Don't Pierce holes in the skin! It crisps up more evenly.. when you pierce the skin it allows fat to come up through it which actually stop it from going as crispy.. ☺️ since I stopped scoring/piercing the skin I have consistently made really crispy pork belly with no chewy sections. The whole skin comes out like chicharonne skin rather than little blisters of crispy.
Hi Ben! I am Origamicrane off egullet! My friend was watching your video and spotted my username. Thanks for referencing my 15 year old post! One additional step I have added since that post is to insert some metal skewers through the meat to keep it straight and stop it from curling whilst cooking. Enjoy!
@@jeepld I don't know how they found out, but it makes perfect sense! Alcohol pulls water out of things, similar to what salt does. Alcohol is used to dry dishes faster, for instance. But it is sometimes hard to connect the dots, right?
@@jeepld They tried all known methods of denaturing the pork skin (denaturing protein, notably the collagen found in the skin). These are pH (vinegar), natural chemicals/enzymes (kiwi, pineapple), heat (blowtorching the skin prior) or chemicals (baking soda, lye water, alcohol, salt) and mechanical (puncturing holes). The rationale for denaturing the skin is to break down the collagen. This prevents chewiness. Theoretically, it also allows more fat to be rendered between the spaces.
Wow... This vodka method REALLY WORKS!! Just tried it last night in comparison to a salt/vinegar traditional Chinese method and the Vodka prepared skin puffed up beautifully while the vinegar skin turned dark and hard with pockets of hard leather. This vodka method will forever be our fool proof way to get great skin!! Thank you for your video.
This is christmas dish in norway another way to get amazing crackling is to first brine it in a prine with sugar salt spices and baking soda for three days. After that let the porkbelly airdry with only rhe oven fan running or in the fridge. Then low cook it on 90c for 10 hours. Take out the pork belly and heat the oven up to 250C. Watch it slowly so the cracking doesnt burn. Brown puffed up skin tastes bad. This has made the best pork belly me and my mom have ever tried and we eat it everychristmas you should try it
@@ninja.saywhat we do it usually on weekends. Its not as bad as it sounds because the temperature is so low you just put it in then forget it. Come back in the evening
Your desire to find a way that was less messy (not frying in oil etc) is exactly the way I think too. I’m not always looking solely on the outcome, but the mess too. I hate the clean up! This method looks brilliant!
I really liked how you showed the comparison between the normal way and your new way. It shows how much of a difference it makes. The whole video is very high quality too. Good job! I subscribed.
Chinese Hong Kong chef taught me to steam for 10mins, pad skin dry, salt place in hot oven mine is 250 F till crackling formed 45min, perfect every time.
Disculpa me interesa tu metodo cuando dices al vapor se tapa la pieza, y luego solo se pone sal y al horno!!!! Hay necesidad de guardar en el refrigerador o no es necesario, agradecería mucho tu respuesta 😃
tried yesterday and it was perfection. This was the first time that came perfect. Leveled skin, the cooking temperatures and the "VODKA" made all the difference. Thank you!
I find a similar method, meat tenderiser works instead of tooth picks, the boat method is what i use, but also add a layer of rock salt on top and brush on some white vinegar (as opposed to vodka). Then about 45mins at 180, then remove rock salt, and 30mins at 250.
You can also use diluted apple cider vinegar (puréed pineapple also works), I use it to melt away skins on chicken hearts (some kind of chewy very thin protective layer), to turn hard steak into fillet, it’s very potent tenderiser. Use it as a brine for half an hour, or to your desired consistency. If brined for too long, it will turn into spongy mush. I also know Chinese restaurants apparently use bicarbonate soda to ‘velvet’ their meat, but that’s gross, I think.
Organic chemist here... The vodka has a lot of alcohol, which is both a polar solvent, and can also bind with fats via its hydroxyl group (something water or acid cannot typically do). It could very well be that the alcohol helps to denature the fat in this way, and why it would chemically work better than vinegar in doing so. This likely also means that you don't need to use vodka; any ethanol will do.
If you're going to do one thing do the foil boat. Absolute game changer and the rendered fat ends up cooking the meat like confit. Then you can also make a sauce from it afterwards too. I usually just pour a kettle-full of hot water over the skin, dry off as best I can (pretty sure overnight uncovered would be king) and oil/salt before putting into the oven. I read that scoring or peircing is counter productive and so far I've found that to be true. I tend to do a low and slow for two hours and then blast it to get the crackling done at the end. It works and I'm pretty happy with my results but I'd like to do better with a *really* light crackle. I will try the skin-side shallow boil method next time to really pre-render the skin as much as possible.
@@loungelizard3922 I have a bad memory... But something like 140c. It's not what BBQ people would call low and slow, but for an oven it kinda is. You might find that you prefer more "bite" to the meat rather than being super soft like mine tend to be. So a bit hotter and a bit shorter is better if you don't want it too soft.
