Five Spice Roast Pork Belly Recipes

FIVE-SPICE ROAST PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Make the marinade by mixing the soy sauce, sugar and five-spice powder in a bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the sesame oil.
• Place the pork belly in a sealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over it. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours, turning occasionally.
• Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Pierce holes every inch through the pork skin with a metal skewer. Place it skin side up on a rack set over a baking dish, containing about one-half inch of water.
• Roast until dark golden and crispy, about 1 hour, basting the top (skin) side with the soy sauce mixture every 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Thinly slice lengthwise with a serrated knife.

SLOW-ROASTED CRISPY PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Dry skin overnight: Place pork belly on a plate. Pat skin dry with paper towels. Leave uncovered in fridge overnight to dry out the skin. (If you don't have time, pat the skin dry as best you can).
• Preheat oven to 140°C/285°F (120°C fan).
• Season flesh: Drizzle flesh (only) with 1 tsp oil. Sprinkle over 1/2 tsp salt, the pepper and fennel powder. Rub all over the flesh, including on the sides, being sure you get right into all the cracks and crevices.
• Wrap in foil: Place 2 pieces of foil on a work surface. Put the belly in middle of foil, skin side up. Fold the sides in to enclose the belly, forming an open box, pinching corners to seal tightly and make it as snug as possible. Place meat on a tray.
• Season skin: Pat skin dry with paper towels. Rub with 1/2 tsp oil then sprinkle remaining 1/2 tsp salt evenly all over the skin surface, from edge to edge.
• Slow roast 2 1/2 hours: Place in the oven and roast for 2 1/2 hours. After 1 1/2 hours, remove and tighten the foil (pork will have shrunk), and continue cooking. This keeps the pork fat level up as high as possible, and the flesh protected so it stays moist.
• Increase heat: Remove pork from oven, then increase heat to 240°C/465°F (all oven types).
• Level pork: Remove pork from foil and place on a rack set over a tray (using rack is best, but optional). Use scrunched up balls of foil stuffed under pork to prop up so the skin surface is as level and horizontal as possible (see photos in post).
• 30 minutes on high heat! Place the pork back in the oven for 30 minutes, rotating after 15 minutes as needed, until the crackling is deep golden, puffy and crispy all over. If some patches are browning faster, protect with foil patches.
• Rest 10 minutes: Remove pork from oven. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Serving: Slice into 2cm / ⅘"-thick slices using a serrated knife. Pictured in post with Apple Sauce and Vermouth Jus, with a side of Cauliflower Puree (Note 2)! See directions in post for how to plate it up as pictured (fine dining style!), as well as a list of more sauce options.

ROAST PORK BELLY WITH FIVE-SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Wipe the meat with kitchen towel to remove any moisture.
• Peel the garlic and pound it with the peppercorns, salt and five-spice powder using a pestle and mortar.
• Lay the pork, skin-side down, in a baking dish and rub the spice mix into the flesh.
• Cover the dish and leave in a cool place for at least 4 hours.
• Set the oven at 220°C.
• Put the pork in, skin-side up, and bake for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to 180 C and roast for another 50-60 minutes.
• Check the juices run clear and if not roast a little longer.
• If you need to crisp up the fat, move the meat to the top shelf for the last 15 minutes.
• Take the pork out of the dish and let rest on a chopping board for at least 10 minutes.
• Cook the greens in boiling water for 3-4 minutes until tender but still crisp.
• Drain and put 1 tbsp water in the pan along with the oil and oyster sauce.
• Bring to a boil and tip in the greens, turn off the heat and over.
• Carve the pork along the bones.
• Serve with greens and rice.