Crispy Vietnamese Oven-Roasted Pork Belly (Heo Quay)

Vietnamese roasted pork belly, or Thịt Heo Quay, is a favorite at family gatherings and parties for good reasons.

Who could resist that crispy, crackling skin atop juicy, well-seasoned pork? Plus, it’s bite-size pieces ready for quick munching.

Oven vs. Air Fryer

This recipe uses the oven. It’s a great for larger slabs of pork belly that feeds a crowd. If you have a smaller slab of pork belly, or using strips of pork belly instead, consider the air fryer for much less fuss. Air fryer pork belly recipe here.

However, I do prefer the oven as roasting in the oven yield a much fragile crispiness than the air fryer that uses more direct heat.

In this recipe, no special equipment is needed. You can let it air-dry overnight for the best results. However, if you’re short on time, this recipe can come together in about an hour and a half too.

• Pork Belly – You will need skin-on pork belly. You can easily find pork belly at Asian grocery stores, where you can find it in many convenient cuts: cubes, strips, or large slabs. For this recipe, I’m using a large slab. Aim for a piece that’s even in thickness all around. But if you can’t find one that’s even all around, it’s ok too. There are ways to even it out.
• Salt, sugar, and ground black pepper – The seasoning is a simple dry rub. You likely have them in your pantry. The pork belly is primarily seasoned with salt with a bit of sugar for balance, and ground black pepper for a subtle kick. You can use ground white pepper for a more traditional Chinese recipe, but I love the taste of black pepper as it’s not as overpowering as white pepper.
• Five-spice powder – The signature aroma and flavor of Chinese and Vietnamese crispy pork belly. Chinese five spice mixture typically contains a combination of cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise, cloves, and ginger. I try to avoid the one with Sichuan peppercorns as I’m not a fan of the numbing effect.
• Aromatics – Ginger and shallots. Place them under the pork to add the amazing aroma when roasted. You can also use it to prop up uneven sections to help the skin crisp evenly.
• Vinegar – It adds a light tang to balance the fattiness. Most importantly, it dries out and softens the skin, which we’ll wipe clean before roasting for that crunchy finish.

How to Make Crispy Roasted Pork Belly

Step 1: Prep pork belly and aromatics

Scrub pork belly thoroughly clean with a bit of salt. Scrape skin clean with a knife. Rinse then wipe pork belly dry with paper towels.

Rub with seasonings, including the skin. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Slice the unpeeled ginger into thin coins. Gently smash each coin to help release their aroma. Peel the shallot and cut into thick wedges.

If using foil, wrap it around the edges tightly to cover the meat area so they don’t burn. This is an optional step but works great. See picture below.

Step 3: Roast with skin side up

Preheat oven to 450°F. When ready to roast, wipe the skin completely dry with paper towels. Transfer pork belly in the middle position and roast for about 45 minutes.

Step 4: Crisp the skin

Set the oven to broil on high (about 400 °F). Broil for about 15 minutes or until skin is evenly puffy. Watch carefully this step as skin can burn quickly. Cover spots with foil if needed or prop up low areas with more aromatics.

Step 5: Rest and slice

Let pork rest for about 15 minutes for juices to redistribute evenly. To cut, flip the pork skin-side down and slice through the meat first. Then, using a quick jab, push down on the knife to cut through the skin cleanly to get long pieces. Then quick whacks to get bite-sized pieces.

Tips for Success

• No need for tiny holes in the skin. I’ve tried this recipe with and without poking holes, and honestly, it makes little difference. I’d say skip it.
• Score the meat side. To help with marinating in a short time, you can lightly score the underside of the pork belly. This allows the marinade to soak in and keeps the meat well-seasoned. Massage the seasoning into the meat.
• Watch the broiler stage carefully. When you’re trying to get the skin puffy and crispy, don’t walk away. Every oven is different, and skin can burn fast. Cover spots with foil if they are browning too quickly or prop up low areas to get even heat.
• Stubborn sections? Use hot oil. If some parts of the skin refuse to crisp up, heat a small pan with a bit of oil until you see wisps of smoke, then carefully pour over the stubborn spots. It will puff up that section nicely without overcooking the rest.
• Burnt spots. Some spots on the skin may burn. Just scrape them off gently with a knife, like scraping burnt toast. No one will notice, and it’ll still taste great.

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