BBQ pork belly

Since trying this version of the BBQ pork belly, I found the skin easily too charred. Hence trying again with this video method by the famous DimSimLim. This recipe is also easy because there is no parboiling.

Ingredients

500g pork belly

5 spice powder

salt

white pepper

chicken powder

Splash of chinese cooking wine

Method

1. Using the spikes, poke holes in pork belly skin. Turn over to meat side and make some slits. 

2. Mix the powders in a bowl (no proportions were given but it looked like a lot of powder!) 

3. Score the meat. Dip the meat-side in the powders and be careful to avoid touching the skin. Rub the marinade into the meat.

4. Spritz the meat with chinese cooking wine.

5. Make an aluminium foil tray to cover the meat but leaving the skin exposed. Put on the BBQ, direct heat. Cover the lid.

6. Cook for 45 mins at 180 deg then 20 mins at full blast (200 to 220 deg C).

7. Chop and serve with mustard.

Recipe

- This is probably the least active time and less clean up compared to the other crackling belly pork recipes

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AF Roasted pork belly

After this recipe which used the BBQ to avoid splattering the oven, here's one for the AF. But I'm not sure I want to splatter my AF either! From this video by CCherryleungg

Ingredients

500g pork belly

Method

1. Place pork belly skin side down into a shallow pan, with 1 inch of water. Water only covers the skin rather than all the meat, to avoid cooking the meat. The purpose is to soften the skin. 

2. After 5 minutes, remove and allow to cool down. Use a knife or similar to poke tiny holes in the skin. This will let the skin 'explode' and achieve the bubbly crispy skin.

3. On the meat side, cut slits and rub in five-spice powder and salt. 

4. Use cling film to protect the meat. Then use paper towels to rub and towel dry the skin. Brush on vinegar and cake in salt.

5. Leave uncovered in the fridge to air dry, at least 6 hrs or preferably overnight.

6. Next day, preheat to 185 deg C and cook skin side up for 30 mins.

7. Then turn up to 200 deg C for 20 mins, skin side up.

8. Allow to slightly cool before chopping up. Serve with yellow mustard. 

Note: Google suggests 3 stage: 200 deg C for 20 to 30 mins then 160 deg C for 30 to 40 mins, then 200 deg C for 5 to 10 mins if still not crackling.

Fried skinless crispy pork belly

I have been reading up on making crispy crackling and bored with the usual methods of drying the crackling and then roasting then finally grilling. I came across 3 recipes which I'll try in succession.

This method from Chinesefood0805 video uses boiling to get rid of excess oil and smell, and to soften, then frying in its own fat to crisp it up. Although the cooking time is longer, it saves on the prep and marinating time. It is also less greasy and as a bonus, you get a tub of rendered lard! The downside though is first there is no skin, and second, there is no marinate so needs to be eaten with some kind of sauce or salt/pepper.

Ingredients

500g belly pork, preferably skin removed

Method

1. Add pork belly to a pot (lay flat in a single layer) and pour enough water to cover.

2. Add salt and bring to a boil.

3. Skim foam, cover and turn down heat. Cover and simmer for 25 mins.

4. Drain, remove and pat very dry.

5. Warm up a pan on medium low heat. Without adding oil, lay in a single layer and cover. Allow oil to render out. Cover to prevent splatting.

6. Once the oil starts exuding out, flipping frequently to ensure even browning.

7. Chop into bite-size and serve with condiments eg mustard or five-spice salt.

Receipe feedback

- Because I used the belly with skin, the skin turned out be super chewy. So it does have to use skinless pork belly

- The frying was relatively painless because I used a wok with a cover but otherwise there would be a lot of splatter on the stove and surrounding.

- There was a lot of active time - from boiling the pork to then letting it slowly exude oil. Neither activity meant total set and forget, so total active time was about 2 hrs, because it took a lot time to render the fat at low heat. And at the end, it only produced 2 tbsp of lard!

- However the upside is that there is now a stock that can be used to cook soup eg ramen soup, and 2 tbsp of lard for next time.

- Despite frying the belly pork in its own oil, and despite having bigger pieces than the video, the meat came out tough and hard. It was also only mild crispy.