By BOBBY HUEN
Pouring Boiling Water Over Pork Is A Real Game Changer
To ensure that your batch of roasted pork belly turns out crispy and deliciously crackling, you need to pour boiling water over them before you begin roasting.
First, you need to score the pork skin with a very sharp knife. Cut into the skin and fat but not to the meat, or else the meat will lose moisture and become dry.
Once you’ve scored the skin in a crosshatch pattern with about an inch apart between cuts, place the pork belly on a rack over the sink and pour boiling water all over the skin.
The rinds will shrink and the cuts will be visible, exposing the fat that allows for proper rendering. Then, place them in your fridge for a day to properly dry out the skin.
On the next day, pull the pork belly from the fridge and season it generously with coarse sea salt, ground black pepper, and Chinese five spice powder or fennel powder.
Once the pork is back to room temperature, place it in a preheated oven to start roasting on high heat before turning the heat down to finish cooking the center.