80 20 Crispy Pork Belly

Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk) but 20% effort

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Cooking doesn’t need to be hard or complicated, and sometimes you just want a recipe that gets you most of the way there with minimal effort. So here’s the simplest siu yuk (aka crispy pork belly) recipe I’ve tested that requires minimal effort while maximizing flavor AND crispy skin.

Side Note: This recipe works for both skin-on and skinless pork belly. Because skinless pork belly is more available to me, I made sure this recipe could also give you great crispy results without the skin.

1 hr cook time
10 min prep
Servings
3
Units

Ingredients

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Marinade

Sauce

Directions

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  • Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
    • 1.5 lb pork belly (625 g)
  • Score the underside of the pork belly (meat-side) by making straight cuts across the surface, about 1 cm apart.
    • In a small mixing bowl, combine five-spice powder, sugar, white pepper, and Shaoxing cooking wine. Stir until well mixed.
      • 1 tsp five spice powder (2.4 g)
      • 1 tsp sugar (4 g)
      • ½ tsp white pepper powder (1.2 g)
      • 1 tbsp shaoxing cooking wine (15 g)
    • Rub the sauce onto the underside of the pork belly, avoiding the skin. If any sauce gets on the skin, simply wipe it off with a paper towel.
      • Using a knife, skewer, or toothpick, poke shallow holes along the skin side of the pork belly. Be careful not to poke too deep, as this could cause meat juices to surface during air frying, preventing the skin from becoming crispy.
        • Sprinkle a generous amount of salt evenly over the pork belly skin. This will help draw out moisture, contributing to a crispier skin during cooking.
          • 1 tsp salt (6 g)
        • Place the pork belly on two sheets of aluminum foil, stacked for durability. Fold the foil up along all sides to create a tight wall around the pork belly, ensuring the wall is slightly taller than the height of the pork belly to contain any juices.
          • Place the pork belly into the air fryer and cook for 40-50 minutes at 250°F (120°C).
            • After the initial cook, check the pork belly and pat the skin dry once more. Then, brush the skin with a thin layer of vegetable oil to ensure even crisping.
              • 2 tbsp vegetable oil (30 g)
                (or other neutral oil like avocado oil)
            • Air fry the pork belly at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes. Since air fryers and ovens can vary in temperature, check the pork belly every 5 minutes to ensure it doesn’t burn and adjust the cooking time if needed.
              • To serve, slice the pork belly and pair it with rice, vegetables, and / or an optional sauce made by mixing hoisin sauce with water. Enjoy!
                • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce (40 g)
                • 2 tbsp water (30 g)

              Notes

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              Cost Savings

              Cost Savings

              Prices may vary based on location and specific ingredient & restaurant choices. ⓘ

              Homemade Cost

              $2.85

              per serving

              Restaurant Cost

              $19.87

              ~2 servings (incl. tax & tip)

              Total Savings

              $14.17

              ~2 servings

              You can save up to 89% by cooking this dish at home!

              Nutrition Information

              Per serving

              Nutrient
              Amount
              % DV
              sugarvegetable oilshaoxing cooking winewhite pepper powderpork bellyhoisin sauce
              Trans fat

              Total (3 servings)

              Nutrient
              Amount
              % DV
              sugarvegetable oilshaoxing cooking winewhite pepper powderpork bellyhoisin sauce
              Trans fat

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