Look at that Roast Pork Belly! Look at that Crackling! Can you believe it's done by someone who has never cooked in his life (not that I know of)? It's cooked by my dear cousin who is currently living in Seattle. Let's call him Mr. Chocolate. When we met in the UK at my brother's house two years ago, he brought a lovely packet of handmade chocolates for little Miss C. It impressed her so much that she started calling him "Uncle Chocolate" ever since.
Chinese Roast Pork Belly Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 kg pork belly (with skin on)
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine vinegar
Marinade:
- 3 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3 pieces red fermented bean curd, use 2 if the cubes are bigger
- 1/2 tbsp five spice powder
- 1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
Method:
- Clean the pork belly and pat dry all over with kitchen towel.
- Score (both diagonally and horizontally) the inner portion of the meat (Do not score the skin).
- Rub the skin with the sea salt all over .
- Rub the marinade evenly into the meat right down into the scored areas. (Do not rub the marinade on the skin)
- Marinate for about 30 minutes or longer.
- Bake the marinated pork belly with skin side up in pre-heated oven at 220C for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and prick all over the surface of the skin with a fork. (The more holes you prick the better because that's where those pop-up "bubbles" appear on the skin)
- Brush the skin with the rice wine vinegar.
- Bake again with the skin side up at 250C for another 20-30 minutes, or until pop-up "bubbles" have formed on the skin.
- Remove and let the pork belly rest for 15-20 minutes before chopping it up.