Five Spice Pork Belly is the ultimate crispy, sticky Chinese pork belly recipe when you want something seriously impressive without needing restaurant-level cooking skills. Imagine tender, juicy pork belly layered with fragrant Chinese five spice, beautifully crisp edges and a glossy caramelised finish that clings to every bite. Honestly, this is the kind of dinner that makes everyone suddenly appear in the kitchen asking, “Is it ready yet?”
Chinese five spice is what gives this dish its unmistakable character. The aromatic blend typically combines star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel, creating that gorgeous balance of warm, sweet, earthy and slightly peppery flavours. (Simply Suwanee)
Pork belly is particularly wonderful for slow cooking because its generous layers of fat keep the meat incredibly succulent while the exterior develops those irresistible crispy, caramelised bits.
Whether you’re planning a Chinese-inspired dinner, Sunday feast, festive meal or simply want an indulgent pork recipe for entertaining, this five spice pork belly deserves a spot on the menu.
Why You’ll Love This Five Spice Pork Belly
There is something wonderfully dramatic about bringing a platter of crispy pork belly to the table.
The outside is golden, crackly and sticky while the inside stays wonderfully rich and tender. That contrast is exactly what makes crispy pork belly so addictive.
The Chinese five spice does a lot of the heavy lifting here. Instead of needing a long list of complicated seasonings, you get layers of flavour from one beautifully aromatic spice blend.
It also makes an excellent centrepiece for an Asian-inspired dinner. Serve it alongside steamed jasmine rice, stir-fried greens, bok choy, cucumber salad or spring onions and you’ve got a meal that feels far more elaborate than the amount of hands-on work involved.
And here’s the best part: pork belly is incredibly forgiving. The trick is giving the meat enough time to become tender while keeping the skin or exterior dry enough to crisp properly.
Five Spice Pork Belly Recipe Highlights
For this Chinese pork belly recipe, you’ll want a good piece of pork belly with a balanced combination of meat, fat and skin. If you’re specifically chasing crispy crackling, skin-on pork belly is the way to go. (Simply Suwanee)
Ingredients
- 900g pork belly, preferably skin-on
- 1 tablespoon Chinese five spice powder
- 1½ tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 2½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
These ingredients create a wonderfully savoury, aromatic flavour profile without overwhelming the natural richness of the pork.
Chinese five spice brings warmth and fragrance, while Shaoxing wine adds depth. Rice wine vinegar introduces a little acidity to balance the richness, and white pepper gives the seasoning a subtle peppery kick.
If you’re making this as part of a larger Chinese dinner, the combination works beautifully with steamed rice and fresh vegetables.
How to Make Crispy Five Spice Pork Belly
Start by preparing the pork belly properly. Rinse it and, most importantly, dry it extremely well with paper towels. Moisture is one of the biggest enemies of crispy pork skin.
Score the skin carefully with a sharp knife, or prick it with a skewer. Keep the cuts shallow so you don’t pierce down into the fat and meat.
Generously season the pork with salt. This helps draw moisture from the surface, which is exactly what you want when your goal is crisp, bubbly crackling.
Place the pork skin-side up on a tray or foil-lined dish and refrigerate it uncovered for around 8–10 hours.
Yes, this requires a little forward planning, but it makes a huge difference.
When you’re ready to continue, remove the pork and pat the surface completely dry.
For the flavourful meat underneath, combine the Shaoxing wine, rice wine vinegar, Chinese five spice and white pepper. Rub this mixture generously over the meat and sides of the pork belly while keeping the skin as dry as possible.
Return the pork to the refrigerator, uncovered, for another 10–12 hours.
This overnight preparation is one of the secrets to getting that gorgeous crispy exterior while allowing the aromatic seasoning to penetrate the meat.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F.
Place the pork belly skin-side up and roast for approximately 40 minutes, keeping an eye on the skin as it cooks.
Once the pork is tender and cooked through, switch the oven to the grill/broiler setting and cook for another 8–12 minutes, watching carefully as the skin begins to puff, blister and crackle.
This is the exciting bit!
The high heat transforms the surface into that irresistible crispy layer while the fat underneath helps keep the pork rich and juicy.
Allow the pork belly to rest for around 10 minutes before slicing. This gives the juices time to settle and makes it easier to cut neat, thick pieces.
For another cooking option, pork belly can also be prepared in an air fryer. One approach is to cook it at around 200°C/400°F before increasing the temperature briefly to encourage the skin to puff and crisp. (Simply Suwanee)
What Does Chinese Five Spice Pork Belly Taste Like?
