Ultimate crispy pork belly

Chinese Five Spice Crispy Pork Belly

Preparation:

Preheat Oven:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan).

Ingredients:

• 500g-1kg-2kg pork belly (size doesn't affect the recipe's timing)
• 1.5 teaspoons Chinese five spice
• 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
• 120g rock salt (must be solid salt, not table salt)

Instructions:

1. Score and Season:

   • Ensure the pork belly has skin on and no bones on the bottom.
   • Score through the skin in a diagonal pattern, once from the left and then on the opposite diagonal from the right to create a crisscross pattern. But be careful not to go all the way to the meat. You just want to score the skin and fat.
   • Turn it over to the meat side.
   • Add Chinese five spice and hoisin sauce, rubbing them together to create a paste on the meat side, making sure it is evenly coated over it.

2. Prepare for Cooking:

   • Create a foil bed for the pork to sit in, ensuring the edges are covered by the foil but not over the top.
   • Place the belly in it, skin side up.
   • Spread the rock salt evenly over the skin.

3. Initial Cooking:

   • Place the pork in the preheated oven at 180°C for 1 hour.
   • If the pork belly is very thick, consider adding an extra 20 minutes to the initial cooking.

4. Prepare for Crisping:

   • After 1 hour, take the pork out and let it sit on the side.
   • Increase the oven temperature to 245°C for crispy skin.

5. Remove Salt and Crisp Skin:

   • Remove or push all the salt off the skin. Any salt left in the foil contributes to seasoning.
   • Place the pork back into the hot oven for 15 minutes.

6. Even Cooking:

   • After 15 minutes, turn the pork around, as domestic ovens may cook a little unevenly.
   • Continue cooking for another 15 minutes.

7. Monitor Crispiness:

   • Keep a close eye on the pork, and if it's not fully crisp, leave it for an additional 10 minutes.
   • Be cautious, as it can potentially start to catch on the edges.

8. Rest and Serve:

   • Let the pork rest for 5 minutes on the side.
   • Remove from the foil and slice.
   • It will be hotter then the sun so do be careful.
   • Enjoy the juicy and crispy goodness of Chinese Five Spice Crispy Pork Belly!

This method ensures your pork belly turns out incredibly juicy with a perfectly crispy skin – a culinary delight that may become your go-to way of preparing pork belly!