How to Make Sous Vide Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk 燒肉)

The best part of Cantonese Roast Pork aka Siu Yuk is the crackling. Kevin would probably just eat that part if he could. But what about the rest of it? Would it be possible to make the perfect Cantonese roast pork in the sous vide? Would the sous vide give the pork belly the right balance of tender meat, rendered fat, and crispy pork skin?
After doing this experiment, it’s definitely a good start and makes a good BBQ roast pork. However, there’s still room for improvement - we’ll get on that and report back!
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Carmen @harrocarmen
Kevin @kindof_cooking
Ingredients
- 2 lb Pork Belly
- 2 teaspoon Five Spice Powder
- Generous amount of Salt
- 2 teaspoon Rose Wine
- ½ teaspoon White Pepper
- 2 teaspoon White Vinegar
Recipe
- Set water bath to 155F (68C).
- With the pork skin side down, generously salt and rub in 5 spice powder and white pepper onto the meat side.
- Place into bag, add 2 teaspoons of rose wine, and seal.
- Sous vide for 12 hours at 155F (68C).
- Once the time is up, remove the bag from the sous vide and place it into an ice bath.
- Remove pork from the bag, and place onto a chop board.
- Pat the skin dry. Using the meat tenderizer, puncture the skin all over.
- Wipe dry again, then brush the skin side with vinegar.
- Add a generous layer of salt on the skin.
- Wrap the meat portion of the pork belly with foil, leaving the skin exposed.
- Place onto a baking sheet and into the fridge to air dry overnight without covering.
- When ready to finish, heat the oven as high as it will go or to broil.
- Wipe off any excess salt. Once again, puncture holes using the meat tenderizer all over the skin.
- Wipe the skin very dry before placing into the oven.
- Once the skin has bubbled all over and turned golden brown it’s ready to remove from the oven. Watch carefully as the skin can burn fairly quickly, especially if using broil.
- Set aside to cool completely, chop, and serve.
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[@aviatorix8805]

I really like the inclusion of sous vide in this recipe. Seems like just the right adaptation of a regular recipe.

[@KindofCooking]

Thanks! We're still working on perfecting this one, but it's not bad.

[@EntropicalNature]

@@KindofCooking A couple of suggestions: by throwing a piece of meat in a very hot oven to get the crispy skin you ruin the sous vide cook inherently. It's best to deep fry very short or shallow fry it skin side down. Regarding the sous vide temp: 68 degrees C is fine but then you should give it at least 24 hours (but no more than 36h or so...) so the fat has a chance to slowly render and tenderize the meat more. If you don't want the fat to render out and still get juicy tender meat you need even longer times: like 48h at 57 degrees Celsius. This because you want to break the collagen and denature some proteins which take a longer time at these temperatures. Keep on cooking you two!

[@A.X.N]

​@@EntropicalNatureif I go for 24hr at 68c is it still possible to get the skin crispy? I watched some videos in which the skin looks gelatinous after that amount of timr

[@EmmaKunst-je9yz]

Only used about 6 times so far but food turning out great. kzbin.infoUgkxK2YRU9uBOXzuIEV660Qo3sX7dJDJLg72 Nice tender roasts. You do want to get a lid to go over your stock pot to keep water from evaporating. I've used it for 6-48 hours with lots of luck. A lot is trial and error to figure out since thickness and cut help determine the best time. 135 always gives a perfect med (pink all the way through). I cooked frozen solid 3 1/2" roast for 48 hours ... it was so tender its almost falling apart. Nice to put it in and just forget about it, with silicone lid I didn't have to add water at all during 48 hours.

[@debbieball900]

Great videos guys, very well explained.

[@lotfood8470]

Wow, looks so delicious! yummy~

[@97yawnac]

Very different recipe from the others and I will use this method! Makes sense!!

[@KindofCooking]

This is comparable to store bought but considering the amount of time that we took we’d expect it to be better. Still playing around with temperatures etc. let us know how yours turn out!

[@LyricalYedi99]

Thanks for the video! Nice recipe. I've tested with puncturing holes before the sous vide and after v.s. only after sousvide. I've gotta say, both before and after sous vide made for more crispy crackling.

[@georgcantor7172]

I tried puncturing holes in the hog's skin raw straight from the store, and it was tough AF. After I boiled it, that's when I was able to puncture it w/ no difficulty.

