Equipment
- 1 metal skewer
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork belly slab (with skin on)
- 2 tsps Shaoxing wine
- 1 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 cup water (or more depending on the size of the tray)
Dry rub mix:
- 2 tsps salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp five spice powder
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
Instructions
The day before:
- Rinse the pork belly and thoroughly pat it dry with paper towels, and place the pork belly, skin side down, on a tray.
- In a bowl, combine all the dry rub ingredients. Rub Shaoxing wine onto the meat side, then apply the dry rub mixture evenly on the meat side as well.
- Flip the pork belly skin side up, and with a metal skewer puncture as many holes as possible in the skin. The more holes there are, the more bubbly the skin will become when it crisps.
- Transfer the tray with the pork belly to the refrigerator and let it marinate for at least 8 hours (eg. overnight).
The day of:
- Preheat the oven at 375°F.
- Prepare a high-sided aluminum or foil-lined tray and place it over a rack, which sits atop another tray filled with water. This setup ensures even cooking and moisture retention. Transfer the marinated pork belly onto the high-sided aluminum tray, skin side up.
- Rub rice wine vinegar onto the skin of the pork belly. Rub the salt onto the skin.
- Place the tray with the pork belly in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Roast the pork belly for 1 hour 30 mins until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
- Remove the tray from the oven and with a spoon remove any excess salt from the skin, then return the pork belly to the oven and broil it on the lowest rack for 5 minutes, or until the skin is golden crispy and bubbly.
- Allow the pork belly to rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.