Go to the Recipe: Chinese Roast Pork Belly (Siew Yuk)
Wow that looks great Brandon. I can't wait to try it.
Thanks. It was easily the best version of this style of belly i've ever had. I have always found that the traditional version always left the bottom layer of meat very chewy, this just melts away.
I followed these instructions to the letter and mine came out very salty. It was not inedible but I think that I would have preferred substantially less salt. I am not sure what it is "supposed" to taste like, though. I think less curing salt or a shorter cure would have worked better for my taste.
i am chinese, and a fast and easy way to make delicious siew yoke (and much shorter time) , is just to use the oven. take a 1.5kg slab of pork belly. rub salt all over (2tbsp per kg of belly pork) the belly pork. important step - score the skin in fine criss cross pattern just up to the fat level. pre-heat oven to 220 deg C, fan oven, and put whole slab on rack for 1hour. after 1 hour, to finish and crisp the skin, turn up the heat to 250 degC, turn oven mode to grill mode and continue to grill the skin for further 15-30min until skin crackling is bubbly and crispy. Do not be afraid of burning or charring some spots. just use a knife to scrape away the char. Let meat cool down/rest for 30-45min before chopping up to serve. (cut skin down on board , to prevent crackling from breaking )
My bad, i have the wrong value in there for the salt, it should be 110g for the brine. Fixed the recipe.
I'm chinese too, and while the traditional way is much quicker, this way gives me a better end result with not much difference in the amount of effort involved. The time factor doesn't bother me because it's inactive time where I can do whatever else I want instead of babysit the oven. After all, aren't we all here to take things to the next level not just rely on the traditional.
Step#3 say..."Cook for 36 hours at 149 °F / 65 °C."....wait....am I reading this right? 36 HOURS?!
Yes. It's sous vide, takes time for it to break down the collagen at those temperatures.
wonder if I can dry brine the pork belly then use about half an inch of oil to only deep fry the skin... just a thought.
Hi there,
I have been following your recipes for some time now and they are really great! Thanks a lot. You guys are doing an excellent job, truly an inspiration to modern gastronomy. I also find your website and the way you publish your recipes very unique and beautiful.
For this recipe I was wondering if I could split the cooking time, considering that I use a steamer instead of the immersion circulator. I don't think its very safe if my steamer is functioning for such a long period.
Thank you.
