Crispy pork belly, or Siu Yuk (燒肉) in Cantonese, has always been one of my favourite dishes growing up in Macau. That combination of juicy, tender pork and ridiculously crispy crackling is just unbeatable. This version isn't exactly traditional Siu Yuk, but I love pairing it with Nam Jim Jaew, a punchy Thai chilli dipping sauce, and a warm bowl of steamed rice. The salty, crispy pork with the tangy, spicy and slightly sweet sauce is so good!
3 servings
Some secret knowledge
Crispy pork belly is best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For the best texture, reheat the pork in an air fryer at 160–180°C for 5–8 minutes, or until heated through and the skin has crisped up again.
Store the Nam Jim Jaew separately in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Crispy pork belly is best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For the best texture, reheat the pork in an air fryer at 160–180°C for 5–8 minutes, or until heated through and the skin has crisped up again.
Store the Nam Jim Jaew separately in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Using a sharp knife, make a few shallow cuts into the meat side of the pork belly, being careful not to cut into the skin.
This helps the seasoning penetrate the meat and also makes the pork easier to slice once cooked.
Place the pork belly skin-side up on a large piece of foil.
Fold the foil up around the sides of the pork to create a snug little “boat”, leaving the skin completely exposed.
This will help keep the juices contained while the pork cooks.
Mix together the Chinese 5 spice, garlic powder, sugar, salt, white pepper and MSG.
Brush the meat side of the pork belly with Shaoxing wine, then rub the seasoning mixture all over the meat.
Try to keep the seasoning off the skin as much as possible — we want that skin nice and dry.
Using a fork or a pork-skin pricking tool, poke holes all over the skin.
Try to pierce the skin without going too deeply into the fat underneath.
Pat the skin thoroughly dry with kitchen paper, then brush it lightly with white vinegar.
Place the pork belly uncovered in the fridge overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
This is one of the most important steps for getting that crispy skin!
Remove the pork belly from the fridge around 30 minutes before cooking.
Pat the skin completely dry again, then brush with another light layer of white vinegar.
Cover the entire skin with a generous layer of coarse salt.
Don't worry about using too much — we're going to scrape it all off later.
Place the pork belly in the air fryer, skin-side up, keeping it inside the foil boat.
Air fry at 170°C for 40 minutes.
If using an oven with an air-fryer function, the middle shelf works best for more even cooking.
After 40 minutes, carefully remove the pork belly and scrape all of the salt off the skin.
Pat the skin dry if needed, then brush it lightly with neutral oil.
Return the pork belly to the air fryer and increase the temperature to 220°C.
Cook for another 20–30 minutes, or until the skin has puffed up and become deeply golden and crispy.
Keep an eye on it towards the end — every air fryer is different, and you may need to adjust the temperature or cooking time.
While the pork is cooking, combine the garlic, spring onion, shallot, chillies, coriander, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and toasted rice powder in a small bowl.
Mix well and taste.
Adjust with more lime for acidity, sugar for sweetness, fish sauce for saltiness or chilli for more heat.
Once the pork belly is beautifully crispy, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for around 10 minutes.
Use a sharp knife to slice into bite-sized pieces, making sure you get plenty of that crispy skin with each piece.
Serve the crispy pork belly with a generous bowl of freshly made Nam Jim Jaew and a warm bowl of steamed rice.
Then dig in!
Be the first to join the conversation.
Drop your thoughts, tips or questionable recipe modifications below.