Crispy Vietnamese Style Rolled Pork Belly
Crispy Vietnamese Style Rolled Pork Belly
Ingredients
- 5-6 lb skin-on pork belly
- 1 butcher’s twine, as needed
For the Seasoning
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons MSG
- 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon annatto powder, optional
For the Salted Boiling Water
- 1 liter water
- 30 g fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the skin: Bring 1 liter of water to a boil in a pot. Dissolve 30 grams of fine sea salt in the boiling water. Place the pork belly skin-side up in a heatproof dish or sink. Slowly pour the hot salted water over the skin only, ensuring not to get it on the meat. This step helps to tighten the skin. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels, then use a meat tenderizer or fork to prick the skin all over, creating many small holes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Prepare the meat: Turn the pork belly skin-side down. If there are any thicker sections of the pork belly, butterfly them as needed to ensure the belly is relatively even in thickness. Lightly score the meat side in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut through to the skin.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
In a small bowl, mix all of the seasoning ingredients together (fine sea salt, sugar, MSG, garlic powder, onion powder, Chinese five-spice, ground white pepper, ground black pepper, and optional annatto powder). Rub this seasoning mixture evenly over the meat side of the pork belly only, working the seasoning into the scores. Try to keep the skin as clean and dry as possible.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Roll and dry: Tightly roll the seasoned pork belly into a cylinder, starting from one of the shorter ends. Securely tie the rolled pork belly with butcher’s twine every 1 to 1 1/2 inches to maintain its shape. Place the rolled pork belly on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours to thoroughly dry the skin. This drying process is crucial for achieving crispy skin.
- 5
Preheat a convection oven to 285°F / 140°C. Place the pork belly on a wire rack over a baking sheet and roast for 3 hours, or until the internal temperature of the center of the pork belly reaches 180–185°F / 82–85°C.
⏱️ 180 min•🌡️ 285
- 6
Remove the pork belly from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 20–30 minutes. While it rests, increase the oven temperature to 465–480°F / 240–250°C.
⏱️ 30 min
- 7
After resting, carefully remove the butcher’s twine from the pork belly. Lightly brush the skin of the pork belly with some of the rendered fat collected in the baking sheet. Return the pork belly to the preheated oven and roast for another 15–25 minutes, rotating as needed, until the skin is golden brown, blistered, and crispy. If necessary, for any remaining areas that aren't fully crispy, finish under the broiler for a few minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 480
- 8
Remove the crispy pork belly from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 25–30 minutes before slicing and serving.
⏱️ 30 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Crispy Vietnamese Style Rolled Pork Belly
- 5-6 lb skin-on pork belly
- 1 butcher’s twine, as needed
For the Seasoning
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons MSG
- 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon annatto powder, optional
For the Salted Boiling Water
- 1 liter water
- 30 g fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the skin: Bring 1 liter of water to a boil in a pot. Dissolve 30 grams of fine sea salt in the boiling water. Place the pork belly skin-side up in a heatproof dish or sink. Slowly pour the hot salted water over the skin only, ensuring not to get it on the meat. This step helps to tighten the skin. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels, then use a meat tenderizer or fork to prick the skin all over, creating many small holes.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Prepare the meat: Turn the pork belly skin-side down. If there are any thicker sections of the pork belly, butterfly them as needed to ensure the belly is relatively even in thickness. Lightly score the meat side in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut through to the skin.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
In a small bowl, mix all of the seasoning ingredients together (fine sea salt, sugar, MSG, garlic powder, onion powder, Chinese five-spice, ground white pepper, ground black pepper, and optional annatto powder). Rub this seasoning mixture evenly over the meat side of the pork belly only, working the seasoning into the scores. Try to keep the skin as clean and dry as possible.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Roll and dry: Tightly roll the seasoned pork belly into a cylinder, starting from one of the shorter ends. Securely tie the rolled pork belly with butcher’s twine every 1 to 1 1/2 inches to maintain its shape. Place the rolled pork belly on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours to thoroughly dry the skin. This drying process is crucial for achieving crispy skin.
- 5
Preheat a convection oven to 285°F / 140°C. Place the pork belly on a wire rack over a baking sheet and roast for 3 hours, or until the internal temperature of the center of the pork belly reaches 180–185°F / 82–85°C.
⏱️ 180 min•🌡️ 285 - 6
Remove the pork belly from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 20–30 minutes. While it rests, increase the oven temperature to 465–480°F / 240–250°C.
⏱️ 30 min - 7
After resting, carefully remove the butcher’s twine from the pork belly. Lightly brush the skin of the pork belly with some of the rendered fat collected in the baking sheet. Return the pork belly to the preheated oven and roast for another 15–25 minutes, rotating as needed, until the skin is golden brown, blistered, and crispy. If necessary, for any remaining areas that aren't fully crispy, finish under the broiler for a few minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 480 - 8
Remove the crispy pork belly from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 25–30 minutes before slicing and serving.
⏱️ 30 min