This is amazing. In sweden this cut is about 7-9$/kg, so very cheap. Followed your steps live while cooking. Turned out great! Made about 1kg so it lasted for two days making sandwiches and pasta dishes from the left overs. This is truly bang for the buck. Only thing is the grease in the oven from grease pops. 10/10
You can also put it on it’s head, pour water into the tray so it just covers the skin, give it 25 minutes at 150-170 celcius take it out, turn it around and do the same thing and it’s fool proof every single time. Perfectly cooled meat and a perfectly crisp skin every time. I will try the vodka thing though to take the skin to the next level. Great video!
thank u ive been cooking since mid 70s im since retired from that field. i do miss it. but i must say u may have taught me a trick or two w ur video. i cant wait to try this out. i also am looking foward to seeing more of ur videos. cheers
Really nice step by step. Just a few points I'd make. You video should be comparable, so the meat should be similar in side and surface area. As you are keeping the oven at a specific temperature and putting the meat in at a certain height for a certain time, the this higher pork will have more heat exposure. The side piece is only crispy around the edges. Once reason also why the Chinese boil the skin is to tenderise it. Because it can be crackling but still a hard thin layer type of crackling rather than puffed up. It is possible to separate the entirre fat from the meat to cook it. You can get pieces like that in Morissons. But the flavour is different if you do so.
It's not a 7 minute video, but ideally you would have several, identical cuts of meat. Some would have the aluminum skirting, some have proper scoring vs. pricking, vodka vs. vinegar. This is nothing more than showing that if you cook a sirloin and a ribeye the same way, you get different results. Well, OK, maybe not that extreme, but if you are going to showcase a certain technique, you have to be consistent in your approach.
yep - agree the poor old, sad-arsed second belly never stood a chance when he cuts it, the reveal is that the two bellies are not even close not saying the method isn't good - but in terms of a scientific experiment, it's a massive fail (as SoWhoDecidedThat rightly pointed out)
Out of this World, I have tried every method imaginable ...Unbelievable, Best Belly that I have ever roasted. 1 Hour at 225 degrees ,,,crank it up to 475 ..12 minutes...Perfect crackling , meat succulent and tender as you said..Thank You. Wow.....Any idea how you can warm a left over piece the next and retain the Crisp ????
Looks great. When I'm cooking it. I score the skin with a Stanley knife. Then apply Rock salt. Cook in the oven in some water and season with various herds and veg. Turns out great. I am happy to your vodka on the skin.
Essentially you've stumbled upon the traditional way to make Chinese Crispy Pork belly, minus a few steps, especially seasoning. You've got most of the basics down, so following any traditional recipe will yield great results I'm sure.
Yes I got a bit angry about his "new method" being essentially the way it's cooked in China/Vietnam. Most importantly for me is boiling the belly for 3 to 5 minutes.
Great video, well presented. I subbed and liked. I love cooking videos that are teaching the "whys". Too many are just copying someone else's videos they have watched and are repeating foolish ideas.
I love the thoughtful approach to trying to figure out a method that works. I've seen a few methods that use vinegar instead of vodka but I think the vodka makes sense. It will encourage moisture to evaporate and it's water in the skin that prevents it crisping up. I am personally fine with leaving the meat open in the fridge but I wonder if for those who aren't whether some paper towel or some very dry rice (maybe that's been baked) in the container could make sure all the condensation stays away from the pork skin once it evaporates. I sometimes put paper towel in a tub of overnight rice to absorb condensation so it fries better when making egg fried rice.
Thank you. I recommend using an air fryer which gives much better results than an oven. Also, the Chinese/Vietnamese spray vinegar on the skin but vodka looks to work well too
Just made this today, 11/11/24. Mistakenly scored the fat but not deeply. With the toothpick holes, scores, vodka and salt the result is perfect. Prior to poking, scoring and salting it, the pork sat uncovered in the fridge for about 24 hrs. Only at cooking time did I follow the steps here, but I didn't let the pork rest again--it went into the oven. I would caution using any more salt that what is called for. For whatever reason the salt really penetrates--and again, my pork didn't sit with salt pre cooking--requiring no extra salt at first bite. I think I'll add BBQ sauce to the cut up cubes of the belly and let it them now cook for 2 hours at a low temp. Definitely don't skip the vodka: he's right that it leads to the right kind of crackle!