[@PeninsulaPeninsula]

thank you great video

[@smokinxaiibbq6560]

Looking delicious

[@KindofCooking]

Thank you!!

[@ydocmit]

Very nice video. I always brine pork belly - usually for 3/4 days. That makes it good and salty!

[@nickhybner8485]

Interesting guys. In a commercial kitchen scenario I actually sous vide my pork belly in a brine, let it cool to a point where it’s still pliable, take it out of the bag & press the belly flat in a tray lined with baking paper, letting cool overnight in the fridge/cool room, whilst it still remains pressed flat, then portion it & cooking it skin side down on a hot pan in the oven till it’s crisp. I’ve found this method very consistent. I love your Char Sui pork, I’m giving it a go with pork shoulder.

[@nateb2715]

Does the skin "puff up" if its skin side down? I find that if you don't get the skin puffy it is too tough to bite through

[@anthonynguyen2593]

I cooked this today this is the best

[@KindofCooking]

Thanks for trying!

[@Deanriley]

Making tomorrow!

[@crimsonfancy]

Your technique for crisp skin is smart and your instructions useful! 👍🏻 Technique we must understand first and then we can flavor how we love or flavor appropriately for what will accompany. Dry skin is key and salt and time to expose proteins, pellicle. Then finished and rested internal moisture. Lower cook temp you recommend for next time and I agree. Pork belly crisp skin and importantly *unsmoked* is 10x better (more versatile) than streaky bacon and better than any that would be smoked in my opinion. 🍻

[@susieangelo6410]

Hi Carmen, Nice to see you since Off the Great Wall. Still remembered how you thoroughly explained in Cantonese who's who in the Family Tree segment. LOL!

[@KindofCooking]

Hi Susie, nice seeing you here. We’ll be using the family tree real soon with the phone calls over CNY 😉

[@wolfman011000]

I find i get better results if the skin on top is all level, to do this you make balls of foil to jack up the low sides. There is another method i use for leveling the belly pork and that is to use ethier cooked chickpeas or cooked lentals canned or made from cooked dried pulses, as the fat renders it poaches the beans/lentals, using par boiled slice potatoes work well. By using beans/lentals/potatoes or whatever you like to raise the pork belly you also avoid the scorching the base of the joint, I like to add a small amount of stock chicken or pork made from knorr stock cubes to the foil boat, to help keep chickpeas/lental/potatoes moist. When i bake pork/beef/chicken/lamb i like to load up the rest of the oven with other foods as well as part of food prep for the following days, bulbs of garlic wrapped in foil, chicken thighs, meatball, sausages, bacon, trays of potatoes for roasted potatoes and whatever vegetables that the prep plan calls for. After everything has cooked and removed as the oven is still hot i will bake acouple of loaves and some baps. This saves time and importantly energy costs with abit of pre-planning and common sense. Oh and when the oven has cooled abit you can use it to make breadcrumbs from any leftover bread from the previous baking cycle. Take care, God bless one and all.

[@msbrownbeast]

The roast pork looks great (and I'm sure very tasty). It does not seems too labour-intensive, but rather time-consuming, especially the first 2 steps. How do the Asian commercial BBQ shops roast their pork (they usually do the entire pig, or 1/2 of a pig at a time).

[@robinlim950]

What temperature for sous vide, and for how long?

[@concerned_netizen]

You are both so gracious. Thanks for sharing.

[@KindofCooking]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@psykomunky75]

Can recommend as this is exactly how I do my Pork Belly - I have even used the air fryer to get the skin crispy at the end with good results. The best bit is that because of all the holes the skin is crispy but doesn't break into shards - just melts in your mouth.

[@KindofCooking]

It seems like a lot of ppl do it with the air fryer as well. We don’t own one but i heard it’s like a small convection oven. So it should give a similar result in the oven right? What’s the biggest advantage of an air fryer?

[@psykomunky75]

@@KindofCooking For me, convenience and (near) instant heat - due to the volume of air circulating it you also get better surface crunch :)

[@benydicempedrado8433]

what taste better? air fry or deep fry?

[@zaymax_7]

What temp and time do you air fry for? I have a convection oven and trying the sv belly tomorrow. Thanks!

[@psykomunky75]

@@zaymax_7 200 degrees celsius - for as long as it gets crispy 10-15min. No science to it just get it hot and keep checking it, good luck!

