Crispy sweet and sour pork belly

Name: Crispy sweet and sour pork belly
Total time: 86400 s
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 kg pork belly with skin on; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 3 tbsp kosher salt; 1/4 tsp coriander; 1/4 tsp Szechuan pepper corns; 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 cup pineapple juice; 2/3 cup brown sugar; 3 tbsp rice vinegar; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar; 2 tbsp ketchup; 2 tsp corn starch; 4 tsp water; 1 /tsp chili oil (optional)

RiceCake @RiceCake

This dish is an elevated version of the classic Sweet and Sour Pork, with melt-in-your-mouth pork belly that is contrasted with a thin crispy layer of skin

RiceCake @RiceCake

This dish is an elevated version of the classic Sweet and Sour Pork, with melt-in-your-mouth pork belly that is contrasted with a thin crispy layer of skin

Saved

Ingredients

24hr

6 servings

1 kgpork belly with skin on
2 tbspbrown sugar
3 tbspkosher salt
1/4 tspcoriander
1/4 tspSzechuan pepper corns
1/8 tspground cinnamon
1 cuppineapple juice
2/3 cupbrown sugar
3 tbsprice vinegar
3 tbspsoy sauce
2 tbspChinkiang vinegar
2 tbspketchup
2 tspcorn starch
4 tspwater
1/tsp chili oil (optional)

Saved

Steps

24hr

1

Cure the pork belly for 12-24hr:
2

Cut the pork belly into large sections that will fit into a large frying pan for frying later. Then score the skin in 1" squares, being careful not to cut into the meat
3

Mix 2 tbsp brown sugar and salt and rub onto the MEAT side, being careful not to get any on the skin (if you get sugar on the skin then the skin will burn almost instantly later when it is fried).
4

Flip the belly over and lightly sprinkle 3/4 - 1 tbsp salt onto the skin, being careful not to add too much salt otherwise skin will take on all the salt flavor and be nearly inedible later (note: this picture shows TOO MUCH salt)
5

Place a wire rack over a cooking sheet and put the pork belly on top skin side up. Place in the fridge uncovered for 12 to 24 hours
6

Once meat has cured for 12-24hrs, wipe off any remaining salt and pop it into oven at 225F for about 5hrs, or 250F for about 3.5hrs. The meat will be perfectly tender when internal temp is between 195F-200F
7

About 45min before pork belly is done cooking, cook some rice and prepare a vegetable (like green beans)
8

To make the sauce, toast the coriander and Szechuan pepper corns in a sauce pan over medium high heat until they start to become fragrant (1min)
9

Grind the spices together and mix together with remaining sauce ingredients except for corn starch. Cook over medium heat until it starts to bubble
10

Create a slurry with the cornstarch by mixing the cornstarch twice as much water in a small container and shaking it together. Add this to the sauce and simmer for 1-2 min. Season to taste
11

Once pork belly has reached approximately 197F, prepare a large frying pan with about a half an inch of vegetable oil in it. Place the pork belly skin side down into the oil and then put it over medium heat. Place a splatter guard over top of the pan because there's a very high chance that there is still moisture in the pork belly, and if this drips into scorching hot oil it will literally explode and scorch everything nearby. Good idea to remove splatter guard once in a while to remove moisture
12

As the oil heats, the pork belly will start to crackle. It is done in about 5-10min when skin has bubbled a bit but not darkened.
13

Remove from oil and cut along the lines that were scored in the skin, making bite size pieces
14

Stir fry the pork belly and the sauce plus chili oil, along with a partially cooked veggie over high heat for about 2 minutes, until the sauce starts to caramelize but does not burn. Remove some heat and serve over rice.