Crispy Sweet and Sour Pork Belly (Printable)
Crispy pork belly with tangy glaze over fresh salad greens and vegetables.
# What You Need:
→ Pork Belly
01 - 1.3 lbs pork belly, skin scored
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - ½ tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Sweet and Sour Sauce
05 - 3 tbsp rice vinegar
06 - 2 tbsp light soy sauce
07 - 2 tbsp honey
08 - 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
09 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
10 - 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
→ Salad Base
11 - 4.2 oz mixed salad greens
12 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
13 - 1 large carrot, julienned
14 - 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
15 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
16 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
17 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
18 - 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
→ Garnish
19 - 1 red chili, thinly sliced
20 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels. Rub salt and black pepper into the skin and meat.
03 - Place pork belly skin-side up on a rack in a roasting tray. Roast for 1 hour, then increase oven temperature to 430°F and roast for 10–15 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden.
04 - Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice the pork belly into bite-sized pieces.
05 - Combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ketchup, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add cornstarch slurry and cook, stirring, until thickened and glossy.
06 - Heat vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced pork belly and fry until edges are extra crispy, about 2–3 minutes.
07 - Drizzle the sweet and sour sauce over the crispy pork, tossing to coat evenly.
08 - In a large bowl, toss salad greens, cucumber, carrot, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, and cilantro.
09 - Divide the salad among serving plates. Top with the crispy sweet and sour pork belly. Sprinkle with peanuts, sesame seeds, and chili slices. Serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The way the crispy pork skin shatters when you bite into it while the tangy glaze cuts through all that richness
- Its basically the love child of pub food and garden salad but way more exciting than either alone
02 -
- Resting the pork after roasting is crucial because cutting it too soon will cause all those precious juices to run out onto your cutting board instead of staying in the meat
- The sauce thickens quickly once you add the cornstarch so stay close to the stove and keep stirring or youll end up with something closer to fruit leather than glaze
03 -
- Score the pork skin deeply but dont cut all the way through to the fat layer or youll lose those gorgeous crispy skin pieces during cooking
- If your glaze gets too thick, just whisk in a teaspoon of warm water at a time until it reaches the right consistency again