This is definitely not a boring pork dinner.
Chinese five spice gives the pork a distinctive combination of sweet, warm, earthy and aromatic flavours. The star anise and fennel contribute subtle sweetness, while cloves and cinnamon add warmth and Sichuan peppercorns provide a gentle peppery note.
Then you’ve got the richness of pork belly, which makes those spices taste even more luxurious.
The crispy exterior adds another layer of texture, creating that wonderful combination of crunchy outside and tender inside.
If you love Chinese-inspired recipes, crispy pork belly, char siu flavours or aromatic Asian recipes, this one is a seriously delicious addition to your collection.
Pro Tips for Perfect Crispy Pork Belly
1. Dry the pork really well
This might be the least glamorous step, but it is one of the most important. Crispy pork skin needs to be as dry as possible before it hits the oven.
Pat the pork thoroughly with paper towels and don’t skip the uncovered refrigeration.
2. Give yourself plenty of time
This isn’t a last-minute dinner.
The overnight drying and seasoning stages are what help create properly seasoned meat and a crisp exterior. Think of it as a little planning now for a much better dinner later.
3. Don’t pierce too deeply
When scoring or pricking the skin, avoid cutting into the meat and fat underneath. You want to create openings in the skin without compromising the layers below.
4. Watch the grill closely
Once you switch to the grill/broiler, things can happen very quickly. The skin can go from beautifully blistered to overly dark surprisingly fast.
Stay nearby and keep an eye on it.
5. Let the pork rest
Give the cooked pork belly about 10 minutes to rest before slicing. It may be tempting to dive straight in, especially when the kitchen smells incredible, but that short rest helps the meat stay juicy.
What to Serve With Five Spice Pork Belly
This sticky pork belly is rich, so I love pairing it with fresh, simple sides.
Steamed jasmine rice is an obvious winner because it soaks up all those delicious juices. You could also serve it with stir-fried vegetables, steamed bok choy, Chinese broccoli, cucumber salad or lightly dressed greens.
For a more casual spread, slice the pork into smaller pieces and serve it as part of an Asian-inspired sharing platter with dipping sauces and fresh herbs.
A spicy dipping sauce can also provide a fantastic contrast to the rich pork. Chili, lime, garlic and a little salty-sweet seasoning work particularly well. (Simply Suwanee)
Can You Make Five Spice Pork Belly Ahead?
Absolutely.
The preparation actually benefits from being started the day before, making this a brilliant recipe when you’re entertaining.
You can prepare and refrigerate the seasoned pork ahead of time, then cook it when you’re ready.
Leftover cooked pork belly should be refrigerated in an airtight container and used within a few days. When reheating, aim to restore some of that crisp exterior rather than simply microwaving it, especially if crackling is your favourite part.
Why This Recipe Is Perfect for Entertaining
There are recipes you make because they’re easy, and then there are recipes you make because you want people to remember dinner.
This five spice pork belly definitely falls into the second category.
The combination of crispy pork belly, aromatic Chinese spices and caramelised edges looks spectacular on a serving platter. Yet most of the work happens while the pork is simply resting, marinating or cooking.
That makes it particularly useful for dinner parties, Sunday dinners, festive meals and Chinese-inspired celebrations.
And because the flavour is bold enough to stand alongside plenty of side dishes, you can easily turn one piece of pork belly into the centrepiece of a generous family-style meal.
Final Thoughts
Five Spice Pork Belly is one of those recipes where a little patience pays off in a very big way. The result is tender, richly flavoured pork with an irresistibly crisp exterior and the fragrant warmth of Chinese five spice running through every bite.
The key is really in the preparation: choose a well-balanced piece of pork belly, dry the skin thoroughly, season generously and give the pork enough time to develop flavour before cooking.
Then comes that final blast of high heat, when the skin bubbles and crisps into golden crackling.
Serve it with steamed rice, crunchy vegetables and your favourite dipping sauce, and you’ve got an incredibly satisfying Chinese-inspired dinner that looks and tastes like something you’d order at your favourite restaurant.
So grab that pork belly, get the five spice ready and give yourself a little time for the overnight preparation. Your future self—and everyone waiting around the dinner table—is going to be very glad you did.
And when you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Share your crispy pork belly results, tell me what you served alongside it, and don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter for more delicious, easy-to-love recipes.