Good evening, dear friends 
My family had our first taste of homemade Siew Yoke or Chinese Roast Pork Belly last year when my brother-in-law made some and my eldest son said it was the best Siew Yoke in the world! 
The homemade version was definitely much more tasty and juicy that those sold at stalls. So, I got the recipe from my brother-in-law and I roasted my own Siew Yoke for the first time last year but the skin didn’t turn out as good as it should be.
Today, I decided to make my own version of Siew Yoke after having read more recipes on this and I am very happy to say that my Crispy Roast Pork Belly or Siew Yoke today was almost perfect … a good second attempt for me. My family, especially my hubby, were happily tucking away into the pieces of Siew Yoke and seeing their happy faces has made me very pleased with this recipe.
If you or your family love eating Siew Yoke, then I would encourage you to try making it at home and I can assure you that it is well worth the effort when they taste your Roast Pork, and you will become the “Super Star” for the night for serving this tasty meat!
Here is my Chinese Roast Pork Belly Recipe. Please note that I always cook a huge portion in my recipes and so, you may like to cut down the portion accordingly. For a small family, I would suggest that you start with just 1 kilogramme of pork belly.
(Added on 30 December, 2008 - another method on “HOW TO PREPARE YOUR SIEW YOKE FOR ROASTING“.)
Ingredients & Method -
** 2 kg Pork Belly with skin – washed and pat very dry. Use a sharp knife and poke through the skin all over, or have your butcher do this for you. On the meat side, make shallow cuts (about 1 cm deep and 1 1/2 cm apart) across the length of the meat
** 2 tbsp salt, for rubbing on pork skin
** 4 tbsp white vinegar, for brushing on pork skin at 20 minutes into roasting
*
Marinade to be mixed together in a rice bowl -
2 cubes of preserved fermented red beancurd (nam yue)
1 tbsp Chinese 5-spice powder (Ng Heong Fun) – see picture below
1 tbsp white pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsps rice wine
*
Method :-
1) Rub marinate all over the meat side of the pork belly for a few minutes.
2) Place pork belly meat side down in a rectangular baking tray.
3) Rub another 2 tbsp salt all over the skin.
4) Place uncovered in the refrigerator overnight until an hour before roasting. The air in the fridge will dry out the pork skin.
5) To roast, preheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius or about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Have both the upper and lower heating elements as well as the fan in the oven on.
6) Place pork belly on a rack in the middle of the oven. Have a pan below to catch the dripping fat during roasting. I placed a piece of aluminium in my pan for easy cleaning later, and I like to save the fat drippings from the roast pork for roasting potatoes for another meal. 
*
Pork Belly roasting about 10 minutes in the oven
*
7) After 20 minutes have passed, change the oven setting to just the upper heating element or “grill function” or “broil function” on. Brush the white vinegar onto the skin. This will accelerate the cooking process on the pork skin and make it light and crunchy by crackling with bubbles or blisters all over. Occasionally, I opened the oven door slightly for about 10 seconds to let in some fresh air and then closed it back.
*
You can see about 40% of the skin has become crispy. Actually, the skin is crackling and puffing up with little bubbles
*
I have turned the meat around. Whenever I see some liquid fat building up on the skin, I would use some paper kitchen towels to dab it, so that the skin is exposed and gets “bubbling” crispy
*
8 ) You have to monitor the pork quite often by looking at the progress of the skin in getting crispy. The total time it takes for the skin to get really light and crispy will depend on your oven and how dry the skin was before roasting.
So, look at the skin closely. My butcher told me that the pork skin needs to get charred and burnt as that will mean that the skin has become really crispy all the way through. The last time I made this Siew Yoke, I didn’t wait it for the charring stage and therefore, the skin was still hard to bite on….
*
When the skin is charred, it means it has cooked all the way through and has became dry and crispy and crunchy. Don’t worry about the burnt parts – use a steak knife that has a serrated edge and you can easily scrape the charred bits off in 2 minutes … and your Siew Yoke will be fine, like in the picture below ===>
*
Voila! Your yummy homemade Siew Yoke is ready…it took about an hour to for my 2 kg of pork belly to finish cooking. Let it rest for about 15 minutes and then CHOP (don’t slice as the crispy skin will drop off) it into bite sized pieces. See the how the juices run and hear the sound of the crispy crunch as your knife cuts through the skin! Pop a piece into your mouth and savour your own Siew Yoke…. Mmmm…yummy, yes? 
*
See the 3 layers of meat and the thin layer of fat in between? See the crispiness on the skin crackling? They taste absolutely heavenly!
There you have it, a homemade recipe for Siew Yoke or Siao Bak or Crispy Roast Pork Belly. It is actually quite easy to do and it only cost a fraction of what you will pay for if you have bought it from the Roast or Barbequed Meats Stalls outside. But yours will taste the best in the world!
