Roast Pork (siu Yook) Recipe

Prepare pork

Pat the pork belly very dry with paper towels. Score the flesh side (not the skin) in a shallow crosshatch about 1 cm apart, cutting through fat to the meat but leaving skin intact. Trim to an even rectangular shape if needed so the skin lies flat.

Place pork skin-side up on a rack set over a tray and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 8 hours or preferably overnight to dry the skin thoroughly. Well-dried skin is essential for crackling.

Make seasoning and apply

Combine kosher salt, dark soy sauce, shaoxing wine, five-spice powder, white pepper, sugar and minced garlic in a small bowl. Turn the pork over and press the seasoning mixture evenly into the scored flesh and edges (do not get the mixture on the skin). Massage well so the flavors penetrate. Let sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes or refrigerate for up to 6 hours uncovered if desired.

Degrease and treat skin

Wipe any stray marinade from the skin with a damp paper towel; skin must be dry. Mix coarse sea salt with baking soda, then rub the mixture lightly and evenly over the skin. Let sit for 15 minutes, then brush off excess salt with a dry pastry brush or shake off. Using a clean cloth or paper towel, very lightly brush the skin with white vinegar (this helps tighten the skin). Allow to air-dry for 15–30 minutes until dry to the touch.

Preheat and assemble

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) with the rack in the middle. Place garlic halves, smashed ginger and scallion in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add 250 ml water to the pan to create moisture under the pork and to catch drippings.

Initial roast (render fat)

Place the pork skin-side up on a wire rack set over the aromatics in the roasting pan. Brush a thin layer of neutral oil over the skin. Roast at 200°C (390°F) for 30 minutes to render fat and start crisping.

Lower temperature and continue cooking

Reduce oven temperature to 160°C (320°F). Continue roasting for another 60–75 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat (measured in the thickest part) reaches 70–75°C (158–167°F) and meat is tender. Occasionally spoon out excess fat from the pan if it threatens to touch the pork.

Blast heat for crackling

Increase oven to 240–250°C (465–480°F) or switch on the broiler/grill element. Roast for 8–12 minutes, watching closely, until the skin puffs and blisters into a golden-brown crackling. Rotate the pan for even coloring. If broiler is used, keep the oven door slightly ajar and watch to avoid burning.

Remove pork from the oven and rest on the rack for 15 minutes. Resting allows juices to redistribute and the crackling to set.

Slice and serve

Use a very sharp knife to cut the pork into 2–3 mm slices with skin intact. Serve immediately while crackling is crisp. Optionally serve with hoisin sauce, mustard or a simple soy-vinegar dipping sauce.