Hi Ben, I have just made a crispy pork belly for the second time and with a 11/2 kg piece with the added steel skewers and I must say it was sensational , just added extra cooking time and a little more Vodka because of the size of pork. Can’t thank you enough! Geoff in Oz
The toothpick method is the chinese traditional method. Chinese already have a specialised tool for doing that. There are already many chinese videos making crispy pork belly with methods including vinegar, salt, covering the sides with foil and pricking the skin as well.
instead of using a knife in the traditional method, i tend to use a dispoable scalpel blade for easy scoring. But gonna try your method tomorrow! Cheers
I’m glad you wandered into my recommendations! Do you think this could be adapted to a pork shoulder roast with skin? In the US these are called picnic shoulders and can often dislocate your jaw.
if you want it puffier, when you apply the salt on the skin, you'll draw out the moisture in a few minutes. When it draws out, wipe it off. You essentially want the moisture out. The drier the skin, the better (some leave it overnight or longer to let the skin dry). Aside of vodka, rice wine or white vinegar can do the trick as well.
Hi Ben, I wish to brag about my phenomenal outcome of my pork belly tonight using your method a la Origamicrane. I do not have vodka but accessed Origamicrane's video and viewed with interest the myriad mediums he used and his hits and misses. I did a little pondering and decided I would attempt this recipe with cider vinegar but using the vinegar with the Mother. I cannot express enough at how amazing this turned out and yes, I took photos, if you are interested. I can stuff up pork beautifully and frequently but now I have in my hot little hands a recipe that will blow the smithereens out of any other cookbook's claims of the perfect way to cook this sublime piece of meat. I have a question, do you think that this recipe would also apply to a rolled pork shoulder? If I were to unroll and treat in the same fashion, would a similar outcome apply to this cut of meat?
Im glad to hear it worked well for you. As for a rolled shoulder it should also work well, I haven't tried it as most of the shoulders I cook don't still have the skin on. As long as there's some fat between the skin and meat (which there will be) then all should be good 👍
Wow, I think I joined Joshua Weissman when he had about the same number of subscribers you now have. I'm feeling you could grow as he did with this kind of A1 content. Thanks!
I have a small countertop appliance with many different settings. Do you recommend I use bake, convection bake, air fry, or roast? I would still use the same temperatures.
I just watch a couple do basically the same thing except they sous vide the pork belly first then they poked the holes and dry brined it before placing it in the oven to heat up and crackle. I wonder which is more tender. I will have to try both.
for a porchetta or roast- after the water part, could you roll the belly with the herb mixture and then proceed with the recipe? I am looking for a foolproof, consistent pork roast recipe with crispy crackling outside. recommendations?
i think asian cuisine does similar, cooking and blanching then wok frying, what do you think about sous vide and then little cuttings onto the skin and slow slow pan heat. i done in michelin star restaurant with milk pork, like 65 C 15 h in goose or duck fat, then slowly pan roasting, was pretty good.
2:51 500g belly pork, rub all over skin and meat with 6g salt, 3:15 then rub with 10-20 ml vodka, cover and put it in fridge at least 12 hr. 4:50 oven temp, 5:56 250 C cracking the skin and rest for at least 20 min.
I need to try this immediately - a few times everything works and you get decent crackling on pork belly, but it's a rare thing. I think the hot water, then pricking all over technique is seen in either Thai or Korean methods, although they tend to put the whole piece into the water - with perhaps more cooking in the water/aromatics than our traditional roasting. I think you've got the best of both worlds with this technique.
Yes any alcohol will work, spirits (vodka, gin, rum, etc) will work the best. I haven't tried wine but they should work, also vinegars work as well but they leave a slight after taste.
lol! I got so excited about the possibility of a new way to make the pork to perfection the way you do, but as a recovered alcoholic, I can’t do this. Is there something else you can recommend instead of the alcohol?
Yes you can use an airfryer, things may happen quicker in the airfryer compared to a traditional oven. Vinegars can replace the vodka, anything clear like white wine vinegar, white vinegar, rice wine vinegar etc etc 👍
I tried an air fryer recipe to the letter and got an overdone burnt piece of meat. I think results will vary depending on the model of air fryer you have. I now use a regular oven and get much better results. You get more even airflow instead of a heating element inches from the meat.
If you have time, rub the meat including the skin with some steak rub, and leave the pork with skin side up inside a refrigerator for 48 hours (72 hours is even better) to dry out the skin. After that, it will be crackling while well-seasoned and taste much better.
I've been using vinegar and a cap of rock salt for the first 10 min, remove the cap and return to air fryer. Saw it in an air fryer video. Time actually gets cut even less then 45 min! Amazing results.
I tried enclosing the meat in a foil container with only the skin on top uncovered exactly like you did. There’s a lot of liquid that collected in the foil container, meat juices and melted fat. So is that what we want, let the bottom meaty part soak while cooking in the oven?
