Vietnamese Crispy Roasted Pork Belly (Thịt Heo Quay)
This is the modern method for achieving a shatteringly crisp, bubbly golden skin and succulent, five-spice infused meat. By using the Foil Boat technique and a overnight fridge dry, you can skip the specialized roasting equipment and get restaurant-quality results in your home oven.
Equipment
- Air fryer (alternative to Oven)
- Foil
Ingredients
The Star
- 2 –3 lbs Pork Belly even, flat slab
- 1 tsp Five-Spice Powder
- 1 tsp Sweet Paprika for that "Hero" mahogany color
- 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
The Skin Treatment
- 1 tbsp White Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Coarse Sea Salt for the initial moisture draw
The Bánh Hỏi & Garnish
- 1 pack Dried Bánh Hỏi Bamboo Tree Brand
- 2 tbsp Scallion Oil Mỡ Hành
- Fresh Vegetables & Herbs Lettuce, Cucumber, Mint, Perilla
- Pickled Carrots & Daikon
- Thawed Banana Leaves for the platter
Instructions
- Puncture & Prep: Pat the pork belly bone-dry with paper towels. Using a meat tenderizer or skewers, puncture thousands of tiny holes only into the skin. Do not hit the meat!
- Score the Meat: Flip the pork over. Score the meat side in a 1-inch diamond pattern, about 1/2 inch deep.
- Marinate: Rub the Five-Spice, Paprika, and fine salt thoroughly into the meat side and scored crevices.
- The Salt Shield: Flip back and wipe the skin perfectly clean. Brush with vinegar, cover with a thick layer of coarse sea salt, and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- The Cold Dry: Wipe the skin completely clean of salt and moisture. Place the slab on a plate, skin-side up, and leave it uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours.
- The Foil Boat: Preheat your Air Fryer to 380°F. Build a snug aluminum foil "boat" around the sides of the pork, leaving only the skin exposed.
- The First Roast: Place the boat into the Air Fryer basket. Roast for 30-40 minutes (depending on your air fryer) to render the fat and tenderize the meat.
- The High Broil: Crank the Air Fryer to 390°F. Watch closely for 10-15 minutes as the skin blisters into a golden, bubbly honeycomb.
- The Rest: Remove once the skin passes the "zipper" scrape test. Rest for 20 minutes before slicing with a heavy cleaver.
- The Noodles: Prepare the dried Bánh Hỏi by blanching for exactly 1 minute and 15 seconds. Remove and roll into "cigars" immediately; the residual steam will finish the cooking.
- Serve: Brush the noodles with Scallion Oil and arrange on banana leaves alongside the crispy pork slices, pickled carrots and daikon and fresh herbs. Serve with Nước Mắm Chấm.
Notes
- Level the Skin: If the pork slab is lopsided in the oven, use a small ball of crumpled foil to prop up the lower side. The skin must be level to the broiler to "pop" evenly.
- Air Fryer Alternative: You can do the final "Pop" stage in an Air Fryer at 400°F for 10–15 minutes if your broiler is inconsistent.
- Leftovers: Reheat slices in the Air Fryer at 375°F for 3–5 minutes to restore the crunch. Never microwave!