Recipe: Crispy Skin Char Siu

by Margarita Lee

Crispy Skin Char Siu ( 脆皮叉烧）

Ingredients A:-
1 kg pork belly
2tsp five spice powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp red yeast powder ( optional)
2 Tbsp sesame oil
4 Tbsp Maltose or honey
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp Chinese rose wine
2 pieces Nam Yee (Fermented Beancurd)

Ingredients B:-

1 tbsp white vinegar
200 gm coarse sea salt

Method:-

1. Combine all ingredients A in a bowl, set aside.
2. Boil a pot of water, put in the pork belly (skin down), and blanch for about 15 minutes.
3. Rinse pork belly in running cold water, then pat dry with paper towel.
4. Using a knife, make a few cuts/ slits on the meat side of the pork belly, about 2 inches apart, making sure not to cut too deep.
5. Prick holes on the skin with a sharp tool or a fork. Rub white vinegar on the skin.
6. Rub Chinese rose wine on the meat and in between the slits, then rub in the combined ingredients A.
7. Place the pork belly in a container with the skin side up and uncovered. Keep in the fridge overnight.
8. Remove pork belly from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before roasting.
9. Preheat the oven to 180c. Place the marinated pork belly on a baking tray. Place a large piece of aluminium foil onto a baking tray and fold up the sides around the pork. Keep the marinade. Heat the marinade in a pot over stove top until it thickens, add more Chinese rose wine and sugar to taste.
10. Layer salt on  the top of the pork belly evenly.
11. Place in the oven and roast for 1 hour.
12. Remove pork belly from the oven, discard foil and scrape all the salt off the top and sides.
13. Brush a few layers of white vinegar on the pork belly skin. Flip and brush more marinade over the pork belly (do not brush the pork belly skin)
14. Place under grill/broiler 200c for 15-20 minutes, rotating tray once, until the skin is golden, crispy and puffed.
15. Remove from the oven and let set for 10 mins. Slice and drizzle with the marinade before serve.

Note:

Airfryer Method:

Preheat the Airfryer  to 180c for 5 minutes.

Place the pork belly on the grill pan, bake at 180c for 30 mins until the salt crust forms and the salt hardened. Remove the pork belly from the Airfryer pull off the salt crust and discard. Brush some vinegar on the pork skin. Flip and brush more marinade over the pork belly. Increase the temperature to 200c and return the pork belly to the Airfryer for another 20 to 25 minutes.