I allways use my airfryer for porkbelly. Super easy and the same result every time. It takes 1h 10mins to cook without fridge time etc. With preparation maybe 1h 30mins
Holes poked ✅ Salted ✅ Vodka splash ✅ Dry brine time✅ Level ✅ Foil open casket ✅ It’s in the oven now at 325 my PB is large so going cook slow and low for one hour. Then hit it with the higher temp. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I tried jabbing with toothpicks, but went through 42 of them as they bounced off the pork skin then splintered. I then went through a couple of glasses (small) of Pino Gris to recover.
Wow... I'll have to give this a shot. Wouldn't the traditional use of vinegar work rather than the vodka? BTW, how does anyone ever have that much free space in their refrigerator? 😅
Porchetta Tricks No One Thinks About - ua-cam.com/video/o1QYQq7g1Nw/v-deo.htmlsi=ZOROCxIyV_9ElOGD
Don't Pierce holes in the skin! It crisps up more evenly.. when you pierce the skin it allows fat to come up through it which actually stop it from going as crispy.. ☺️ since I stopped scoring/piercing the skin I have consistently made really crispy pork belly with no chewy sections. The whole skin comes out like chicharonne skin rather than little blisters of crispy.
I guess the chinese and japanese are no one because the have been doing this for thousands years
You lost me with the heirloom tomatoes in the fridge
The chinese have been doing this forever 😂
Hi Ben!
I am Origamicrane off egullet!
My friend was watching your video and spotted my username.
Thanks for referencing my 15 year old post!
One additional step I have added since that post is to insert some metal skewers through the meat to keep it straight and stop it from curling whilst cooking.
Enjoy!
Congrats :) How did you discover the vodka trick on the pork skin ?
Cool synchonicities like these remind me how good the internet can be.
@@jeepld I don't know how they found out, but it makes perfect sense! Alcohol pulls water out of things, similar to what salt does. Alcohol is used to dry dishes faster, for instance. But it is sometimes hard to connect the dots, right?
Thankyou for your services to humanity ❤🙏🏼
@@jeepld They tried all known methods of denaturing the pork skin (denaturing protein, notably the collagen found in the skin). These are pH (vinegar), natural chemicals/enzymes (kiwi, pineapple), heat (blowtorching the skin prior) or chemicals (baking soda, lye water, alcohol, salt) and mechanical (puncturing holes).
The rationale for denaturing the skin is to break down the collagen. This prevents chewiness. Theoretically, it also allows more fat to be rendered between the spaces.
Wow... This vodka method REALLY WORKS!! Just tried it last night in comparison to a salt/vinegar traditional Chinese method and the Vodka prepared skin puffed up beautifully while the vinegar skin turned dark and hard with pockets of hard leather. This vodka method will forever be our fool proof way to get great skin!! Thank you for your video.
This method was discovered by the chinese. In fact the chinese way has a few more steps that will crack the skin to another level
I'm intrigued - has anyone just tried rubbing water on the skin? In bread baking, that's all you need to get crispy blistering
@@Alex-ck4in yeah, wheat is not what Pork belly is made of.
@@Alex-ck4in Well, I have to hide that Vodka inside my cabinet after using it. 😂🤣😂
Cheers
I used just a splash of Vodka as you suggested but I drank the rest of the bottle and forgot about the pork! Nice try!
Wkwkwk 😂
😂
You can use corn on cob holders vs toothpicks
This is christmas dish in norway another way to get amazing crackling is to first brine it in a prine with sugar salt spices and baking soda for three days. After that let the porkbelly airdry with only rhe oven fan running or in the fridge. Then low cook it on 90c for 10 hours. Take out the pork belly and heat the oven up to 250C. Watch it slowly so the cracking doesnt burn. Brown puffed up skin tastes bad. This has made the best pork belly me and my mom have ever tried and we eat it everychristmas you should try it
It's called siu yuk in Asia. Pailin on UA-cam has a great recipe that takes about 1 hour
Holy shit, that sounds really good. Gonna try it next time I make pork belly
low cook it for nearly half a day, not counting the brining and drying? that just takes too long. definitely reserved for holidays.
@@ninja.saywhat we do it usually on weekends. Its not as bad as it sounds because the temperature is so low you just put it in then forget it. Come back in the evening
im gonna try ur meathod as well as his. cheers
I can validate the recipe, just finished it and it came out near perfect! Good luck to the rest of you! Cheers!
Your desire to find a way that was less messy (not frying in oil etc) is exactly the way I think too. I’m not always looking solely on the outcome, but the mess too. I hate the clean up! This method looks brilliant!
People fry pork belly in oil ? Whaaaat
I really liked how you showed the comparison between the normal way and your new way. It shows how much of a difference it makes.
The whole video is very high quality too. Good job! I subscribed.
Chinese Hong Kong chef taught me to steam for 10mins, pad skin dry, salt place in hot oven mine is 250 F till crackling formed 45min, perfect every time.
