Crispy Pork Belly Over Rice with Herb and Chili Sauce
Crispy Pork Belly Over Rice with Herb and Chili Sauce
Ingredients
For the Crispy Pork Belly
- 1 slab pork belly, with skin, approximately 2-3 pounds
- 1 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup salt, for salt crust
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
For the Herb and Chili Sauce
- 1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger, piece, peeled and grated
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or other cooking oil
For the Rice
- 2 cups rice
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 green chili, whole
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 325
- 2
Prepare the pork belly: Place the pork belly skin-side up on a cutting board. Flip the pork belly to the meat side. Using a sharp knife, slice the pork belly into long strips, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide, ensuring not to cut completely through the skin, leaving the skin intact as a single piece.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Make the pork belly seasoning sauce: In a small bowl, combine Chinese 5 spice powder, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, apple sauce, cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined into a thick sauce. Brush this prepared sauce generously over the meat side of the sliced pork belly strips.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Prepare pork belly for first bake: Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on a cutting board. Place the seasoned pork belly (skin side up) on the foil. Score the pork skin by making small punctures or shallow cuts across the surface with a knife. Fold the aluminum foil up around the sides of the pork belly, creating a tray to contain it. Generously cover the entire pork skin with a thick layer of salt.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
First bake of pork belly: Carefully transfer the foil-wrapped pork belly (with the salt crust) to the preheated oven. Bake for 60 minutes.
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 325
- 6
Prepare the herb and chili sauce: While the pork belly bakes, cut the red chili lengthwise, remove the seeds, and finely chop it. Finely chop the green onions and cilantro. Place the chopped green onions, cilantro, and red chili into a metal bowl. Peel a piece of ginger and grate it directly into the bowl with the other chopped ingredients. Add ground black pepper, salt, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and olive oil. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined.
⏱️ 15 min
- 7
Cook the rice: In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, water, bay leaf, green chili, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and rice is tender.
⏱️ 25 min
- 8
Second bake of pork belly (crisping the skin): After 60 minutes, remove the pork belly from the oven. Carefully remove the hardened salt crust from the pork skin. Increase oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). Brush the pork skin with white vinegar. Return the pork belly to the oven for further cooking, about 30-40 minutes, or until the pork skin is visibly crispy and golden brown.
⏱️ 40 min•🌡️ 400
- 9
Serve: Once fully cooked and crispy, remove the pork belly from the oven. Place the pork belly on a cutting board. Cut the pork belly into individual slices, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, following the initial cuts made on the meat side. Serve a bed of cooked rice in a bowl. Arrange the sliced crispy pork belly on top of the rice. Spoon the prepared herb and chili sauce generously over the pork belly and rice. Enjoy immediately.
⏱️ 10 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Crispy Pork Belly Over Rice with Herb and Chili Sauce
For the Crispy Pork Belly
- 1 slab pork belly, with skin, approximately 2-3 pounds
- 1 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup salt, for salt crust
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
For the Herb and Chili Sauce
- 1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger, piece, peeled and grated
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or other cooking oil
For the Rice
- 2 cups rice
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 green chili, whole
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 325 - 2
Prepare the pork belly: Place the pork belly skin-side up on a cutting board. Flip the pork belly to the meat side. Using a sharp knife, slice the pork belly into long strips, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide, ensuring not to cut completely through the skin, leaving the skin intact as a single piece.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Make the pork belly seasoning sauce: In a small bowl, combine Chinese 5 spice powder, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, apple sauce, cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined into a thick sauce. Brush this prepared sauce generously over the meat side of the sliced pork belly strips.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Prepare pork belly for first bake: Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on a cutting board. Place the seasoned pork belly (skin side up) on the foil. Score the pork skin by making small punctures or shallow cuts across the surface with a knife. Fold the aluminum foil up around the sides of the pork belly, creating a tray to contain it. Generously cover the entire pork skin with a thick layer of salt.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
First bake of pork belly: Carefully transfer the foil-wrapped pork belly (with the salt crust) to the preheated oven. Bake for 60 minutes.
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 325 - 6
Prepare the herb and chili sauce: While the pork belly bakes, cut the red chili lengthwise, remove the seeds, and finely chop it. Finely chop the green onions and cilantro. Place the chopped green onions, cilantro, and red chili into a metal bowl. Peel a piece of ginger and grate it directly into the bowl with the other chopped ingredients. Add ground black pepper, salt, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and olive oil. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined.
⏱️ 15 min - 7
Cook the rice: In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, water, bay leaf, green chili, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and rice is tender.
⏱️ 25 min - 8
Second bake of pork belly (crisping the skin): After 60 minutes, remove the pork belly from the oven. Carefully remove the hardened salt crust from the pork skin. Increase oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). Brush the pork skin with white vinegar. Return the pork belly to the oven for further cooking, about 30-40 minutes, or until the pork skin is visibly crispy and golden brown.
⏱️ 40 min•🌡️ 400 - 9
Serve: Once fully cooked and crispy, remove the pork belly from the oven. Place the pork belly on a cutting board. Cut the pork belly into individual slices, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, following the initial cuts made on the meat side. Serve a bed of cooked rice in a bowl. Arrange the sliced crispy pork belly on top of the rice. Spoon the prepared herb and chili sauce generously over the pork belly and rice. Enjoy immediately.
⏱️ 10 min