Hello!

This is one of the first recipes we're sharing with you all. Before Hot Boi Chili Oil existed, crispy roasted pork belly was one of our go-to dishes, but we could never find a chili oil that complemented it properly. That gap is honestly what pushed us to make our own. Credit where it's due: this recipe is adapted from Kirbie's Cravings, tweaked to our taste.

Fool-proof, can't mess it up, guaranteed party favorite. Just three stages of cooking.

Serves 6–8

Kitchen Equipment

• 9x13 baking pan or glass Pyrex dish
• Aluminum foil
• BBQ grill net
• Paper towels
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups
• Sharp, pointy knife
• Cleaver (for serving)

Ingredients

• 1 slab fresh boneless pork belly, skin on (2 lbs.) — find at your local Asian supermarket
• 8 cloves garlic (or to taste)
• 1/2 tbsp Chinese five spice
• 1/2 tbsp freshly ground white pepper
• 2 cups table salt (for the salt crust — coarse kosher salt also works)
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 3/4 cup Shaoxing cooking wine
• 1/2 cup water
  • Hot Boi Chili Oil, for the sauce (not-not optional, to taste)
  
  

Marinade

1. Mince the garlic and add it to the baking pan along with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, water, brown sugar, white pepper, and five spice. Mix well before adding the pork belly.

Preparing the Pork Belly

1. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towel. The drier it is now, the crispier it gets later.
2. Place the pork belly into the marinade skin-side up, keeping the liquid below the skin line so the skin stays dry. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours (overnight recommended).

Oven Roasting Time

1. Set the oven to convection roast at 275°F. Remove the pork from the fridge, lift it out of the marinade, and pat the skin dry again. Save the marinade — boiled for a few minutes, it makes a great sauce, and it gets even better with a splash of Hot Boi Chili Oil stirred in. Stir in a spoonful of Hot Boi Chili Oil if you want it spicier. If the sauce tastes too salty, add a bit of honey to balance it out. Add 1 inch of water to the empty baking pan and place the BBQ grill net on top.
2. Place the pork skin-up on the grill net. Poke holes all over the skin with a sharp knife so it can bubble properly. Fold aluminum foil into a sealed wall around the belly, then pour the 2 cups of salt over the skin inside the foil wall. Roast for 2–2.5 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.
3. Remove from the oven, discard the foil and salt crust, and scrape off any remaining salt with a knife. Set the oven to 465°F and roast for another 40 minutes, until the skin is fully bubbled and crackling. If it hasn't bubbled after 40 minutes, switch to convection broil at 425°F and watch closely, rotating the pan as needed.

Let the pork rest for 20–30 minutes before cutting. Use a cleaver to serve.

Plating: Completing the Meal

1. Cut the rested pork belly into bite-sized pieces with a cleaver and arrange on a platter, skin-side up so it stays crackly.
2. Slice Persian or baby cucumbers and fan them out next to the pork. Their cool crunch balances the richness.
3. Pour the boiled marinade sauce into a small dish and stir in Hot Boi Chili Oil. Dip the pork and cucumbers in it.