I hope your will try this recipe and impress your family or friends with your homemade Siew Yoke. I had also made a pot of cooling Old Cucumber Soup to balance the heatiness of this dish… The Siew Yoke was the “main star” of my dinner and I just cooked a French Bean stirfry together with some steamed Salted Chicken – all this went well with hot steamed rice! Yummmy…
Bon Appetit! I hope your Roast Pork will turn out heavenly!
Note added on Sunday, 18 May, 2008 -
I forgot to mention that I like to make a large piece of Siew Yoke and so that I can use some of it to cook my husband’s favourite stirfried noodles for lunch the next day. It is a delicious Hokkien noodle recipe that I had learned from my late mother-in-law, and have ingredients made up of Lai Fun (the dried thick rice vermicelli that is boiled in water so soften), strips of Siew Yoke, lots of diagonally cut leeks, and dried prawns (har mai or heh bee).
Mint said,
May 17, 2008 @ 10:46 pm
Thank you for good information~~*
Please comeback to visit my blog too : http://about-wineracks.blogspot.com/
I’m sorry , If you think this is spam. but may i thank you again.
Bye
happyhomemaker88 said,
May 17, 2008 @ 11:58 pm
Hmmm…I was just telling my hubby how nice if we have some wine to go with our Roast Pork just now! Interesting blog that you have there, dear Mint…do you have anything on wines?
Cheers!
choesf
Your Learning Tube said,
May 18, 2008 @ 1:40 am
Great recipe, if you have the time to publish a video on how to make it, that would be nice
happyhomemaker88 said,
May 18, 2008 @ 1:56 am
Thank you, dear Your Learning Tube. I’ll be sure to publish this recipe video at your informative site when I have one.
Have a nice weekend!
choesf
Charmaine said,
May 18, 2008 @ 11:44 am
Interesting method. I have never used vinegar when I make my siew yoke. Have to try this method. Thnks!
happyhomemaker88 said,
May 18, 2008 @ 1:35 pm
You are welcome, dear Charmaine.
I know of two other methods to make the skin really crispy but I have not tried them out yet -
1) spread a thick layer of rock salt all over the skin during the first 30 minutes of roasting, thereafter, brush off the rock salt and continue roasting until the whole skin is crackling crispy.
2) before the marinating stage, dip the pork skin side into boiling water for about 20 seconds, remove and prick skin all over with a sharp knife.
Have a relaxing Sunday!
With peace and harmony,
choesf
rozalia said,
May 19, 2008 @ 6:34 pm
Interesting recipe,dear choesf!
My mother never cooked the pork like this.:(. We boil it with salt,garlic, bay,thyme and pepper. When cold we make a paste of garlic and a lot of paprika and dab the skin with. We use to eat this at breakfast or as an appetiser with tomatoes, bell pepper and cucumber. I’m sure Dan will prefere your recipe, thanks.
Te pup,rose
happyhomemaker88 said,
May 19, 2008 @ 7:13 pm
Te pups, dearest Rose!
Wow, your mom’s recipe sounds good and I love the dipping sauce. Is this a typical Romanian pork recipe? I’ll try this pork dish together with the cabbage pie recipe that you gave me one weekend and call it my Romanian dinner!
Love and hugs,
choesf
sweetrosie said,
May 20, 2008 @ 3:13 pm
So yummy dear choesf! I think I want to move in with you so you can be my “stay-at-home-mummy” too
I sure need one right now…
That pork looks just perfect – just like from the Hong Kong barbecue shop. I would love that with some pickled vegetables, rice and a dipping sauce – you’ve got my mouth watering.
dear Rose’s recipe sounds delicious and intriguing. I’d love to try that some time too.
love & hugs xx
happyhomemaker88 said,
May 20, 2008 @ 8:30 pm
That’s a great idea about moving in with me, dear sweetrosie
, then we can swap our cooking and I’ll get fat from over indulging myself in your scrumptious cupcakes! 
For now, here’s a virtual BIG HUG from this stay-at-home mummy for you … 
Now I am looking for a good recipe to roast some Char Siu or Roasted/Barbequed Pork (boneless and skinless type) and I will post it here if it turns out good. I am also having a craving to make some steamed Chinese Char Siu buns or Char Siu Pows…..looks like I am in a crazy cooking mood these days!
Yes, I love Rose’s Romanian Pork recipe, which I will cook this one day for my family and call it a Romanian Dinner theme.
Have a wonderful week ahead.