Disculpa me interesa tu metodo cuando dices al vapor se tapa la pieza, y luego solo se pone sal y al horno!!!! Hay necesidad de guardar en el refrigerador o no es necesario, agradecería mucho tu respuesta 😃
@@raulgarcia5435no creo que es necesario eso nomas es para hacer “brine” o “dry brine”
Gracias
250f is a joke.
Spread venegar over the skin
I just LOVE finding gems of channels like this! brilliant video
Thanks!
Lovely! I gave it a try, and it came out exactly like in the vid. Delicious. Thanks!
tried yesterday and it was perfection. This was the first time that came perfect. Leveled skin, the cooking temperatures and the "VODKA" made all the difference. Thank you!
I find a similar method, meat tenderiser works instead of tooth picks, the boat method is what i use, but also add a layer of rock salt on top and brush on some white vinegar (as opposed to vodka). Then about 45mins at 180, then remove rock salt, and 30mins at 250.
You can also use diluted apple cider vinegar (puréed pineapple also works), I use it to melt away skins on chicken hearts (some kind of chewy very thin protective layer), to turn hard steak into fillet, it’s very potent tenderiser. Use it as a brine for half an hour, or to your desired consistency. If brined for too long, it will turn into spongy mush. I also know Chinese restaurants apparently use bicarbonate soda to ‘velvet’ their meat, but that’s gross, I think.
@Ida-Adriana the velveting does work and just tastes normal (good).
Yeh I also brine chicken in buttermilk with salt. Works really well.
Organic chemist here...
The vodka has a lot of alcohol, which is both a polar solvent, and can also bind with fats via its hydroxyl group (something water or acid cannot typically do). It could very well be that the alcohol helps to denature the fat in this way, and why it would chemically work better than vinegar in doing so. This likely also means that you don't need to use vodka; any ethanol will do.
If you're going to do one thing do the foil boat. Absolute game changer and the rendered fat ends up cooking the meat like confit. Then you can also make a sauce from it afterwards too.
I usually just pour a kettle-full of hot water over the skin, dry off as best I can (pretty sure overnight uncovered would be king) and oil/salt before putting into the oven. I read that scoring or peircing is counter productive and so far I've found that to be true.
I tend to do a low and slow for two hours and then blast it to get the crackling done at the end. It works and I'm pretty happy with my results but I'd like to do better with a *really* light crackle.
I will try the skin-side shallow boil method next time to really pre-render the skin as much as possible.
Disculpa porque es contraproducente agujerear la piel de cerdo? Quisiera saber, gracias 👍
What temp is low and slow?
@@loungelizard3922 I have a bad memory... But something like 140c. It's not what BBQ people would call low and slow, but for an oven it kinda is.
You might find that you prefer more "bite" to the meat rather than being super soft like mine tend to be. So a bit hotter and a bit shorter is better if you don't want it too soft.
@@harambeexpress I've using 160C, I'll have a play around and see what's good. Thanks for the tip.
This is amazing.
In sweden this cut is about 7-9$/kg, so very cheap.
Followed your steps live while cooking.
Turned out great!
Made about 1kg so it lasted for two days making sandwiches and pasta dishes from the left overs.
This is truly bang for the buck.
Only thing is the grease in the oven from grease pops.
10/10
Använde du rimmat sidfläsk? Varmluftsugn eller över/undervärme? Min blev inte alls bra, ingen crackling alls :/
You can also put it on it’s head, pour water into the tray so it just covers the skin, give it 25 minutes at 150-170 celcius take it out, turn it around and do the same thing and it’s fool proof every single time. Perfectly cooled meat and a perfectly crisp skin every time. I will try the vodka thing though to take the skin to the next level. Great video!
Can you elaborate? I don't quite understand. I don't have vodka and am interested in other ways to do this.
thank u ive been cooking since mid 70s im since retired from that field. i do miss it. but i must say u may have taught me a trick or two w ur video. i cant wait to try this out. i also am looking foward to seeing more of ur videos. cheers
Thanks! Plenty more to come
Really nice step by step. Just a few points I'd make.
You video should be comparable, so the meat should be similar in side and surface area. As you are keeping the oven at a specific temperature and putting the meat in at a certain height for a certain time, the this higher pork will have more heat exposure. The side piece is only crispy around the edges.
Once reason also why the Chinese boil the skin is to tenderise it. Because it can be crackling but still a hard thin layer type of crackling rather than puffed up.
It is possible to separate the entirre fat from the meat to cook it. You can get pieces like that in Morissons. But the flavour is different if you do so.
