Crispy Roast Pork Belly with Salt

It can be quite boring for the family if I keep on making the same dish again and again. I have made the Crispy Roast Pork with Preserved Red Bean Curd many times. For a change, I made the Crispy Roast Pork with Salt. Both are delicious in their own ways. However, making the Crispy Roast Pork with Salt involves less ingredients as compared to the one seasoned with the preserved red bean curd.

Ingredients:

• 400 g pork belly, preferably rectangular shape. Ensure that the piece of pork belly is of the same level throughout. If not, try to slice away part of the thicker side. This is important as the thicker side will burn easily and we want to 
• 3 tsp salt

Instructions:

• Wash the pork belly.

• Score as many lines as possible on the underside (the meat part).

• Score the rind, either lengthwise or breadthwise. I did it lengthwise as I think it will be easier to cut up the roasted pork later and to chop them up into smaller pieces. When scoring the skin, take care not to cut too deep into the meat. Just score till the fat layer. What we want is for the oil from this layer to come out and "deep-fry" the rind making it crispy.

• Turn the pork belly meat side up. Rub the meat with salt. Make sure that you rub the inside of the scored part with salt.

• Turn the pork belly rind side up. 

• Use the kitchen paper towel to wipe the rind dry.

• Rub the rind all over with salt.

• Once done, place the pork belly onto a tray, rind side up and place the tray into the fridge. It is better to keep the meat overnight in the fridge to completely dry up the rind as well as for the meat to be seasoned long enough so that the roasted meat is tastier.

• Take the pork belly out from the fridge about 1 hour before roasting for it to return to room temperature.

• Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees Centigrade.

• Roast the pork for an hour. (Try to place the pork as close as possible to the heating element. It does not matter if there is a burn as this can be scrapped off. The aim is to let the rind crackle as much as possible so that it will be crispy.)

• If the whole rind has crackled, you may turn down the temperature to 190 degrees Centigrade. Let it continue to roast till the time expires.

• Take the pork out from the oven when it is done.

• Let the roasted pork cool down. Then chop it up and serve.