With love and more hugs,
choesf
Shin Yeen said,
May 22, 2008 @ 4:44 pm
Hey there,
Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes. I enjoyed reading them. By the way, you mentioned in your recipe to use “nam yue” (red fermented beancurd), but the bottle you have the picture is “fu yue”, so, which to use? I am a bit confused, please let me know.
happyhomemaker88 said,
May 23, 2008 @ 8:19 am
Hello and welcome, dear Shin Yeen
Thank you for your lovely comments. Errr…I can’t read Chinese and don’t know what the Chinese characters on the label says
but this bottle contains “Nam Yue”….cubes of fermented beancurd preserved in a reddish liquid.
“Fu Yue” are cubes of beancurd preserved in a yellowish liquid.
Hope this helps… ?
Have a great weekend ahead!
With peace and joy,
choesf
rozalia said,
May 26, 2008 @ 6:23 pm
Giving a second thought about moving in your home…with sweetrosie there too sounds very tempting
) Te pup,sweetrosie,good to see you !
Love,rose
happyhomemaker88 said,
May 26, 2008 @ 9:57 pm
Haha, we ladies will have a great party at my house, yes? And we’ll get fat together enjoying each other’s cooking!
Many te pups and hugs,
choesf
dudewheresthestove said,
May 29, 2008 @ 4:51 am
Looks REALLY good. You might have to end up adopting a lot of people
!
happyhomemaker88 said,
May 31, 2008 @ 2:49 pm
Thank you for your lovely comments, dear Dude! Looks like my party is getting larger!
Have a great weekend.
With peace and joy,
choesf
yen1908 said,
June 2, 2008 @ 9:22 pm
Hi choesf
Just to let you know that I have tried this recipe, and it tasted so lovely, crispy crunchy and all!
My only regret was, I used 0.25 kg instead. Each one of us only have one miserable piece!):
Ah…..you read my mind! can’t wait for your Char Siu recipe!
do take care
yen
happyhomemaker88 said,
June 6, 2008 @ 2:52 pm
Hello there, dear yen
I was smiling when I read that you had tried out with a small piece of pork, because that would leave your family hungering for more, as it was like an appetiser for them!
But it is okay, it is best to try out a new recipe with a small portion first. As you know by now, my recipes here cater to a much larger family! 
I will post my Char Siu recipe (Chinese Barbequed Pork) when I cook it the next time.
Have a lovely weekend hor!
With many hugs,
choesf
psekat said,
June 24, 2008 @ 3:57 pm
nice recipe, i coooked it and people were like who made this? I have a huge appetitew for siew bak. My favortite when i go to crystal jade restraunt thanks.
happyhomemaker88 said,
June 25, 2008 @ 12:25 pm
Hi there and welcome, dear psekat
I’m glad that your Siew Bak turned out well – it’s really wonderful when people look at you in amazement and awe that you can cook such a delicious and popular roast meat at home.
Have a nice week ahead!
With peace and joy,
choesf
Joanne said,
June 26, 2008 @ 12:45 am
hello there.. i came across your blog and saw the roast pork recipe. tried it on a 600gm pork, it was great!!! my brother immediately asked me where i bought them after trying it.. the whole plate was gone before dinner…
thanks!!
so i purposely came online just to leave a note of thanks.. thank you for sharing the recipe..
happyhomemaker88 said,
June 26, 2008 @ 10:19 am
Hello there and welcome, dear Joanne
Thank you so much for your feedback – I’m glad to know that your roast pork was a success and a hit with your family. Somehow, the homemade version is tastier and the flavour is more evenly unfused in the meat. That’s why I have a large 2kg piece in my recipe here!
Have a nice week ahead!
With peace and joy,
choesf
psekat said,
June 26, 2008 @ 7:56 pm
how long does is take to preheat the oven?
happyhomemaker88 said,
June 29, 2008 @ 10:33 am
Hi there, dear psekat
Usually there is an indicator light on the oven that tells you the temperature is there at the set level, i.e. preheated. If not, then I would wait for a good 15 minutes to heat up the oven.
Have a nice Sunday!
With peace and joy,
choesf
dxn said,
July 7, 2008 @ 10:27 am
I love roast pork espeically when you get it fresh! Eat it with french bread and a bit of soy sauce. Yum!
Will the pork belly have the same texture if my oven does not have a fan inside of the oven?
Thanks~
happyhomemaker88 said,
July 7, 2008 @ 10:21 pm
Hi there and welcome, dear dxn
Now, that is an ingenious way of eating roast pork – with french bread! I agree totally with you – fresh roast pork tastes absolutely the best!
You can try roasting a small piece of pork belly in you oven and see how it turns out. Basically, the fan in the oven ensures even heat is spread throughout the oven but I’m sure it will also roast a good piece of roast pork. You probably have to roast it longer by 5 to 10 minutes or so.
Good Luck with your roast pork!