It's not a 7 minute video, but ideally you would have several, identical cuts of meat. Some would have the aluminum skirting, some have proper scoring vs. pricking, vodka vs. vinegar. This is nothing more than showing that if you cook a sirloin and a ribeye the same way, you get different results. Well, OK, maybe not that extreme, but if you are going to showcase a certain technique, you have to be consistent in your approach.
yep - agree
the poor old, sad-arsed second belly never stood a chance
when he cuts it, the reveal is that the two bellies are not even close
not saying the method isn't good - but in terms of a scientific experiment, it's a massive fail (as SoWhoDecidedThat rightly pointed out)
Out of this World, I have tried every method imaginable ...Unbelievable, Best Belly that I have ever roasted. 1 Hour at 225 degrees ,,,crank it up to 475 ..12 minutes...Perfect crackling , meat succulent and tender as you said..Thank You. Wow.....Any idea how you can warm a left over piece the next and retain the Crisp ????
Amazing! To reheat I would try protect the meat with foil I'm the same way and re roasting at a lower temp, maybe 140-160c 👍
Mine turned out amazing with this method. Thank you‼️
You’re welcome
All my pork belly trials and tribulations summed up in one video. Thank you for this, superb insight and delivery. Can’t wait to try it out
Glad it was helpful!
I’m very curious about this recipe. I am a big fan of pork belly and I like to try a little of recipes. This one looks really good.🙏👍
Looks great. When I'm cooking it. I score the skin with a Stanley knife. Then apply Rock salt. Cook in the oven in some water and season with various herds and veg. Turns out great. I am happy to your vodka on the skin.
Essentially you've stumbled upon the traditional way to make Chinese Crispy Pork belly, minus a few steps, especially seasoning.
You've got most of the basics down, so following any traditional recipe will yield great results I'm sure.
Yes I got a bit angry about his "new method" being essentially the way it's cooked in China/Vietnam. Most importantly for me is boiling the belly for 3 to 5 minutes.
@@Antoum77😂😂😂😂 Be mad bro. 😂😂
@@WinstonSmithGPT No one is mad. Grow up.
Great video. If you try to cook that uncracked skin in a hot oil, it will crackle like crazy. Also, white vinegar can replace the vodka
Great video, well presented. I subbed and liked. I love cooking videos that are teaching the "whys". Too many are just copying someone else's videos they have watched and are repeating foolish ideas.
I love the thoughtful approach to trying to figure out a method that works.
I've seen a few methods that use vinegar instead of vodka but I think the vodka makes sense. It will encourage moisture to evaporate and it's water in the skin that prevents it crisping up.
I am personally fine with leaving the meat open in the fridge but I wonder if for those who aren't whether some paper towel or some very dry rice (maybe that's been baked) in the container could make sure all the condensation stays away from the pork skin once it evaporates. I sometimes put paper towel in a tub of overnight rice to absorb condensation so it fries better when making egg fried rice.
This worked. I used crown royal instead. Turned out amazing!
I'm gonna try this now. One with Vodka and one with Crown ^^
@@MrBarbarian01 did you notice a difference? I have bourbon and don't want to necessarily by vodka just to do this.
Great video! I will try it out
Thank you. I recommend using an air fryer which gives much better results than an oven. Also, the Chinese/Vietnamese spray vinegar on the skin but vodka looks to work well too
Are the cooking times the same in the air fryer though? I feel it would be easy to overcook
I have had the same frustrations with consistent pork belly.
I tried this today and it came out almost as good as yours. Fantasic!
Amazing!
@@BenGoshawk Add some fennel seeds for some extra flavour!
Just made this today, 11/11/24. Mistakenly scored the fat but not deeply. With the toothpick holes, scores, vodka and salt the result is perfect. Prior to poking, scoring and salting it, the pork sat uncovered in the fridge for about 24 hrs. Only at cooking time did I follow the steps here, but I didn't let the pork rest again--it went into the oven. I would caution using any more salt that what is called for. For whatever reason the salt really penetrates--and again, my pork didn't sit with salt pre cooking--requiring no extra salt at first bite. I think I'll add BBQ sauce to the cut up cubes of the belly and let it them now cook for 2 hours at a low temp. Definitely don't skip the vodka: he's right that it leads to the right kind of crackle!
Hi Ben,
I have just made a crispy pork belly for the second time and with a 11/2 kg piece with the added steel skewers and I must say it was sensational , just added extra cooking time and a little more Vodka because of the size of pork. Can’t thank you enough! Geoff in Oz
i just smoke my pork belly for a few hours until it hits 180f and then put it in the oven on low broil to crackle the skin. works every time
The toothpick method is the chinese traditional method. Chinese already have a specialised tool for doing that. There are already many chinese videos making crispy pork belly with methods including vinegar, salt, covering the sides with foil and pricking the skin as well.
It's not Chinese it's actually a Mongolian method.
instead of using a knife in the traditional method, i tend to use a dispoable scalpel blade for easy scoring.
But gonna try your method tomorrow! Cheers
I’m glad you wandered into my recommendations! Do you think this could be adapted to a pork shoulder roast with skin? In the US these are called picnic shoulders and can often dislocate your jaw.
