Inspired by the classic Chinese pork dish called Char Siu Pork, I decided to give it my own spin.
The original recipe calls for pork neck or collar, or pork shoulder…fattier cuts. I chose pieces of heritage Berkshire pork belly that I had already cured, but not smoked.
As with almost any recipe that calls for honey, I choose to use maple syrup instead.
And the classic Char Siu Pork uses food coloring, to give it that signature red-dyed look. I chose not to use food coloring.
The marinade is pretty straightforward, and I added a tweak or two of my own…
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oil (I use avocado oil)
1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 lbs. pork belly (in this case, it is already cured)
Cut the pork belly into manageable pieces, placing them in a large freezer bag.
Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl, mixing well, then add it to the bag with the pork belly. Seal the bag tightly, and squish it around, to make sure the marinade covers all surfaces of the pork.
Marinating needs to be for at least 4 hours, but overnight in the fridge is even better. Place the freezer bag with the pork on a sheet pan or in a bowl, to avoid any accidental spillage in the fridge.
About an hour or two before cooking, remove the pork from the fridge, to bring it to room temperature.
Pre-heat the oven to 325°.
Remove the pork from the marinade, and place it on a rack. Roast it for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour the remaining marinade into a saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook for 2 minutes until it’s syrupy, being careful not to burn the sugars. Remove it from the heat. (Do not taste the marinade before doing this, since it touched raw pork!)
After the pork has roasted for 30 minutes, take it out of the oven, and brush it with the marinade. Flip it over and brush it again, then return it to the oven for another 30 minutes.
Remove the pork from the oven, and brush it again with the marinade, returning it to the oven for 20 more minutes.
If the pork looks like it’s charring too quickly, cover it with foil.
At this point, measure the temperature of the pork. It should be 165°. The meat should be tender, but not falling apart, and it should be caramelized and sticky from the marinade. Let it rest 10 minutes before slicing it.
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