Delicious Siew Yoke II (Chinese Roast Pork)

This is the 2nd recipe for delicious Siew yoke in my blog.  I have tried to improve on the skin crispiness every time I roast the pork.  

Home-made Siew yoke is actually quite easy thanks to the oven doing the bulk of the work. Most of the preparation time is actually just preparing it for the roast.  Home-make Siew yoke is so much superior to those bought because of the super crispy and crackling skin.

Hubby gives his thumbs up for this creation and his friends Michael and Thai who came by the house tested and fully agreed too!

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Pork belly
• 1 tablespoon Salt
• 2 tablespoons Vinegar

Marinade:

• 1 cube Nam Yee ( fermented red beancurd )
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Five-spice powder
• 1/4 teaspoon White pepper
• 1 tablespoon Rice wine

Method:

1. Using a sharp knife, scrape away any impurities and hair on the skin making sure not to cut into the meat. (Drag the know at 90 degrees across the skin going against the hair growth)
2.  Rinse thoroughly, drain and pat till very dry with paper towels.
3. Using the tip of your knife or several roasting needles tied together with a rubber band, in a 'stabbing' position, prick the skin all over.  ( you want pin pricks, not slits )
4. Flip the pork belly over skin side down.  On the meat side make shallow cuts about 1 cm deep and 1 1/2 cm apart across the length of the meat.
5. My butcher prick and score the meat for me so it does make roasting siew yoke so much easier.
6. Rub marinade all over the meat, also into the cuts for a few minutes making sure not to touch the skin.
7. Flip it once more so it's skin side up and place it on a rack.  Give the skin one last wipe with a paper towel to make sure it's very dry. Next rub salt into the skin.
8. Place a tray under the rack and leave the meat uncovered in the fridge overnight. The air in the fridge will dry out the pork skin.
9. Take the meat out from the fridge 1 hour before roasting to bring it to room temperature.
10. Remove excess salt from skin and pat skin dry with paper towel.
11. Preheat oven to 200 degree C.  Have both upper and lower heating elements as well as the fan in the oven on.  Place meat on a roasting rack in the middle of the oven.  Have a drip tray lined with aluminium foil to catch the fat drippings.
12. After 20 minutes, remove meat from oven and brush vinegar onto the skin.  Change oven settings to GRILL and return meat to oven for another 20 minutes.  Repeat this process 2 more times or until skin is crackled and meat is cooked.  I have also turned the meat around. You really need to monitor the pork quite closely by looking at the progress of the skin in getting crispy.  (  I alternate between gentle grill and strong grill for this process ).
13. When skin is crackled and a bit charred ( about 1 hr 20 minutes ), remove meat from oven.  Cool for at least 10 minutes.  Don't worry about the charred parts on the skin.  Just use a knife with a serrated edge to scrap the charred bits.
14. Make sure to CHOP the meat and not to slice it before serving.