Yeah it should work in the same way, let me know if you try it!
A box cutter with the knife tip sticking out. Works great for cutting skin
i think you can use vinegar instead of vodka as long as you don’t score the skin and level it.
In a lot of Hispanic countries we use vinegar too
@@nomanejane5766 yeah, he made it look like vinegar doesn’t work
Thanks!
Thank you!
if you want it puffier, when you apply the salt on the skin, you'll draw out the moisture in a few minutes. When it draws out, wipe it off. You essentially want the moisture out. The drier the skin, the better (some leave it overnight or longer to let the skin dry). Aside of vodka, rice wine or white vinegar can do the trick as well.
If you are going to score the rind, use a craft knife/box cutter which can be set for a specific depth
Hi Ben, I wish to brag about my phenomenal outcome of my pork belly tonight using your method a la Origamicrane. I do not have vodka but accessed Origamicrane's video and viewed with interest the myriad mediums he used and his hits and misses. I did a little pondering and decided I would attempt this recipe with cider vinegar but using the vinegar with the Mother. I cannot express enough at how amazing this turned out and yes, I took photos, if you are interested.
I can stuff up pork beautifully and frequently but now I have in my hot little hands a recipe that will blow the smithereens out of any other cookbook's claims of the perfect way to cook this sublime piece of meat.
I have a question, do you think that this recipe would also apply to a rolled pork shoulder? If I were to unroll and treat in the same fashion, would a similar outcome apply to this cut of meat?
Im glad to hear it worked well for you. As for a rolled shoulder it should also work well, I haven't tried it as most of the shoulders I cook don't still have the skin on. As long as there's some fat between the skin and meat (which there will be) then all should be good 👍
😁@@BenGoshawk
Wow, I think I joined Joshua Weissman when he had about the same number of subscribers you now have. I'm feeling you could grow as he did with this kind of A1 content. Thanks!
I have a small countertop appliance with many different settings. Do you recommend I use bake, convection bake, air fry, or roast? I would still use the same temperatures.
I'd probably start with the roast setting, and experiment with the others later
I just watch a couple do basically the same thing except they sous vide the pork belly first then they poked the holes and dry brined it before placing it in the oven to heat up and crackle. I wonder which is more tender. I will have to try both.
Would have been good to use 2 cuts of meat that were more even in size for a better and more accurate comparison.
Maybe next time
@@BenGoshawk Good technique and tips btw though. I think it would be interesting to see it sous vide and finished in the oven.
Gotta try this, will it work in an air fryer ?
Definitely will try. I love roast pork belly. Thanks
Very clever, I like my roast pork! Thanks for sharing
for a porchetta or roast- after the water part, could you roll the belly with the herb mixture and then proceed with the recipe? I am looking for a foolproof, consistent pork roast recipe with crispy crackling outside. recommendations?
Im developing a Porchetta recipe as we speak, coming in the next few weeks hopefully!
i think asian cuisine does similar, cooking and blanching then wok frying, what do you think about sous vide and then little cuttings onto the skin and slow slow pan heat. i done in michelin star restaurant with milk pork, like 65 C 15 h in goose or duck fat, then slowly pan roasting, was pretty good.
Thank you so much for this video..I did exactly what you suggested and my pork belly turned out amazing!
Curious about the vodka i was taught to use rice wine on the flesh and the skin while living in Singapore.
The vodka does the same thing as vinegars, the vodka leaves no aftertaste
brand of the pan you used in the beginning of the vid?
What about using a microneedling roller for the skin? I had the thought to use one just for the kitchen of course
Give it a go, it should work in theory
love the tips (Vodka and levelling). Is there a lazier method with the air fryer?
2:51 500g belly pork, rub all over skin and meat with 6g salt, 3:15 then rub with 10-20 ml vodka, cover and put it in fridge at least 12 hr.
4:50 oven temp,
5:56 250 C cracking the skin and rest for at least 20 min.
I need to try this immediately - a few times everything works and you get decent crackling on pork belly, but it's a rare thing. I think the hot water, then pricking all over technique is seen in either Thai or Korean methods, although they tend to put the whole piece into the water - with perhaps more cooking in the water/aromatics than our traditional roasting. I think you've got the best of both worlds with this technique.
Wonderful video. I’m cooking it as I type.
Ben, thanks for sharing. Would substituting vodka with other liquor, like rum or other white wine, left in the pantry be ok?
Yes any alcohol will work, spirits (vodka, gin, rum, etc) will work the best. I haven't tried wine but they should work, also vinegars work as well but they leave a slight after taste.
Nice one mate. Vodka can be subbed with Vinegar. Made With Lau does this method. Works 100%.❤
lol! I got so excited about the possibility of a new way to make the pork to perfection the way you do, but as a recovered alcoholic, I can’t do this. Is there something else you can recommend instead of the alcohol?
