The Easiest Crispy Roast Pork Belly (Siu Yuk / Sio Bak) - Salt Crust Method

Ingredients

• 1.5 kgpork belly, with the skin attached
• for brushingcooking oil
• as neededfine cooking salt (not table salt)
• as neededrock salt or coarse salt (recommended)
• 2 tbspshaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 1 tspChinese five-spice powder
• 1 tbspbrown sugar
• 1/2 tspsalt
• as neededheavy-duty aluminium foil
• as neededapple cider vinegar or white vinegar

Instructions

1. 1

   Choose the pork

   Choose pork belly with skin that is as smooth and even as possible, with few wrinkles or folds. Indented areas receive less heat and may not develop crisp crackling.

2. 2

   Check the size

   If using an air fryer, make sure the pork belly is small enough to fit inside it.

3. 3

   Season the meat

   Mix the shaoxing wine or sherry, brown sugar, five-spice powder if using, and 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl. Put the pork belly in a container and rub the mixture over the meat, keeping it off the skin.

4. 4

   Dry the skin

   Pat the skin dry, then refrigerate the pork uncovered for at least 8–12 hours. Drier skin helps the crackling crisp.

5. 5

   Prepare the oven

   For the oven method, preheat to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with heavy-duty foil, then add one or two more layers. Place the pork on the foil and fold the sides up, leaving about 1.3 cm at the top.

6. 6

   Add the salt

   Brush a thin layer of vinegar over the skin. Carefully cover it with about a 6 mm layer of fine salt, keeping the foil snug against the pork to limit salt falling into the gaps. Rock salt is recommended, especially for air frying; spread it evenly over the skin without gaps.

7. 7

   Roast the pork

   Place the pork on the middle oven rack, about the third rack from the top, and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes.

8. 8

   Remove the crust

   Take the pork out of the oven. If you used fine salt, gently lift off the formed crust. If you used rock salt, scrape the salt carefully from the top and sides with a knife.

9. 9

   Oil the skin

   Move the pork to fresh foil and brush away salt from its sides and underside with vinegar. Wrap the meat as before, brush the skin evenly with cooking oil, then fold the foil down to uncover the skin while keeping the meat covered.

10. 10

    Level the surface

    If the pork has shrunk and the skin is uneven, tuck balls of foil under any low areas to level it. This helps the skin receive more even heat.

11. 11

    Crisp the skin

    Move the pork to the lowest or second-lowest oven rack and use the low broiler setting, about 230°C (450°F), or the oven's highest heat if it has no broiler. Watch closely as the crackling forms; shield any spots that brown too quickly with foil or move the pork farther from the heat. Broil for about 10–15 minutes or longer, until the crackling is to your liking, then rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

12. 12

    Preheat the air fryer

    For the air fryer method, remove the basket if needed to fit the pork. Preheat the air fryer to 190°C (375°F) for 5 minutes. Put a metal trivet inside and set the pork on it.

13. 13

    Cook the pork

    Close the air fryer and cook for 40 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through. Fine salt may blow around inside at first before settling into a crust.

14. 14

    Clear away salt

    Carefully remove the pork and gently take off the salt crust. If a lot of salt has fallen through the sides, transfer the pork to fresh foil. Brush excess salt from the skin and underside, use vinegar to brush away saltiness, and wrap the pork in foil again.

15. 15

    Crisp the skin

    Fold down the foil to uncover the skin and brush it with oil. Return the pork to the trivet and air fry at 190°C (375°F) for 15–20 minutes, or until the crackling is as crisp as you like.

16. 16

    Slice and serve

    Carefully fold the foil down and transfer the pork to a chopping board. Discard the oil collected in the foil. If needed, brush the sides with apple cider vinegar to remove excess salt. Turn the pork skin-side down and slice with gentle pressure to break through the crackling. Serve with chilli sauce or on its own.

What is siu yuk?

Siu yuk, also known as sio bak, is Chinese roast pork belly prized for its crisp, blistered skin and tender meat. It is often served in bite-sized slices, either on its own or with a dipping sauce.

This method uses a layer of salt over the skin during the first part of cooking, then removes it before the skin is exposed to high heat. Drying the skin overnight and finishing it under a grill or in an air fryer are the key steps for crackling.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 522 calories, 9g protein, 1g carbs, 53g fat.

The pork belly supplies most of the energy, fat and protein, while the brown sugar contributes a small amount of carbohydrate. Serve a slice with vegetables and a modest portion of rice to add fibre and balance the plate.

Choose an even piece

Skin: Look for a piece with a fairly flat, smooth surface. Deep folds and dips are harder to expose evenly to the heat, so they may stay chewy rather than crackle.

Air fryer: Check the dimensions before starting if you plan to use one. A smaller piece may be needed to fit on the trivet with enough room for the skin to crisp.

Season the meat, not the skin

Marinade: The wine, sugar, five-spice and salt go on the meat side. Keeping the skin clear of the marinade helps it dry properly in the fridge.

Overnight drying: Leave the pork uncovered for at least 8–12 hours after patting the skin dry. This gives moisture time to evaporate before roasting.

Fine salt or coarse salt

Fine salt: It can form a more solid crust, but it may fall through gaps in the foil and make the pork too salty. Keep the foil closely fitted around the meat when adding it.

Rock salt: The recipe recommends it because the larger crystals are less likely to fall into gaps. Cover the skin evenly, then scrape away the crystals after the first cook.

Getting crisp crackling

Level skin: Pork belly can shrink and become uneven as it cooks. Prop low spots from underneath with scrunched foil so more of the skin faces the heat.

High heat: Watch closely during the final grilling or air-frying stage. If one area browns faster, shield it with foil or move the pork farther from the heat.

How to tell when it is ready

First cook: For the oven route, roast for 1 hour 30 minutes before removing the salt. For the air fryer route, cook for about 40 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.

Final finish: The skin should be crackled to your preference after the high-heat stage. Rest the oven-roasted pork for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Slicing and serving

Slicing: Turn the rested pork skin-side down on the board and press gently with the knife to break through the crackling as you cut.

Serving: Chilli sauce is suggested, but the pork can also be served on its own. Brush the sides with a little vinegar if you want to remove salt left in the foil gaps.

Recipe notes & tips

• Pat the skin thoroughly dry before leaving the pork uncovered in the fridge.
• Keep the marinade on the meat side rather than the skin.
• Use foil that fits closely around the pork when adding fine salt.
• Watch the skin continuously during the final high-heat stage.
• Let the oven-roasted pork rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
• Turn the pork skin-side down to make slicing through the crackling easier.

Variations

• Use dry sherry: Substitute it for shaoxing wine as listed in the recipe.
• Choose white vinegar: Use it in place of apple cider vinegar.
• Skip the five-spice: Leave it out of the marinade if you prefer.
• Use an air fryer: Follow the alternate method if the pork fits on the trivet.
• Serve with chilli sauce: Offer it alongside the sliced pork for dipping.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wet skin: Pat it dry and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8–12 hours.
• Marinade on the skin: Rub the seasoning into the meat and keep the skin clear.
• Salt falling through: Fit the foil close around the pork, or choose rock salt.
• Uneven skin: Prop low spots from underneath with scrunched foil before the final crisping.
• Burning the crackling: Watch closely and shield fast-browning areas with foil.
• Slicing too soon: Rest the oven-roasted pork for at least 10 minutes first.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover pork in an airtight container once cooled and use within 3–4 days. Reheat in an oven or air fryer until hot; these methods are preferable to a microwave if you want to revive some crispness in the skin.

Frequently asked questions