In my last recipe post, I shared how to make Potato Croquettes Stuffed With Bacon and Cheese, which was an appetizer I made for a little dinner we hosted at home. Today, we’re moving on to the main event: Turbo-broiled Crispy Pork Belly. My boyfriend was very kind to share the recipe with me so that I can also share it with you here.

Preparing crispy pork belly, as you probably guessed, takes some time. But believe me when I say all the effort is worth it. The dish turned out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with a satisfying crunch from the skin and a tender bite from the meat. This is best paired with steamed white rice and even better if dipped in the Filipino dipping sauce I’ll also be sharing below.

Yield: 4–5 servings

Total time: 3 hours and 15 minutes

Ingredients:

For the pork belly:

• 1 kilo pork belly slab
• 3 large garlic cloves minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• coarse salt for seasoning

For the dipping sauce:

• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 small red onion chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• optional: freshly cracked pepper to taste

Instructions:

For the pork belly:

1. Steam the pork belly for 45 minutes to an hour.
2. Rest and let cool.
3. Once cool enough, poke holes into the skin of the pork belly using a fork or toothpick. This will allow the pork to absorb more flavor and will help create a crispier, popcorn-like texture for the skin.
4. Mix the minced garlic and olive oil in a small bowl.
5. Rub the salt and olive oil with garlic mixture all over the pork.
6. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Best if overnight.
7. Take the pork out of the fridge and scrape off all the garlic bits. You don’t want to leave any on as they might burn during cooking.
8. Place the pork in the turbo broiler and set to cook for 40 mins at 180°C.
9. Take the cooked pork out of the turbo broiler and slice.
10. Serve with dipping sauce (instructions below) and white rice. Enjoy!

For the dipping sauce:

1. Just mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl, making. sure to dissolve the sugar. That’s it!

This is best shared with your favorite people (I think that goes without saying). Crispy pork belly does take a bit of time to make, but the steps and ingredients are pretty simple. Don’t get intimidated and give it a try!