With best wishes,
choesf
psekat said,
August 19, 2008 @ 6:05 pm
my aunt said to marinade the pork the same way but on the skin put vinegar and salt and
marinade it for 2 days so its salty crunchy and tastes good my oven makes the whole house stinky so i cant make it anymore. can’t wait to move so I can use a brand new oven!
happyhomemaker88 said,
August 19, 2008 @ 9:24 pm
Hi there, dear peekat
Thank you for your lovely tip on how to make the roast pork skin more crunchy. I’ll follow your technique the next time I make this. Well, my whole house smelled of roast pork, too, when I was roasting it and I had to have all the windows open wide but I have a strong cooker hood which helps but then my neighbours get to smell the roast pork, too!
I hope you get your own place and a new oven soon, peekat!
Have a wonderful week!
With peace and joy,
choesf
Josephine said,
September 18, 2008 @ 8:30 pm
Hi, I stumbled on your blog weeks ago while searching for a roast pork recipe. The pictures and detailed instructions were so impressive. So I tried yours on a 750 g of belly pork and I must say it turned out scrumptious except not all the skin was crispy and crunchy, only about half of it. But for a first-time effort, it got full marks from the family. Will try another time and hope to get all the skin crispy. Looking forward to your char siew recipe.
happyhomemaker88 said,
September 19, 2008 @ 3:42 pm
Hi there and welcome, dear Josephine
Thank you for your lovely comments and feedback on your try-out of this recipe. I can very well imagine the happy looks on your family’s faces when you served them homemade roast pork!
I was thinking about the other half of your roast pork that didn’t get as crispy and thought of a few things that you may like to do next time -
1) brush more vinegar often onto those parts that have not “blistered” yet
2) if you see oil accumulating on those “unblistered” parts, use paper kitchen towels to soak up the pork fat/oil – sometime, the oil is preventing the skin from “crackling”.
3) sometimes, I will use a sharp point of a knife and poke more holes at the “hard” parts to encourage it to dry out more and start blistering
Hope this helps…
Have a restful weekend!
choesf
Josephine said,
September 20, 2008 @ 9:44 am
Hello choesf,
Thanks for the tips. I’ll try them all out the next time . Perhaps I should refrigerate it longer, like 2 days, to get the whole piece of meat dryer.
All this talk is making me drool, can’t wait to try it again.
Cheers!
psekat said,
October 4, 2008 @ 2:04 pm
finnaly moved to bukit tunku!
happyhomemaker88 said,
October 5, 2008 @ 11:24 am
Happy Moving, dear psekat! Now you can cook up a storm with your new kitchen and oven!
psekat said,
October 5, 2008 @ 4:20 pm
made it for house warming super!
happyhomemaker88 said,
October 6, 2008 @ 10:49 am
Wah, you must have impressed your guests with this dish, psekat!
psekat said,
October 19, 2008 @ 5:42 pm
mints message is a spam!
happyhomemaker88 said,
October 21, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
Thank you for pointing it out, dear psekat. It is okay, I knew he was advertising his blog but I thought he was very polite and nice about it, and therefore, I had let it through. Otherwise, I would have deleted it.
psekat said,
October 27, 2008 @ 5:48 pm
sry for trouble
when is char siew recipe out?
psekat said,
October 27, 2008 @ 5:50 pm
can you pls make video? on this recipe and charsiew? and if you do give the name of the vid
happyhomemaker88 said,
October 28, 2008 @ 9:43 am
Hi there, dear psekat
I have not found a char siew recipe that I like…..so the recipe is not out yet. Will try to get my daughter to make a video and if it turns out good, she’ll post it on Youtube – I’ll let you know here. Heheh, it’ll probably be known as “happyhomemaker88’s Roast Pork or Siew Yoke”
Happy Cooking!
choesf
psekat said,
October 28, 2008 @ 10:02 pm
thanks for info!
Ley Kim said,
November 9, 2008 @ 9:02 am
Dear choesf!
Siew yoke is my family’s favorite food. I ‘ll very happy if I can made it, I want to try to made it quickly with your method, I believe that my family will have a enjoy Siew yoke, delicious with very crispy skin but I can’t find “Beancurd” in Viet Nam.
What can I do now, choest ?
Thanks you for your recipe, it’s so great for me
God bless you.
happyhomemaker88 said,
November 9, 2008 @ 10:09 am
Hi there and welcome, dear Ley Kim
Wow, you will surely impress your family with your Siew Yoke! If you can’t find the “preserved or fermented red bean curd” in Vietnam (the beancurds are imported from China), you can omit that and put in more 5-spice powder – for 1 kg of pork, you put about 1 tsp of 5-spice powder and 1 tsp of white pepper.
Some friends of mine uses only 5-spice powder for their Siew Yoke, some uses only “nam yue” or fermented red bean curd, but I prefer a bit of both.
