Homemade Chinese Roast Pork Belly

Based on my previous posts here, here and here on roast pork, you would have known my household is obsessed in love with roast pork :p

So far, I buy my roast pork from Sheng Shiong Supermarket, which sells quite good roast pork. When I came across this recipe featured in the Jan 2011 issue of Simply Her, I knew I had to give it a go as it looks really simple with only 4 ingredients and 5 steps. And indeed, the preparation was fuss free and I was totally surprised that the pork belly turned out quite good. I mean, not as good as those sold outside but good enough as a homemade.

 I was really excited when I saw the finished product and couldn't stop raving to hubby about it. The meat was tender and succulent and skin quite crispy. One thing though, I didn't poke enough holes on the skin so some parts of the skin was a bit tough and not crispy enough.

Anyway, I think the beauty of homemade roast pork belly is, I could adjust the amount of salt used and choose the leanest cut of pork belly. The method is so quick and easy that I could make it every other day, then I could satisfy my craving anytime.

Chinese Roast Pork Belly
(serves 6-8)

Ingredients

• 1kg baby pork belly
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp five-spice powder

Directions

1. Rinse the pork belly* and pat dry with kitchen towels. Mix the salt, white pepper and five-spice powder.
2. Place pork belly on a plate with the skin side facing downwards. Rub the top and sides of the pork belly with the salt mixture. Do not season the skin. Flip the pork belly over and chill it for at least 6 hours to dry the skin.
3. Preheat oven to 220 deg c for 15 min. Place pork belly (with the skin side facing down) on a metal rack or tray lined with aluminium foil and bake for 40 min.
4. Remove pork belly from the oven and prick skin all over with the tip of a knife or fork**.
5. Return the pork to the oven with the skin facing up. Switch the oven to the grill mode and grill for 30 min until the skin turns golden and blisters. Watch to make sure the skin of the pork belly does not burn.

*Baby pork belly is best for roasting as it's more tender.If the butcher does not have it, ask for the thinnest slab of pork belly.
**To prick the skin more thoroughly and easily, use a pricking tool designed for making roast pork, available at Sia Huat at 7 Temple Street, Tel: 62231732.