Crispy Vietnamese Oven-Roasted Pork Belly (Heo Quay)
Vietnamese roasted pork belly, or Thịt Heo Quay, is a favorite at family gatherings and parties for good reasons.
- 3 lbs skin-on pork belly
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1-inch ginger (unpeeled, cut into thin coins)
- 1 small shallot (peeled, cut into thick wedges)
- Scrub pork belly (3 lbs) thoroughly clean with about one additional tablespoon of salt. Scrape skin clean with knife. Rinse then wipe down pork belly dry with paper towels.
- Combine salt (1-1/2 teaspoons), sugar (1 teaspoon), Chinese five-spice powder (1/2 teaspoon), ground black pepper (1 teaspoon), and vinegar (1/4 cup) in a bowl and rub this mixture onto the pork belly, including the skin.
- Add aromatics to baking tray. Transfer pork belly on top with skin facing up. Use the aromatics to prop up any low areas if needed so that the skin is leveled. If using foil, wrap foil around the edges tightly to cover the meat area to prevent burning (optional). Set aside for 15 minutes or overnight in the fridge uncovered for better results.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. When ready to bake, wipe the skin completely dry with paper towels. Transfer pork belly in the middle position and roast for about 45 minutes.
- Switch to broil on high (about 400°F) for about 15 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent scorching. If some areas of skin is burning, cover with small pieces of foil. If some area are not popping, move it around, rotate, prop up the low areas with more aromatics or small pieces of foil so it’s closer to the broiler.
- Once the skin is evenly puffy, carefully remove from oven, transfer to a cutting board. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes before slicing into bite-sized pieces.
Who could resist that crispy, crackling skin atop juicy, well-seasoned pork? Plus, it’s bite-size pieces ready for quick munching.
Oven vs. Air Fryer
This recipe uses the oven. It’s a great for larger slabs of pork belly that feeds a crowd. If you have a smaller slab of pork belly, or using strips of pork belly instead, consider the air fryer for much less fuss. Air fryer pork belly recipe here.
However, I do prefer the oven as roasting in the oven yield a much fragile crispiness than the air fryer that uses more direct heat.
Secret to Crispy Skin
The secret to achieving that perfectly bubbly, extra-crispy skin is actually simple. All you need to do is dry it out.
In this recipe, no special equipment is needed. You can let it air-dry overnight for the best results. However, if you’re short on time, this recipe can come together in about an hour and a half too.
What You Need to Make Heo Quay
To make Vietnamese roasted pork belly, gather the following ingredients:
- Pork Belly – You will need skin-on pork belly. You can easily find pork belly at Asian grocery stores, where you can find it in many convenient cuts: cubes, strips, or large slabs. For this recipe, I’m using a large slab. Aim for a piece that’s even in thickness all around. But if you can’t find one that’s even all around, it’s ok too. There are ways to even it out.
- Salt, sugar, and ground black pepper – The seasoning is a simple dry rub. You likely have them in your pantry. The pork belly is primarily seasoned with salt with a bit of sugar for balance, and ground black pepper for a subtle kick. You can use ground white pepper for a more traditional Chinese recipe, but I love the taste of black pepper as it’s not as overpowering as white pepper.
- Five-spice powder – The signature aroma and flavor of Chinese and Vietnamese crispy pork belly. Chinese five spice mixture typically contains a combination of cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise, cloves, and ginger. I try to avoid the one with Sichuan peppercorns as I’m not a fan of the numbing effect.
- Aromatics – Ginger and shallots. Place them under the pork to add the amazing aroma when roasted. You can also use it to prop up uneven sections to help the skin crisp evenly.
- Vinegar – It adds a light tang to balance the fattiness. Most importantly, it dries out and softens the skin, which we’ll wipe clean before roasting for that crunchy finish.
Step 1: Prep pork belly and aromatics
Scrub pork belly thoroughly clean with a bit of salt. Scrape skin clean with a knife. Rinse then wipe pork belly dry with paper towels.
Rub with seasonings, including the skin. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Slice the unpeeled ginger into thin coins. Gently smash each coin to help release their aroma. Peel the shallot and cut into thick wedges.
