Ingredients
For the Pork Belly & Rub
- 2.5 lbs skin-on pork belly
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 1.25 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- More table salt, for the crust
For the Bok Choy
- 4 heads bok choy, quartered
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
For Serving
- 2 cups cooked short-grain rice
First, Prep and Dry-Brine the Pork Belly (Day 1)
In a large pan, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Carefully lower in the pork belly, skin-side down, and boil for 1 minute. Flip and boil for another 30 seconds. Immediately transfer the pork to an ice bath to cool.
Once cool, place the pork on a cutting board and pat it completely dry. Using the back of a knife, scrape the skin firmly to remove any debris.
In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 teaspoons of table salt, sugar, white pepper, and five-spice powder. Add the Shaoxing wine to form a paste.
Flip the pork belly skin-side down. Make several deep slashes in the meat, about 1/2 inch deep, in a crosshatch pattern. Rub the spice paste all over the meat, but be careful not to get any on the skin.
Flip the pork belly skin-side up. Place it on a rack set over a tray and refrigerate it, uncovered, for 12-24 hours. This step is critical for drying out the skin.
Next, Roast the Pork Belly (Day 2)
Preheat your oven to 375F.
Place a large piece of aluminum foil on a baking tray. Set the pork belly in the center and fold the sides of the foil up snugly around the pork to create a frame, leaving the skin exposed.
Using a sharp metal skewer, poke holes all over the skin, trying not to puncture the meat below. Pat the skin dry one last time, then brush on the rice vinegar. Cover the skin with a generous, even layer of table salt.
Roast for 1.5 hours.
Remove the pork from the oven and increase the heat to 425F. Carefully remove the foil boat and scrape off the salt crust. Place the pork belly back on the tray and return it to the oven for 10-15 more minutes, or until the skin is puffed, golden, and crispy. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Finally, Make the Bok Choy and Serve
While the pork rests, make the bok choy. Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the bok choy cut-side down and sear for ~2-3 minutes until deeply browned. Flip and sear the other side.
Add about 1/3 cup of water to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and let the bok choy steam for ~3-4 minutes until tender-crisp.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar. Pour this glaze over the bok choy, increase the heat to medium-high, and toss until the sauce reduces and coats the vegetables. Add the garlic, toss for another 30 seconds, and turn off the heat.
Slice the rested pork belly into cubes with a cleaver or heavy chef’s knife. Serve over steamed rice with the glazed bok choy.
Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Ingredients
For the Pork Belly & Rub
- 2.5 lbs skin-on pork belly
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 1.25 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- More table salt for the crust
For the Bok Choy
- 4 heads bok choy quartered
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
For Serving
- 2 cups cooked short-grain rice
Instructions
- Boil pork belly skin-side down for 1 minute, flip and boil 30 seconds more, then transfer to ice bath.
- Pat pork dry and scrape skin with back of knife to remove debris.
- Mix salt, sugar, white pepper, five-spice powder, and Shaoxing wine into paste.
- Score meat side in crosshatch pattern, apply spice paste avoiding skin.
- Place skin-side up on rack, refrigerate uncovered 12-24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Create foil boat around pork leaving skin exposed.
- Poke holes in skin with skewer, brush with rice vinegar, cover with salt layer.
- Roast 1.5 hours.
- Increase heat to 425F, remove salt crust, roast 10-15 minutes until skin is crispy.
- Rest pork 15 minutes.
- Sear quartered bok choy in oil 2-3 minutes per side.
- Add water, steam 3-4 minutes until tender-crisp.
- Mix soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar, pour over bok choy.
- Add garlic, cook 30 seconds until sauce reduces.
- Slice pork into cubes, serve over rice with bok choy.
