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Contents
Sweet, Sticky and Smoky—A Chinese-Style Pork Belly Favourite
Prep Time: 15 minutes + 1 hour marinating (or overnight) Cook Time: 1.5 hours Serves: 4
This Char Siu Pork Belly is lacquered with a sweet and savoury marinade and roasted to perfection. The result? Crispy edges, juicy meat, and that unmistakable red glaze.
Served with steamed or stir-fried Asian greens, this is a bold, flavour-packed dish that turns simple ingredients into something special.
1. Ingredients
For the Pork Belly:
- 1kg Tender Gourmet Butchery Pork Belly (skin scored or removed)
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Red food colouring (optional, traditional)
For the Asian Greens:
- 2 bunches bok choy or choy sum, trimmed
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
2. Instructions
Let’s get cooking. Follow these steps for tender, caramelised pork belly and crisp greens.
Make the Marinade:
- In a bowl, mix hoisin, honey, soy, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, five spice, garlic, and food colouring if using.
Marinate the Pork Belly:
- Place char siu pork belly in a baking dish or bag and coat with the marinade. Marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results.
Roast the Pork:
- Preheat oven to 170°C.
- Place pork belly on a lined tray and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour.
- Remove foil, increase heat to 200°C, and roast for another 20–30 minutes, basting once or twice with extra marinade.
Cook the Greens:
- Heat sesame oil in a pan or wok. Add garlic and greens. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until wilted.
- Add soy sauce and toss to coat.
Serve & Enjoy:
- Slice pork belly and serve with greens and steamed rice. Spoon over any sticky pan juices.
Cooking Tips:
- For crispier edges, grill the pork belly for the final 5 minutes.
- Add sliced red chilli or fried shallots for texture and heat.
- Swap bok choy for broccolini or Chinese broccoli if preferred.
Slow Cooker Method for Char Siu Pork Belly:
Marinate as Usual:
- Prepare the marinade as per the original recipe using hoisin, honey, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, five spice, garlic, and optional red food colouring.
- Marinate the pork belly in the fridge for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
Slow Cook:
- Place the marinated pork belly (including the excess marinade) into the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6–7 hours or
- Cook on high for 3.5–4 hours, until tender.
Finish in the Oven or Grill:
- Preheat your oven to 220°C (fan forced) or set your grill to high.
- Transfer the pork belly to a lined baking tray. Brush with reserved or fresh marinade.
- Roast or grill for 10–15 minutes, until the glaze caramelises and the edges are slightly crispy.
Rest & Slice:
- Let the pork belly rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing into thick strips.