Happy Cooking!
May God bless you and your loved ones, too, with good heallth and happiness,
choesf
psekat said,
November 12, 2008 @ 8:54 pm
my wl paper on computer is siew yoke lolollol
happyhomemaker88 said,
November 13, 2008 @ 7:28 pm
You are so cute, having Siew Yoke as your PC wallpaper, dear psekat!
clint said,
November 30, 2008 @ 5:21 am
Dear Choesf,
Thank you for this amazing recipe!
I made Siew Yoke for the first time today.
I followed your recipe and suggestions to cook a 3kg cut to moist and crunchy
perfection. My family could not stop raving about how delicious it was!
I’ll add a tip that was useful to me in allowing the skin to become evenly dark.
I cut pieces of aluminum foil and covered areas that were charred allowing other areas
to catch up.
happyhomemaker88 said,
November 30, 2008 @ 3:06 pm
Hi there and welcome, dear clint
Thank you for your feedback on how this recipe went for you. I’m glad your Siew Yoke turned out well and your family enjoyed tasting your Siew Yoke very much.
I will definitely follow your useful tip in placing pieces of aluminium on those areas of the skin that are browning too quickly.
Do have a relaxing Sunday today!
With peace and harmony,
choesf
Shooi said,
December 17, 2008 @ 2:35 pm
I was surfing the net for a good siew yoke recipe, and found your site! this is a very good write up and your photos are definitely very convincing! THanks for sharing.
happyhomemaker88 said,
December 17, 2008 @ 2:39 pm
Hi there and welcome, dear Shooi
Thank you for your lovely comments. I am making another round of homemade Siew Yoke for “Tong Jit” or “Chinese Winter Solstice Festival” lunch this Sunday. I’ll post more of my festival dishes then.
Hope your Siew Yoke turns out yummy, too!
Happy Cooking!
choesf
Jessica said,
December 30, 2008 @ 10:15 pm
I ‘d love to make your siew yoke. But my oven is broken. I m thinking to buy a new one, one that is exactly like yours. Would you be kind enough to let me know what’s your brand & model?
Have you ever used a round oven that looks like a space ship, the ‘head has got a handle & 2 black eyes-temp knob’? Would like to hear comments fr anyone who has used it b4.
Thanks for sharing such a detailed receipe & photos with us.
Thank you so much,
Jessica
happyhomemaker88 said,
December 30, 2008 @ 10:24 pm
Hi there and welcome, dear Jessica
My oven is a built-in type and I bought it as a set with my Fujioh Cooker Hood. I think the type of oven you mentioned with the handle at the top is called a “turbo oven” or something. My brother-in-law makes his Siew Yoke using the Turbo Oven with very good results. The only problem is you have to make a smaller piece of Siew Yoke.
I’m glad you find the recipe and pictures helpful. I’ll be posting more instructions and pictures on how to prepare your Siew Yoke next.
Happy New Year!
With peace and joy,
choesf
How To Prepare Your Siew Yoke For Roasting « Welcome to Happyhomemaker88’s Virtual Home said,
December 30, 2008 @ 10:56 pm
[...] roasting instructions, please READ HERE. (Homemade Yummy Crispy Roast Pork/Siew Yoke [...]
Jessica said,
January 1, 2009 @ 10:43 pm
Hi Choesf,
thank you for your prompt reply. Looks like i need to consider carefully b4 getting an oven- a turbo oven which is relatively cheaper but smaller or a built-in type. The one ,in my kitchen, which is broken now is a built-in oven. Umm….. which one to get?? headache…..
I really enjoy reading your food blog ( M’sian food) step-by-step instructions with lovely photos. They are so easy to follow & understand. Well done, Choesf !!
Shall let you know once I have try them out.
Happy New Year to you & your family
Take care
Jessica
happyhomemaker88 said,
January 2, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
Happy New Year to you and your family, dear Jessice.
You are very welcome, it is my pleasure to help in anyway I can here. Thank you for your lovely comments on my blog – do drop by anytime and we will have a virtual cup of Malaysian kopi-O or Teh Tarik here together. :wink
Regarding your new oven, you can consider your budget and your type of baking/roasting needs – e.g. if you are cooking for a small family, then the turbo oven is sufficient. But if you have 6 hungry persons to feed like in my family, then you will need a built-in oven. There are many brands of built-in oven available with a big range of prices – go for a reliable brand and it is not necessary to go for too expensive or too high-end one.
Have a good weekend!
With peace and harmony,
choesf
Jessica said,
January 4, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
Hi Choesf,
Your advice was helpful cos I had forgot to take into consideration that I have a small family.
Since your brother-in-law had made such a delicious siew-yok by using that oven, I shall not look further. I have decided to get a turbo oven like his.
