This Cantonese-style pork belly roast is everything you want: juicy meat, aromatic seasoning, and shatteringly crispy skin. Cooked low and slow on the Kamado Joe and finished at high heat for that perfect crackling, this recipe blends Chinese flavor traditions with modern BBQ technique. It’s a celebration of pork belly at its absolute best.
Ingredients
1.5 kg / 3 lb 5 oz pork belly
2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp PitmasterX Deli seasoning
4 cloves garlic
30 g / 1 oz fresh ginger
2 stalks lemongrass
2 green onions
red chili peppers
Tools
Thanks to Kamado Joe for sponsoring this recipe Visit their website to learn more.
How to
- Start by scoring the skin of the pork belly with a sharp knife, making shallow cuts in straight lines about 1 cm apart. Be careful not to cut into the fat or meat.
- Flip the pork belly over and rub the meat side with soy sauce. Massage it in to create the first layer of flavor. Generously coat the same side with PitmasterX Deli seasoning.
- Add whole garlic cloves, ginger slices, bruised lemongrass, green onion, and chili peppers on top of the meat side. Fold the pork belly into a roast, tucking in the aromatics. Tie securely with butcher’s twine to hold its shape.
- Fire up your barbecue and prepare it for indirect cooking at 120°C / 250°F. Place a drip tray between the heat and the grill grates.
- Place the tied roast skin-side up on the grill, insert a meat thermometer into the center, and smoke for about 4 hours. Let the fat slowly render and the skin begin to dry and firm up.
- When the roast reaches around 70°C / 158°F internal temp, increase the BBQ temperature to 160°C / 320°F. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 88°C / 190°F and the skin starts to bubble.
- For the final crisping phase, raise the BBQ to 240°C / 465°F and rotate the roast as needed. Optionally, shield parts of the roast with foil to prevent burning. Continue cooking until the skin is blistered, golden, and crispy, and the core reaches 92°C / 198°F.
- Remove the roast and let it rest for 15 minutes. Snip off the twine, slice through the crispy skin, and reveal the juicy, flavorful interior. Serve hot and enjoy every bite of crispy, savory perfection.
