Who doesn’t like pork cracklings? Hubby made a very simple Chinese roast pork crackling. It’s very basic it cracks me up!
Making pork crackle seems to be a difficult task. The problem in cooking pork crackling is ending up with a leathery pork skin (which is hardly a crackle); or maybe having a really crunchy skin but then, compromising on the taste of the pork meats being too dry. Thinking about the hassle and effort of it all makes me just want to buy it from the nearest Asian restaurant at our place.
Good thing, we can now make a decent pork crackling at home! Nyom! Nyom!! Crunch! Crunch!
It takes a bit of cooking time in the oven; but it’s all worth the wait. On the other hand, since you’ll be using the oven, you can do a little multi-tasking as you wait. You can do a few chores or watch your favorite tele-novela while the pork cooks. Just make sure you’re timer is well set.
This Chinese roast pork goes well with rice and some stir-fry veggies. It’s also a fine topping to a noodle dish. More so, this tasty pork will be a good pair with an iced cold beer. Do you have a gathering at home? Try this on your guest and see how they would love you even more!
Here’s how we cook Chinese roast pork with crackling at home.
Ingredients:
-Pork belly, 1kg*
-Garlic, 8 cloves, crushed
-Five spice powder, 1-2tsp or enough to cover the entire meat
-Salt, ½-1 cup or enough to cover the skin of the pork belly
-1 cooking tray and 1 wire rack
-Water
* Add some 45mins in the cooking time for every additional 1 kilo of pork)
Directions:
1. Pre heat oven at 180-185c (depending on the oven). Our oven is a bit old; you may need to assess the capacity of your own oven.
2. Place water on an oven pan. Put this pan on the bottom part of the oven. (The pork will be roasted on a wire rack above this tray. See further instructions below.)
3. Dry the pork with paper towel.
4. Make a slit around the side of the pork and insert the crushed garlic. Make sure that you make it deep enough so that the garlic will not be pushed out while the pork is cooking.
(Don't make the same mistake that we did. Notice in the photo below that the garlic was pushed out when the meat was being roasted.)
5. Rub the pork belly with the five spice powder except on the skin.
6. Layer the skin of the pork with salt. Make sure it is evenly placed.
7. Place the pork belly on a wire rack and put on the middle rack of the oven.
8. Wait for 1 hour. After one hour, you will notice that the salt will form into a crust. Once crusted, remove the salt and turn up the oven to 240-245C. Also, check if you need to add water in the pan.
9. Roast the pork for another 35-40 minutes until the crackling is formed.
10. Remove the pork and sit for 5 minutes.
11. Cut into desired size and serve.
For its sauce, I prefer a simple vinegar and crushed garlic combo. But if you want to keep on with this being a Chinese-inspired dish, mix up some hoisin sauce, pepper and vinegar. This’ll go well with this pork crackling.
Enjoy and remember me when you cook!!
Making pork crackle seems to be a difficult task. The problem in cooking pork crackling is ending up with a leathery pork skin (which is hardly a crackle); or maybe having a really crunchy skin but then, compromising on the taste of the pork meats being too dry. Thinking about the hassle and effort of it all makes me just want to buy it from the nearest Asian restaurant at our place.
Good thing, we can now make a decent pork crackling at home! Nyom! Nyom!! Crunch! Crunch!
It takes a bit of cooking time in the oven; but it’s all worth the wait. On the other hand, since you’ll be using the oven, you can do a little multi-tasking as you wait. You can do a few chores or watch your favorite tele-novela while the pork cooks. Just make sure you’re timer is well set.
This Chinese roast pork goes well with rice and some stir-fry veggies. It’s also a fine topping to a noodle dish. More so, this tasty pork will be a good pair with an iced cold beer. Do you have a gathering at home? Try this on your guest and see how they would love you even more!
Here’s how we cook Chinese roast pork with crackling at home.
Ingredients:
-Pork belly, 1kg*
-Garlic, 8 cloves, crushed
-Five spice powder, 1-2tsp or enough to cover the entire meat
-Salt, ½-1 cup or enough to cover the skin of the pork belly
-1 cooking tray and 1 wire rack
-Water
* Add some 45mins in the cooking time for every additional 1 kilo of pork)
Directions:
1. Pre heat oven at 180-185c (depending on the oven). Our oven is a bit old; you may need to assess the capacity of your own oven.
2. Place water on an oven pan. Put this pan on the bottom part of the oven. (The pork will be roasted on a wire rack above this tray. See further instructions below.)
3. Dry the pork with paper towel.
4. Make a slit around the side of the pork and insert the crushed garlic. Make sure that you make it deep enough so that the garlic will not be pushed out while the pork is cooking.
(Don't make the same mistake that we did. Notice in the photo below that the garlic was pushed out when the meat was being roasted.)
5. Rub the pork belly with the five spice powder except on the skin.
6. Layer the skin of the pork with salt. Make sure it is evenly placed.
7. Place the pork belly on a wire rack and put on the middle rack of the oven.
8. Wait for 1 hour. After one hour, you will notice that the salt will form into a crust. Once crusted, remove the salt and turn up the oven to 240-245C. Also, check if you need to add water in the pan.
9. Roast the pork for another 35-40 minutes until the crackling is formed.
10. Remove the pork and sit for 5 minutes.
11. Cut into desired size and serve.
For its sauce, I prefer a simple vinegar and crushed garlic combo. But if you want to keep on with this being a Chinese-inspired dish, mix up some hoisin sauce, pepper and vinegar. This’ll go well with this pork crackling.
Enjoy and remember me when you cook!!
