Cantonese Roast Meat Recipe

Crispy Roast Pork

Crispy roast pork, or siu yuk, is Cantonese roast pork belly with crisp crackling skin and savory seasoned meat.

Recipe at a glance

PurposeMenu-derived Chinese restaurant recipe family
Cuisine or formatCantonese Roast Meat
Consolidation ruleClosely related menu names are treated as one recipe family when the sauce, technique, or format is the same.

Ingredients

  • 2 lb pork belly slab
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Five-spice powder
  • White pepper
  • Rice vinegar for skin
  • Coarse salt for roasting skin
  • Cooked rice or noodles for serving

Method

  1. Score or poke the pork skin carefully.
  2. Season the meat side with salt, sugar, five-spice, and white pepper.
  3. Dry uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.
  4. Brush skin lightly with vinegar.
  5. Roast with coarse salt on the skin, then remove salt.
  6. Increase heat to blister the skin.
  7. Rest and chop.

Menu-literacy notes

  • Siu yuk is different from char siu.
  • The defining feature is crisp pork skin.
  • Home versions are possible but restaurant roast-meat shops use specialized technique.

Menu appearances covered by this recipe

  • Roast Pig
  • Roast Pork
  • Barbecued Roast Pork

Variations and substitutions

  • Adjust the protein or vegetable only when the core technique and sauce remain recognizable.
  • For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, broth, wrappers, cooking wine, and shared wok or fryer use.
  • For restaurant-style versions, texture matters as much as flavor: noodles should not be mushy, fried items should not be soggy, and broths should remain clear unless the dish calls for thickness.

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