$$ · roasts, smokers, and long cooks
ThermoPro TP20 Wireless Meat Thermometer
Monitoring large cuts where opening the smoker or oven would cost heat.
Slow-roasted pork belly is one of the most satisfying preparations in cooking — long hours at low heat render the fat to silk, while a final blast creates the crispest crackling.
Serves 6 peoplePrep 15 minCook 3 hr 30 min
Ingredients & method
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg boneless pork belly, skin on
- 1 tbsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- Apple sauce or hoisin sauce to serve
Method
- 1Score the skin deeply in a crosshatch pattern. Combine five-spice, white pepper, sugar, garlic, and wine. Rub onto the meat side only, not the skin.
- 2Rub coarse salt into the skin. Place skin-side up on a rack, uncovered, in the fridge overnight to dry the skin completely.
- 3Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 150 °C. Roast skin-side up for 2.5 hours until the meat is very tender.
- 4Raise oven temperature to 230 °C. Roast a final 20–30 minutes until the skin blisters and crisps into crackling. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- 5Rest 10 minutes. Slice carefully with a sharp, heavy knife. The crackling should shatter.
Useful gear for this recipe
$$ · steak and roast doneness without guesswork
ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE
Checking steaks, roasts, chops, and thick cuts quickly.
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Chef's tip
If the crackling is blistering unevenly, place the pork under the grill for a few minutes, rotating to even out the colour.
Cook this later?Save the recipe, then keep notes on what worked and what you'd change next time.