Malaysian Char‑Siu Pork Belly with Five‑Spice Glaze

Ingredients

• 500 g Pork belly
• 3 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Honey
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five‑spice powder
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
• 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Pat the pork belly dry and score the skin in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat.

2. 2

   In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, five‑spice powder, minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper to create the char‑siu glaze.

3. 3

   Place the pork belly on a rack in a roasting pan, skin side up. Brush a generous layer of the glaze over the meat and under the skin. Let it marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes while the oven heats.

4. 4

   Roast the pork belly for 45 minutes, then remove from the oven and brush with another layer of glaze. Increase the oven temperature to 220 °C (425 °F) and roast for an additional 20‑25 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and caramelized.

5. 5

   Remove the pork belly from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice into bite‑size pieces, drizzle any remaining glaze from the pan over the slices, and serve.