[@kkchub8523]

What is temperature in oven? And how long in there? Thank you

[@markswayne6326]

This looks delicious. The recipe I use has you roast the pork skin side up with thick layer of salt on top, on the order of 1 Cup for a pork belly. As the meat roasts, the salt fuses into a solid crust. Once the meat is basically done, you take off the salt crust and turn the oven up high (to 500 degrees F) and finish for a short time to crisp the skin. It works every time and there's no need to pierce the skin, dry overnight, or do vinegar washes. I wonder if the salt crust method could be modified to work with a sous vide cooked belly.

[@KindofCooking]

Great question. I’ve never actually tried anything with a salt crust. I would think it works in the same method. The skin would just be a lot more moist. How long do you roast it for and at what temperature?

[@markswayne6326]

I use this recipe: rasamalaysia.com/chinese-roast-pork/ It's super good, and if anything, too easy. My waistline does not need super easy to make roast pork belly! 😄

[@cheftamasnoll3310]

Looks yummy, love crispy cracklings:) I never seen that piercing device before and I’m a chef :) That’s weird :)

[@KindofCooking]

hahaha it's an awesome device ... only took us to 10 stores to find it .. eventually found it in the dollar store! haha i think the proper name is Jaccard Meat Tenderizer(?)

[@cheftamasnoll3310]

Kind of Cooking - Sous Vide, Recipes, and More that’s good to know, I have a lot of gadgets for cooking but never came across this :)

[@alexdegio3177]

If you never seen a meat tenderizer then you are not a chef, sorry. 😂

[@TheAndreArtus]

I'm yet to sous vide a pork belly; I normally braise them in the oven. I remove the skin first to crisp up separately: I want bubbly, light and crispy, crackling. I use the rendered fat for frying and roasting. By removing the skin first I find it easier, at least for me, to get the consistency I want in both the meat and the crackling. When braising you usually have a lot of liquid with which to make delicious sauce, is the same possible with sous vide?

[@KindofCooking]

Sorry for the slow response! It's much harder to get the crackling when the skin is sous vide, definitely would be easier your way. In terms of braising, it depends how much liquid you put in, for example, our other video, Dongpo Rou is a traditional braise. We bagged it with the liquids we would traditionally cook it in, after sous vide, you will have a ton of liquid that will need to be cooked down to concentrate. The sous vide does not effectively evaporate the liquid in the bag. I hope that answers your question.

[@TheAndreArtus]

@@KindofCooking Yes, I think it does. When I sous vide I have to keep liquid to a minimum because my vacuum sealer is very basic. If I need a lot of liquid I try to freeze it in cubes before bagging and sealing. I just recently acquired silicone bags (Stasher) that I'm going to try with the wet SV. We are currently on lockdown so I've already pre-prepared way too many meals, but I'm keen on trying your recipe when things get to a semblance of normalcy.

[@KindofCooking]

So, when I use liquid, I don’t seal the bag. I just clip it to the side of the container. Not necessary to seal. Just cut some extra.

[@georgcantor7172]

6:22 would one be able to torch the skin (by using a blowtorch) and make it crunchy that way?

[@TruelySkit]

i don't think so, the intensity of a direct blue flame on the skin would just burn it i'd assume. better to use conventional heat from an oven OR ladle hot oil over the top of the skin

[@lcc726]

Carmen u had me at the click bait of the siu yuk😋😋

[@KindofCooking]

It’s not a click bait when it’s actually about the topic? Lol. Enjoy!

[@lcc726]

Sorry what I meant was looking at the still of the vid made me click on it but any of your vids I enjoy watching! 👍

[@KindofCooking]

That means the thumbnail is working. 😛 Thanks for watching!

[@kevinthadude]

Have you guys tried using the air fryer vs. oven to crisp the skin? Great content! Really enjoy all your sous vide recipes. Keep up the great work

[@KindofCooking]

Thanks for watching! We considered using an air fryer but we don’t own one. I think it’s essentially a small concentrated convection oven.

[@florence6025]

Instead of poking holes in it, is it also possible to score lines through the skin of the pork belly? I mean cutting in the skin to make like squares in it... I see in other video's it's a technique that is also used a lot.

[@KindofCooking]

You could score it, I find better results with the holes though. The point is to release the fat and bubble up in those areas. I also prefer the appearance without the score lines

[@user-mx9wm4sc8n]

5:20 why vinegar helps further evaporation of water?