Would appreciate it if you could let me know what brand is his turbo oven & the model number. You could email me if you like.
Let’s have a virtual cup of Malaysian kopi-O each on this beautiful sunday morning.
Cheers,
Jessica
happyhomemaker88 said,
January 4, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
Wow, that virtual cup of kopi-O sure tastes good !
Anyway, my brother-in-law is out of town but I know his turbo oven is very old – he bought one when it first came out in the market, dear Jessica. Perhaps, you may like to check out your favourite electrical appliance stores and get some recommendations from them? 
Tomorrow, the new school year will start and I am back to being my kids’ chauffeur again.
Wishing you a Good night with Sweet Dreams,
choesf
Jessica said,
January 12, 2009 @ 8:03 am
Hi Choesf,
Yes, my 2 boys are back to school finally!! Have been busy looking for a new oven. 1)I have been told that turbo oven is excellent in making sio bak, chicken wings but not so in baking cakes. The cakes baked by the turbo oven tend to be drier.
They advised me to get a conventional oven. They oso told me 2) i don’t need fan in an oven cos it dries up my cakes / meat.
They oso told me 3) built-in ovens cause power to trip easily n I had that problem several times b4 my built-in oven broke down. Is it true?
I didn’t buy my built-in oven. It came with the apt when we bought it fr the ex owner. I like baking cakes as well as roasting esp to try your sio bak
Dear Choesf, were they telliing the truth 1) – 3)? Pls tell me more cos i don’t know much abt ovens.
Btw, I cleaned my washing machine yesterday soon after reading your cleaning tip. I was rather shocked by how much dirt, moulds n scums that have been accumulated in there over the yrs!! Cleaning had never been so easy with your vinegar-baking soda-water solution. I feel so clean n safe with my laundry now. A BIG thank you to you, choesf.
Bye
Jessica
happyhomemaker88 said,
January 12, 2009 @ 9:53 am
Good morning, dear Jessica
Ah, so your kids have also gone off to school? Same here – I am taking a short break now to peep in here. I had already driven a son to school, a daughter to university, and another daughter to the LRT station to go to work (she is working part time while waiting for SPM results) this morning and one more son is attending afternoon school. Afterwards, I have to do my laundry and other chores.
Yes, we never knew our washing machine is so dirty and needs cleaning, too.
Back to your question of ovens -
1) to prevent tripping, you need to ask your electrician to fix 2 things (this was what I did when I moved to this house) …. (A) the socket supplying electricity to your oven must be a good reliable brand (the standard ones cannot stand the wattage or voltage of the oven…..(B) you need to change the respective FUSE relating to the oven’s socket and electric supply to a higher wattage/voltage – I forgot what mine was already. Tell your electrician the problem and he should know what to do. Another problem with your old oven tripping the electricity often could be due to the old oven is “not safe” and there is electricity escaping.
2) if you like to bake also, then I would suggest that you go for the conventional oven. If you have the budget for it – try this method ==> check out those electrical stores that offer interest free instalments of up to 12 months if you use certain banks’ credit cards….so for example, if the built-in oven costs around RM1,200 – you will pay only RM100 per month for 12 months, which are deducted from your credit card monthly.
3) Thus far, I always use the fan in my oven while baking cakes or roasting meats, because that ensures even heating inside…only thing is you have to monitor the cooking time as it will be shorter than specified in the recipe. Meats can be basted often to make it moist. For cakes, I usually use an aluminium foil to cover the top of the baking tin for the first 10 minutes (before the cake batter rises and touches the foil), this will prevent the top from getting too dry and hard.
Okay, I have to go now to pay some bills…may you have a wonderful day today!
With peace and joy,
choesf
jessica said,
January 13, 2009 @ 7:30 am
Dear Choesf,
Good morning, looks like our children are alomost in the same age group. My 2 boys are in their high school. The elder one will be sitting for his pre-u exam this yr.
Thanks for your valuable advice. It’s so good to have you ‘ around’ . My doubts are all cleared. Shall look around for interest free instalments.
Have a wonderful day
Jessica
happyhomemaker88 said,
January 13, 2009 @ 9:21 am
You are very welcome, dear Jessica. Happy Shopping for your oven!
With peace and harmony,
choesf
Jessica said,
January 21, 2009 @ 8:59 pm
Hi Choesf,
Have been really busy in shopping n getting ready for the CNY. No time to shop for oven yet.
Would like to wish you & your family -
Gong Xi Fa Cai and may the year of Ox bring you health, prosperity, peace n harmony.
Look forward to seeing more exciting recipes in 2009
bye n take care
Best wishes,
Jessica
happyhomemaker88 said,
January 22, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
Hi there, dear Jessica
Gong Xi Fa Cai to you, too! May the new Chinese Year of the OX brings you and your family lots of good health, happiness and success! More recipes coming up….
