the dried salt crust from the skin (it should lift off easily). Pat the skin completely dry again.
  10. The Final Salt Rub: Mix the remaining 1 Tbsp of Coarse Salt with the optional 1/2 tsp Baking Soda. Rub this mixture into the skin, focusing on getting it into the prick marks. Brush lightly with neutral oil.
  11. The Low Roast: Place the pork on the rack inside the deep tray. Cook at 160°C (325°F) for 1 hour 45 minutes. The internal temperature of the meat should reach 80°C (175°F).
  12. Increase Heat: Turn the oven heat up to 230°C (450°F) or use the broiler/grill setting.
  13. Crisping Blast: Place the pork back in the oven, moving it to an upper rack. Cook for 15–30 minutes, watching it closely. The skin should rapidly bubble, blister, and turn deep golden brown. Cover already-crisped patches lightly with foil if necessary to prevent burning.
  14. Check Doneness: Remove immediately when the crackling is uniform and fully puffed. The crackling should sound hollow when tapped.
  15. Rest: Remove from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes. Do not cover it, or the crackling will steam and soften.
  16. Carve: Slice the pork belly into serving pieces, running your knife through the crispy skin with a satisfying crunch.