Roast Crispy Pork

A simple version of a classic Chinese dish. The seasoning mix is a very basic one used by my family. My father had trouble converting his measurements to the metric system, so I had to always work it out for him. I don't use Bicarbonate of Soda on the skin, but the following method results in a very crispy skin. Enjoy

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pork belly (1,5 - 2 kg)
• SALT
• SUGAR
• Chinese 5-spice powder

METHOD:

SEASONING:

Weigh the pork and make up a salt and sugar mixture according to the following formula.

• SALT: 4/160 X weight of pork in grams = grams of salt required

• SUGAR: 6/160 X weight of pork in grams = grams of sugar required

(This is based on our family recipe calling for a ratio of 4 ounces of salt and 6 ounces of sugar for every 10 pounds of meat.)

NOTE: If the pork belly has ribs attached, reduce the weight of pork for measurement purposes, to avoid the meat being too salty. I typically subtract 200g.

• Mix up the sugar and salt in a bowl with 2 t Chinese 5-spice powder.

PREPARING THE MEAT:

1. Bring 1,5 litres water to the boil
2. Rinse the pork belly and remove excess bristles.
3. Pierce the skin thoroughly with a sharp knife or purpose made instrument available in many Chinese stores.
4. Hold the one end of the pork in a basin, skin side up, and slowly pour half the hot water over the skin, it should contract.
5. Turn the pork around and pour the water over the skin on the other half.
6. Cover the meat with the seasoning mixture, avoiding the skin. Ensure that the sides are covered as well.
7. Leave overnight on a rack in the refrigerator (if necessary).

LET THE ROASTING BEGIN:

1. Prior to cooking, bring the pork out and allow it to reach room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C.
3. Place the pork, skin side up, on a rack in a foil-lined roasting pan.
4. Roast the pork at 200C for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C and roast a further 2 hours.
5. When the skin appears tough like dried leather, typically at the end of the 2 hours, the oven temperature should be raised to 220C-230C and the pork should be roasted for another 15 minutes at this high temperature.
6. Keep a careful watch on the skin – it should begin to blister and become crispy. This process is enhanced in an oven with a top element. You can also place the pork under a hot grill, shielding certain areas that are already crisp with pieces of foil, shiny side up.
7. Allow the meat to cool and chop up into smaller pieces.

A final note or two:

• Some people use Bicarbonate of Soda on the skin to make the process easier – I find this unnecessary but I will experiment with this method in the near future.
• The skin becomes crispy in a process much like popcorn is made – the skin has to reach a stage where all the moisture and fat has been rendered (the reason for the skin being pierced). The high temperature at the end forces the remaining water molecules to expand violently, resulting in a nice, crispy skin.
• For catering purposes, you need to take shrinkage into account. A piece of pork belly will typically shrink to 60% - 70% of its original size – so what looked like a decent sized piece of meat in the butchers might look a bit small on the dinner table!

BACK

HOME