With peace and joy,
choesf
Charmaine said,
February 8, 2009 @ 7:32 am
Thanks for sharing the recipe – I tried it out and it was a great success
happyhomemaker88 said,
February 8, 2009 @ 12:04 pm
You are very welcome, dear Charmaine. Thank you for your comments and for your link at your blog to my recipe. Your Siew Yoke looks absolutely delicious!
With peace and joy,
choesf
Making Chinese crispy pork belly (siu youk) « tasty treats! said,
February 8, 2009 @ 8:03 am
[...] to give it a shot myself. For some reason I didn’t use the same recipe (googling led me to this excellent recipe with step by step pictures) but the results are [...]
Sharon said,
April 18, 2009 @ 3:40 pm
Hiya,
I was wondering if you get that pork like taste when you make this? Not the good kind..the bad kind, hehe..Thanks!
happyhomemaker88 said,
April 19, 2009 @ 9:04 am
Hi there and welcome, dear Sharon
Errr…I’m sorry if I don’t quite understand your question there
… do you mean the pork has gone bad?
So far, this Roast Pork tastes absolutely delicious and my family finishes it very fast, enjoying its aromatic taste. The raw pork should be very fresh when we buy it from our butchers or supermarkets. All leftovers should be immediately refrigerated to prevent it from going bad.
With peace and joy,
choesf
psekat said,
April 30, 2009 @ 10:50 pm
made it again. super! got paid hahahahaha
happyhomemaker88 said,
April 30, 2009 @ 11:04 pm
Wow, this is fantastic news, dear psekat…you got paid for your siew yoke!
With best wishes,
choesf
Trish said,
May 4, 2009 @ 4:28 pm
Hello HappyHomemaker88,
I recently asked if you were familiar with an old Cantonese children’s rhyme. However, I forgot I had changed my email address. In any case, the corrected one is above if you reply. Thanks Choesf.
happyhomemaker88 said,
May 4, 2009 @ 6:39 pm
Hello there, dear Trish
I have amended your email address your other comment to the corrected already.
Do have a lovely week!
With best wishes,
choesf
Joy said,
June 7, 2009 @ 1:50 pm
Hi Choesf,
I tried making the roast pork (my second attempt) with your recipe and the result…….. YUMMY and is really nice. My first try with another recipe didnt turn out to be this nice.
My husband relatiives love it… they thought I bought it from the Chinese restaurant… hehe. They are non-chinese and lately, I have been trying to introduce Chinese dish when we have gathering. I find that your recipe is simple and easy.
This time, they requested Hainanese Chicken Rice… lets see how it goes…
Thanks again for sharing your recipe.
Cheers,
Joy
happyhomemaker88 said,
June 7, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
Hi there and welcome, dear Joy
Thank you for your feedback on this recipe – I’m really glad your roast pork was a success and your family loved it. I was very happy when I made this roast pork for the first time and seeing my family happily tucking into it was a great satisfaction for me.
I have a Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe here, too…try it and see.
Cheers!
With best wishes,
choesf
The Momster’s Kitchen » Blog Archive » Crispy Roast Pork said,
June 21, 2009 @ 9:52 am
[...] Happyhomemaker’s 88 Virtual Home – Homemade Yummy Chinese Crispy Roast Pork [...]
Victoria said,
June 24, 2009 @ 12:44 pm
Hi
YUMMY!
I love Chinese food
So gotta try make this
Bye
happyhomemaker88 said,
June 24, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
Hi there and welcome, dear Victoria
Hope you have fun trying this Roast Pork out – it taste absolutely delicious!
Happy Cooking!
choesf
Lady Dark said,
June 30, 2009 @ 12:32 pm
Hi,
was wondering, is turbo oven and convention cooker the same?…hehe…looking 4ward to trying ur recipe, a friend gave a a recipe that’s more or less the same with urs..but urs seems more exciting..heheh…hope I get it right..
happyhomemaker88 said,
June 30, 2009 @ 1:30 pm
Hi there and welcome, dear Lady Dark
Hmmm, you remind me of “Lady Gaga”..
Thank you for trying out my recipe. A turbo oven would work the same as a convention oven. My brother-in-law who makes Siew Yoke regularly uses a turbo oven. He said it makes the pork more crispy. The downside is you can only put a small piece of pork into the turbo oven at a time.
Happy Cooking!
