The best crispy Chinese roast pork ever

I could never understand how the crackling roast pork in Chinese restaurants gets so crispy and so flavoursome.

I’ve tried many different recipes and various methods (my brother even advised me to blow dry the belly pork with a hairdryer), but my crackling always end up being sticky and chewy – or worse still, being overly crunchy that could break jaws.

After badgering my dad for his secret recipe, he finally gave in. The whole process took over 2 days and involved a really stinky ingredient: fermented bean curd. Yup wished I’d never asked now as the bean curd really stank our flat out.

At this point, you’re probably thinking urgh I’m not putting that on the meat, but it gave the belly pork a depth of flavour that you just can’t get with Chinese 5 spice alone. You might also think 2 days is over the top to prepare for a meal, but the crackling had the perfect crunch – just wished we had savoured it instead of devouring it within 10 minutes.

I would love to hear from you if you are going to brave this recipe, it is really worth the wait I promise!

Makes: enough for 8 people
Time to prepare: 48 hours for drying and marinating
Time to cook:  40 mins to 1 hour
Temp: 220ºC/ 425ºF/ Gas 7

Difficulty:

 
Equipment
1 Pork skin pricking tool (available at Asian supermarkets)
1 Ovenproof tray with rack
1 Bowl
1 Knife
1 Brush
Paper towels
Plastic gloves
Ice

Ingredients
2kg Pork belly
1 tbsp Bicarbonate of soda diluted in 30ml water

For the marinade
2 Cubes of fermented bean curd (available from Asian supermarkets)
2 tbsp Salt
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Garlic, crushed
1 tbsp Chinese 5 spice

1. Prick only the skin of the belly pork many times over with a pork-skin pricking tool/ ice pick/ tip of a sharp knife.

2. Blanch the skin of the pork with boiling water and immediately cool in ice. Pat the belly pork dry with paper towels and refrigerate overnight to dry it out.

3. Make the marinade by mixing all the ingredients together. Open the windows and hold your nose when you open the jar of fermented bean curd!

4. Take out the belly pork from the fridge and brush with the bicarbonate of soda solution.

5. Flip the pork skin side down and make incisions on the meat side. Massage in the marinade – you’ll probably want to wear gloves to avoid smelly bean curd hands!

6. Flip the belly pork skin side up again and refrigerate overnight to marinate.

7. Preheat your oven to 220ºC/ 425ºF/ Gas 7.

8. Transfer the belly pork onto a rack over an ovenproof tray and fill the tray half full with water, taking care not to touch the pork.

9. Cook the pork for 20 mins then turn your oven down to 180ºC/ 350ºF/ Gas 4. Cook for another 40 mins to 1 hour until the meat is thoroughly cooked. Ensure the tray is topped up with water.

10. Once the meat is cooked, turn on your grill to the highest temperature and grill the skin until it is golden and crispy.

11. When ready, take out the belly and cool before serving. It’s great on its own or with Hoi sin sauce.