White vinegar works well as a substitute, it leaves a slight aftertaste but it's pretty subtle
@@BenGoshawk thanks a lot, brother I will definitely give them a shot…..I meant try!😂
Thank you for this video it explains it well and clearly
This looks great! You've got a new subscriber ;-)
Ok couple of things can you use an air fryer do you have to use vodka I have no alcohol at home
Yes you can use an airfryer, things may happen quicker in the airfryer compared to a traditional oven. Vinegars can replace the vodka, anything clear like white wine vinegar, white vinegar, rice wine vinegar etc etc 👍
I tried an air fryer recipe to the letter and got an overdone burnt piece of meat. I think results will vary depending on the model of air fryer you have. I now use a regular oven and get much better results. You get more even airflow instead of a heating element inches from the meat.
@@davidyoung1610 yeah mine is always so hard I can not even bite it
do you have a suggestion if I do not wanz to use alkohol? thx
Vinegar works as well, go check out my lastest video on my channel it shows a Porchetta method that uses no alcohol
This really looks like a labour of love...hah...thankU. I am definitely gonna give it a try. It's too good to miss. 😊
If you have time, rub the meat including the skin with some steak rub, and leave the pork with skin side up inside a refrigerator for 48 hours (72 hours is even better) to dry out the skin. After that, it will be crackling while well-seasoned and taste much better.
I've been using vinegar and a cap of rock salt for the first 10 min, remove the cap and return to air fryer. Saw it in an air fryer video. Time actually gets cut even less then 45 min! Amazing results.
Sounds great!
I definitely might have to give this a try.
A lot of the other ways I've seen this done have used fruit juices like pineapple, which I'm allergic to 😅
Definitely might? HAHAHA!
You brine it uncovered as it lower humidity and will dry it out better.
Here in the Southern U.S. we just fry in lard. Lol. Always crispy and delicious. But just an occasional treat. Looks great.
Thanks Ben! This is my son's favourite meal, so I'll be trying this for him. Much appreciated 🙏
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for covering your raw meat in the fridge. First online cook I've seen do this.
I tried enclosing the meat in a foil container with only the skin on top uncovered exactly like you did. There’s a lot of liquid that collected in the foil container, meat juices and melted fat. So is that what we want, let the bottom meaty part soak while cooking in the oven?
Yes, its basically cooking confit style for the meat, this will help to keep it tender whilst the skin gets exposed to high heat
Just askin so both of those belly you boiled it both on water for 2mins? Or just the bigger cut? Just making sure Thank you
I allways use my airfryer for porkbelly. Super easy and the same result every time. It takes 1h 10mins to cook without fridge time etc. With preparation maybe 1h 30mins
Thanks for a great video. Since alcohol is 100% banned to the guests I did get on visit, did I try normal cooking oil, it delivered an equal result.
Holes poked ✅
Salted ✅
Vodka splash ✅
Dry brine time✅
Level ✅
Foil open casket ✅
It’s in the oven now at 325 my PB is large so going cook slow and low for one hour.
Then hit it with the higher temp. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Very informative ! Thank you ! 🙂
I tried jabbing with toothpicks, but went through 42 of them as they bounced off the pork skin then splintered. I then went through a couple of glasses (small) of Pino Gris to recover.
😂.... A fork also works, might save you some trauma. Next time try boiling the skin a little longer, it'll soften it more
Can it be cooked with cooking oil? I mean deep frying it?
Yes, just be careful the fat will spit a lot!
Can you explain that you bake it or broil it?
I bake it
When i make Puerto Rican pernil i use a brand new razor blade to score the skin! Perfect cuts
What’s the temperature in F for the last 15 mins. (The last step)
250c - 480f
Do you think the Vodka is better than the vinegar as often used in other recipes?
Yes, there's 0 aftertaste unlike the vinegars
Hi where did you buy your chicharron from please
Mexico
Does this need tweaking if using a fan assisted oven?
No should be about the same timings and temp 👍
Can air fryer with the same recipe achieve the same consistent result?
I don't have vadka, can you use another kind of alcohol?
excellent video. you definitely deserve more subs!
I have cooked this many times.occasionally spot on but more fails.I’ll give this a go.let you know.Aussie in Australia 😎👍🏻
Wow... I'll have to give this a shot. Wouldn't the traditional use of vinegar work rather than the vodka?
BTW, how does anyone ever have that much free space in their refrigerator? 😅
Grab a bunch of toothpicks and run some tape around it. Brilliant video Ty 👍
you are Golden, NEW SUB
Excellent 👌Subscribed! I'll definitely try this
great video - thank you!!
This channel will be 50k in 6 months with videos at this level, if I could invest in your channel I would!
You can