With best wishes,
choesf
Anna said,
July 27, 2009 @ 11:24 am
Hi Choesf
I tried your Siew Yoke recipe yesterday (Sunday) as a treat to my family (my very first attempt at a Siew Yoke recipe) and it turned out great! It was sure finger licking good. Thanks for sharing some of the good things in life! God bless
Anna
happyhomemaker88 said,
July 28, 2009 @ 10:16 am
Hi there and welcome, dear Anna
Thank you for trying this recipe and giving your feedback. I’m glad your first attempt at Siew Yoke was a great success. Wasn’t that a good feeling? Able to make Siew Yoke for your family to enjoy?
With best wishes,
choesf
Andy said,
August 10, 2009 @ 5:14 am
A huge thanks for a really kick-ass recipe!
I had twice previously attempted to make crispy pork belly and couldn’t get the skin right on both occasions. For this third attempt, i stumbled upon your recipe and immediately noticed three interesting points : the use of nam yue for the marinade, vinegar to cook the skin and switching over to the grill during cooking. these three points certainly made a huge difference – I’ve never had crispy pock belly this good! The skin was very crispy and the taste was just fantastic. Whats more, I had actually forgot about preparing the pork skin 24 hours beforehand but managed to get round this by blowing over with a hair dryer for a good 15 minutes before cooking – it worked!
I have only one gripe about the recipe and that is the quantity of pepper used – I would suggest using a bit less.
happyhomemaker88 said,
August 11, 2009 @ 9:36 am
Hi there and welcome, dear Andy
I’m glad your crispy pork belly turned out great! Yes, the hairdryer trick works if we don’t have the time to prepare the pork skin 24 hours in advance. Will take note of your advice on the quantity of pepper used.
Do have a lovely week ahead!
With best wishes,
choesf
barfy said,
August 30, 2009 @ 1:15 am
here is a suggestion… try scoring the skin with a knife, do a crosshatch pattern instead of poking with a knife. dont cut too deep though. i have had great results instead of poking. by the way, when you dunk the entire meat into boiling water, the cooked portion will absorb LESS whatever marinade as well it is better to have boiling water with a healthy splash of white vinegar on the skin only. just prop up the pork belly with skewers skin facing up and pour the boiling water once or twice so that the skin turns opaque or white, then it is MUCH easier to score with the knife. Just make sure the boiling water doesnt touch the meat or fat on the sides. Make sure to wipe down the excess moisture and a light layer of salt and put in fridge over night to dry up the skin. If you have to put a paper towel to absorb the water. Hope that helps with crispyness of the skin you guys are after!
happyhomemaker88 said,
September 1, 2009 @ 7:54 am
Hi there and welcome, dear barfy
Wow, your tips are really informative and useful in achieving a more flavourful and crispy Roast Pork Belly. Thank you! I shall try this method out the next time.
Do have a lovely week ahead!
With best wishes,
choesf
Thomas Tran said,
August 30, 2009 @ 4:00 am
Thanks for the great tips on roast pork. I like how you switch between phonetic Cantonese and Hokkien in the terms you use.
happyhomemaker88 said,
September 1, 2009 @ 7:57 am
Hi there, dear Thomas Tran
You are most welcome. Heheh, my family speaks both the Cantonese and Hokkien dialects at home and I wanted to use both terms for the Roast Pork.
Do have a lovely week ahead!
With best wishes,
choesf
barfy said,
September 2, 2009 @ 12:43 pm
Hello again everyone!
To all the posts that the skin is only getting crispy on some but not the entire area. I have encountered the same thing while doing my pork. The areas that are not getting crispy because it is sitting too low from the broiling elements. Try to prop the low areas closer to the broiler with a long object such as tongs, knife or long handle spoon. Please be careful and wear oven mitts and safety glasses while trying to prop up your crispy roast pork! You may have to prop it manually and hold it for up to a minute. Please do be careful – safety is of utmost importance!
I usually cook the roast pork the normal way by baking it. And to make the skin crispy I put the skin very close to the broiler element… about 4 inches away. You may have to make adjustments or rotate to make sure all the skin has equal exposure to the elements. You must keep your eye on it and not let it burn! The puffyness occurs quite fast it is really exciting! It is almost watching a popcorn puff out… but in slow motion! Very enjoyable experience! Much better than BBQ stalls, because it is much fresher and the skin is usually much crispier! : D
happyhomemaker88 said,
September 2, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
Hello again, dear barfy
Wow, you are really good with roasting pork – your good pointers there certainly reflect your experience in handling the roast pork. I bet your Siew Yoke is absolutely scrumptious!
Yes, after having tasted our homemade roast pork, those sold at BBQ stalls just don’t taste as good as ours. Thank you again for your guidance here.
Cheers!
choesf
Making Chinese crispy pork belly (siu youk) « said,
October 19, 2009 @ 3:56 am
[...] to give it a shot myself. For some reason I didn’t use the same recipe (googling led me to this excellent recipe with step by step pictures) but the results are [...]