Crispy Pork Belly with Drunken Potatoes and Nashi Pear Sauce
Roasted pork belly with crackled skin, seasoned with Chinese five-spice and salt-cured overnight for maximum crispness. Served alongside wine-braised potatoes and a ginger-palm sugar nashi pear sauce simmered with star anise and cider vinegar. A showstopping centerpiece combining rendered fat, tender meat, and sweet-savory accompaniments.
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ lb boneless pork belly
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp superfine sugar
- 2 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp sea salt flakes
- 6 ½ cups floury potatoes, peeled and slicedmaris piper or king edward1:1substitute
as specified in source
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- 8 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 2 nashi pears, peeled, cored and cubedasian pear or regular pear1:1substitute
sweetness and texture vary
- 1 oz ginger, peeled and coarsely grated
- 2 tbsp palm sugar
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 star anise
Instructions
- 1
Pat pork dry and place skin side down in roasting dish. Rub flesh with white pepper, five-spice powder, garlic powder, sugar and pinch of salt.
- 2
Flip pork skin side up, pat skin dry again. Using skewer or toothpick, poke small holes across skin surface without piercing through to flesh.
- 3
Pour shaoxing wine around pork without splashing skin. Rub skin generously with sea salt flakes.
- 4
Cover dish and refrigerate uncovered overnight.
- 5
Next day, pat skin dry with kitchen paper to remove any moisture drawn out by salt. Allow pork to come to room temperature.
- 6
Heat oven to 425°F fan/gas 9.
- 7
Roast pork for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 325°F fan/gas 4. Turn tray 180 degrees and continue cooking for 1 hour.
- 8
While pork cooks, peel and slice potatoes into ¼" slices. Toss with vegetable oil, salt and crushed garlic in another roasting tin.
- 9
Pour shaoxing wine over potatoes and arrange top layer in neat flat formation. Place in oven when pork has 45 minutes remaining.
- 10
For sauce: peel, core and cube nashi pears into approximately ¾" pieces. Combine in saucepan with ginger, palm sugar, cider vinegar, star anise and pinch of salt.
- 11
Bring pear mixture to boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 25 minutes.
- 12
Remove from heat, discard star anise, and use stick blender to partially puree until roughly half the pears are broken down but some texture remains.
- 13
When pork and potatoes finish cooking, remove from oven and heat grill to medium-high.
- 14
Place pork under grill on not-too-high shelf and cook until skin puffs up, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- 15
Rest pork and potatoes for 15 minutes before slicing pork and serving with pear sauce.
Tips
Poking more holes in pork skin increases crispness by allowing fat to render more effectively.
Ensure skin is completely dry before seasoning with salt to maximize crackling.
Watch pork carefully under grill once skin begins to puff up, as it burns quickly after this point.
Partially blending the pear sauce preserves texture while creating a sauce consistency.
Good to Know
Leftover pork keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days. Store pear sauce separately. Reheat pork gently in low oven to avoid drying.
Pork can be prepared through overnight refrigeration step. Pear sauce can be made entirely 1 day ahead and reheated gently before serving.
Slice pork and serve warm with drunken potatoes and nashi pear sauce alongside.
Common Mistakes
Splash shaoxing wine on pork skin to avoid disrupting salt cure and crackling
Skip the skin-drying step before final grilling to avoid uneven crisping
Pierce too deeply when poking holes to prevent fat and juices leaking into flesh
Move pork around during cooking to prevent uneven browning and rendering
Over-blend pear sauce to avoid losing desired textured consistency
Substitutions
as specified in source
sweetness and texture vary