Crispy Roast Pork Belly [Siew Yoke 脆皮燒肉] With Pictures

Roast Pork Belly from home kitchen

Although pork prices have dropped slightly, it is still quite costly to buy roast pork especially during 'peak season' [praying times]. During the Phor Thor Festival, although prices do not vary vastly but sometimes to get a good piece is quite impossible.

Two weeks ago a friend of mine bought a piece of roast pork at Ringgit 36 per kilogram but the piece of roast pork does not look appetising at all. When she asked the butcher why, she was told that 'Can help it, during festive time it is like that'. So this time around, I decided to roast a piece myself since I have a good and simple recipe [please refer to recipe posted on 16 May 2011].

Here are the pictures for preparing roast pork.  I paid Ringgit 19.00 for this lot of pork.

Marinade: 1-2 tsp salt, 2 tsp 5 spice powder and 1 tbsp cooking wine.  Some coarse salt for the skin

Scalded pork belly and marinating ingredients

Rub marinade on the meat side only. Leave in fridge for 2 days before roasting. This is to dry the skin and to flavour the meat

Put coarse salt on skin side and roast @ 250 C for 25 minutes

After 25 minutes, remove salt, turn oven to top heat 

Roast pork on top rack  for 30 minutes or until skin is burnt

Remove from oven, scrape burnt skin with serrated knife

The skin will be crispy after scraping the burnt part

You will hear the crackling sound when you chop the siew yoke

Notes:

• If the skin is not crispy or burnt after 30 minutes, leave to roast for further 10 minutes.  Different oven may have different heating but with practice you will get a good piece of roast pork where the skin remains crispy the whole day.  Always put the skin side facing up before cutting.
• Definitely worthwhile to try it if you do not mind cleaning the oven after that.