[@KindofCooking]

It doesn’t necessarily draw out more water, rather it helps to break down the tough skin which leads to better crackling. It also doesn’t have to be vinegar, it can be alcohol or other things as well that will break down the skin.

[@Chu_on_This]

Is there an alternative for rose wine? I’ve heard of rose water but rose wine is a new one!

[@KindofCooking]

I haven’t tried it myself, but you need something more floral. A few people have suggested dry sherry to me.

[@Chu_on_This]

@@KindofCooking When you say Rose wine, do you mean Rose´? BTW, I remember seeing you on OTGW and was so surprised to discover this channel!

[@KindofCooking]

Hi Mike, it’s chinese rose wine and it’s only used for cooking. Not related to the western pink rose wine for drinking.

[@daegudiva]

i love that piercing tool!

[@KindofCooking]

Me too!! Took us a while to find it, but eventually found it at the dollar store.

[@mntofdk66]

tip: put a double seal on the bag i have had them come open before

[@KindofCooking]

Only need that to happen once to learn your lesson! haha we always double seal :)

[@zaymax_7]

Can i use shaoxing instead of rose wine?

[@KindofCooking]

You can also use dry sherry or a fruity/sweet wine. Shaoxing if you don’t have anything else.

[@danielpham8422]

you guys ever thinking about taking a hair dryer to the skin after the sous vide? it makes it tighter and much drier

[@KindofCooking]

That is a great idea! LOL although, Carmen would probably kill me if I used her hair dryer.

[@Puppyjans]

aww when are you doing a video with mike ?

[@KindofCooking]

Would love to! Want to help us ask Mike? 😂

[@lcc726]

Even the fung bros

[@KindofCooking]

🤔

[@callmesoap1119]

Not cocaine! 🤣🤣🤣

[@peiyuhuang4015]

Sous Vide for how long?

[@KindofCooking]

We did 12 hours at 155F but you can play around with the temperature and time to your preference.

[@yapaul6226]

Bake or Broil ??

[@yapaul6226]

Do u bake or broil it?

[@KindofCooking]

You can do both. I prefer really hot oven, but you can do it on broil so that it’s faster, but may also burn. Baking also lets it come back to temperature faster.

[@fred5784]

Do we buy rose wine in an Asian market or a liquor store? It looks like the alcohol content is 53%

[@KindofCooking]

Asian supermarket is where we get ours. It’s pretty specific and used for cooking so I would look there first.

[@kamilmartinec2256]

Nice parody of cooking.👍

[@mnichols1979]

Man, I've been looking for a good dish too use this cocaine on... Maybe next time. Lol

[@Rosco213]

Nothing mentioned about time and temp it in sous vide bath, not to helpful.

[@KindofCooking]

It’s at 2:51 of the video and in the description. We did 12 hours at 155 but there are a bunch of times that work.

[@Rosco213]

155⁰f, so you don't go to 200⁰f (done) why is that?

[@KindofCooking]

@@Rosco213 that’s the beauty of the sous vide. Since you’re cooking for long periods of time under vacuum you can get some great textures and never have to worry about under or over cooking.

[@Rosco213]

Haven't done sous vide at all yet but I would've thought you would go to 200⁰f (fall apart) and then just do crackle at the end.

[@KindofCooking]

@@Rosco213 you can go to 200, however it would defeat a large portion of the sous vide benefits. You can do a range of temperature and times.

[@PhillipLearnTeach]

why boil it using a vacuum seal? I thought by actually boiling it a little like 15-30mins remove a lot of impurities, fat etc.. from what I saw from other Cantonese style. Just wondering. thx. Great vid!

[@1225michelle]

Waisted time for doing these , can be cooked easily instead of this method

[@mylesphago7063]

dont do it then! Why even bother?

[@AlismonitesPatrides]

Bo Ring

[@blatantgemini]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz thanks I was having trouble sleeping. true everyone has their match

[@KindofCooking]

Hahaha glad it was helpful in someway. Let us know if you have any feedback on how to improve.

[@user-mx9wm4sc8n]

why in the world this pork belly so lean?

[@KindofCooking]

Hahaha yeah it was pretty lean. My thinking is there is always going to be a lot (enough) of fat, no one complains about too much meat.

[@user-mx9wm4sc8n]

@@KindofCooking agree haha