Vietnamese Crispy Pork Belly (Thịt Heo Quay)

Vietnamese Crispy Pork Belly, or Thịt Heo Quay, is a beloved staple in Vietnamese cuisine. Once reserved for special occasions, this decadent pork with its irresistibly crispy skin can now be enjoyed anytime, thanks to this easy-to-follow recipe!

• Mouth-watering: This crispy pork belly is wildly popular for a reason. It's full of flavor and texture - simply put, it's absolutely delicious.
• Versatile: Enjoy Vietnamese Crispy Pork Belly in a multitude of ways. Serve it in a bánh mi sandwich, with bánh hỏi or bún (vermicelli noodles), with cơm (rice), or simply on its own with Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce (Nước Chấm).
• Great for crowds: Nearly every Vietnamese celebration has Thịt Heo Quay on the menu! This recipe is great for serving a large gathering and both adults and kids are going to love it!

• Pork belly: You're going to need a singular, large rectangular slab of skin-on pork belly for this recipe. I recommend visiting an Asian market or specialty butcher shop. I often get a larger piece than the recipe calls for and cut the best portion down to size. Use the remainder for Xôi Khúc (Vietnamese Sticky Rice and Spinach Balls).

Tip: For best results, your pork belly should be flat (avoid wrinkles in the skin), as even in height as possible, and have more meat than fat.

• Rice wine vinegar: The acidity of the vinegar helps cut through the fat of the pork and tenderizes the skin. You could use Shaoxing wine instead.
• Salt: You'll need two types of salt for this recipe. Regular (fine) salt to season the meat and coarse salt to dry out the skin in the initial roast. Large rock or coarse salt is best so it's easy to remove and won't soak into the skin to make it too salty.
• Chinese five spice: A staple in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking. This spice blend features star anise, ground cloves, fennel, Szechuan peppercorn, and cinnamon for a warm and fragrant flavor. 
• Paprika: Instead of making Thịt Heo Quay spicy, it adds smokiness and vibrant red color to the meat.
• Garlic powder: Fresh garlic cloves can burn quickly so I like to use garlic powder for oven roasted recipes like this salted crusted pork belly, Gochujang Salmon, and Bang Bang Brussels Sprouts.
• White granulated sugar: Just a touch to helps level out all of the flavors. It creates the perfect balance of savory, salty, and sweet.
• Cooking oil: A very sparse amount to help crisp up the skin during the final broil. Avocado oil is my favorite oil to cook, fry, and sauté with because of its high smoke point (500°F) and neutral flavor.

STEP ONE: First, prepare the seasonings. In a small bowl, whisk togethre rice wine vinegar and kosher salt. In a separate bowl, combine Chinese five spice, paprika, garlic powder, sugar, and salt. Set both aside.

Then prepare the pork. Rinse it with water, dry it thoroughly, and place it on a cutting board, meat side up. Cut 3-4 parallel lines halfway into the meat, avoiding the fat.

STEP TWO: Rub the dry seasoning mixture all over the meat.

Flip the pork belly so it's skin-side up and wipe it as dry as you can. If there are any stray hairs, use tweezers to remove as many as possible. If it grosses you out, my mom said they burn up in the oven anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️.

STEP THREE: Use a very sharp knife to "score" the skin. Start by making diagonal cuts in one direction all across the skin, then repeat in the other direction to create hash marks. You MUST avoid the fat! If you spread the skin apart, you should NOT see the white fat layer.

After the diagonal cuts, use your knife to poke holes all over the skin.

STEP FOUR: Then brush the vinegar mixture all over the skin.

STEP FIVE: Line a baking sheet with foil, then place a wire rack inside. Place the pork belly on top. Let sit in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours uncovered to dry out.

STEP SIX: The next day, preheat the oven to  350°F. The pork belly should look darker, matte, and dried out. Use a large piece of foil to wrap the meat tightly while leaving the skin exposed. Leave a border all around the top. If there are any areas of pork that is shorter than the rest, roll up balls of foil and place it underneath to make it as even in height as possible.

Use a sharp knife to poke holes all over the skin once more. Then cover the skin with a layer of coarse salt, making sure no skin is visible.

Roast for 1 hour.

STEP SEVEN: Take the pork belly out of the oven and turn on the broiler (500°F). Meanwhile, fold the foil down and remove all the salt off the pork onto the foil. Discard both. The pork should be directly on the wire rack.

Lightly brush the skin with a tiny amount of oil. Place it back into the oven and broil for 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on it and rotate as needed. If any areas are burning, cover with foil. Then let Vietnamese Crispy Pork Belly rest for minimum 10 minutes before slicing.

• Plan ahead: It’s important to plan ahead to allow your pork belly to dry brine for at least 24 hours. This is crucial to creating a tender, juicy center and crisp, bubbly skin for the perfect Thịt Heo Quay. 
• Use a sharp knife: Pork skin is tough and rubbery. For even and precise cuts, make sure to use a sharp knife or else you'll risk cutting into the fat. You could also use special tools like an ice pick, sharp metal skewer, jaccard, or meat thermometer - but a sharp knife will be best.
• Avoid the fat: Be mindful of how deep you’re cutting into the skin! You’ll want to make sure the cuts are very shallow. If you slice into the fat (white and soft layer), it'll melt during the roast, bubble over onto the skin, and prevent it from getting crispy.
• Even in height: Use foil, vegetables, a wire rack, or any oven-safe item you have on hand to place underneath shorter areas of pork. This ensures that it'll cook evenly.
• Let it rest: After cooking, Thịt Heo Quay will be extremely hot! Do not be tempted to cut into it yet. Let it rest for minimum 10-15 minutes, but I recommend letting it cool to room temperature. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it extra tender and juicy.

• Đồ chua: Pickled vegetables are a very traditional pairing with Vietnamese Crispy Pork Belly. You could do pickled carrots and daikon, but pickled leeks (my parents' favorite) or kimchi also works.
• Noodles: Serve Thịt Heo Quay with vermicelli noodles (bún), lettuce, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce (Nước Chấm). Bánh hỏi (vermicelli noodle woven packs) is also very traditional in northern Vietnam.
• Banh mi: Popularized by the banh mi store Carrot and Daikon, banh mi thịt heo quay is super trendy right now! Recreate it at home by stuffing Vietnamese Crispy Pork Belly into a fluffy baguette with pate, mayo, Maggi, pickled vegetables, cilantro, cucumber, and jalapeno.
• Simple: Enjoy Thịt Heo Quay with rice, wrapped in lettuce, or by itself for a protein-packed snack. If you'd like, dip it in some Nước Chấm sauce for a boost of flavor.