Pork Belly , Honey , Chile Oil
Best for: Sticky, crisp-edged belly with a slow burn.
Thick slices of pork belly take a soy-garlic marinade, grill until the fat renders and the edges go crisp, and finish with a glaze of honey warmed with chile oil — sweet first, heat second, smoke underneath everything. It is the shaokao stall’s belly skewer unthreaded and plated like a main course.
Grill: Two zones, direct medium-high heat; 425°F. Equipment: Grill, tongs, small bowl, instant-read thermometer.
Ingredients
Marinate: 1 hour. Rest: 5 minutes. Total: 1 hour 38 minutes.
- 2 lb pork belly slab, skin off, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, for the grate
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon chile oil, plus more to serve
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
Directions
Toss the belly slices with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, garlic, sugar, and five-spice. Cover and marinate for 1 hour, or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Heat the grill to 425°F with two zones and oil the grate.
Grill the slices over direct heat for 6–7 minutes per side, until the fat renders and the edges crisp, moving slices to the cooler zone when they flare.
Stir the honey and chile oil into a glaze. Brush the slices on both sides and grill for 1–2 minutes more per side, until sticky and charred at the corners.
Cook until the slices register at least 160°F and are tender — belly wants the extra heat to render properly.
Rest for 5 minutes, scatter with the scallions, and serve with extra chile oil at the table.
Grilling tip: Glaze late, always: honey over raw belly burns before the fat renders; honey over crisped belly lacquers.
