Chinese Cured Pork Belly

Name: Chinese Cured Pork Belly
Prep time: 7 d 1 h
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 20 serving
Ingredients: 10 pieces pork belly; ¼ cup soy sauce; 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce; 2 tablespoons salt; ¼ cup sugar; ¼ cup cooking rice wine; ¼ teaspoon Five spices; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 lice ginger

User Reviews

5.0

21 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
7 d 1 hr
Cook Time
mins
Servings
20
Calories
16 kcal
Course
Side Dish, Main Course
Cuisine
Asian, Chinese

Chinese Cured Pork Belly

Leo Ortega

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Lap yuk (臘肉) or là ròu (腊肉) is a Chinese cured pork belly. It’s a classic and traditional Chinese bacon that can be used in lo bak go, taro cake, glutinous rice stir fry and clay pot rice. This lap yuk Chinese bacon recipe only uses a few simple ingredients. Also, it shows how to make and prepare Chinese cured pork belly at home.

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Ingredients

Servings

10 pieces pork belly (Boneless cut around 4.26 pounds)

Marinated Sauce:

¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons salt
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup cooking rice wine
¼ teaspoon Five spices
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lice ginger (Grind)

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Instructions

Remove the boneless cut pork belly from the package. It is best to choose half fat and half meat. (This is 4.26 pounds and has 10 pieces. You can get 3-4 pounds of pork belly.)
Put the pork belly into the plastic ziplock bag. (I prefer to use a ziplock bag to marinate because it’s easier and less messy.)
Pour ¼ cup of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of salt, ¼ cup of sugar, ¼ cup of cooking rice wine, ¼ teaspoon of five spices, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 slice of grind ginger into a bowl. Then, mix it well.
After that, pour the marinade sauce from step 3 into the bag of pork belly. Then, zip and tighten the bag. Massage the bag of meat and make sure the sauce covers each pork belly. Let the pork belly marinade in the refrigerator for at least a full day (24 hours). Marinated for 1-2 days is ok. Remember to lay the marinated pork belly bag flat in the refrigerator (12 hours) and flip the other side at night before going to sleep (12 hours).
Cut 10 of the 36 inches long strings. (Because I have 10 pieces of pork belly.) Then, thread a string through the needle and tie the end.
Next, take a piece of marinated pork belly and thread through the meat part a couple times to secure the meat. Cut the needle out and tie the string. See the video below the recipe card for detail.
Repeat steps 5-6 until the marinated pork belly is tied with a string.
After, put the safety pins through the strings. (You can use any hooks that help hanging is ok.)
The following, hang the marinated pork belly outside in the early morning until dark at night. Then, I put them back in the refrigerator cover with a plastic wrap. I repeat this process for 7 days on average depending on the weather and area. (The first day hanging the marinated pork belly out, I usually put a plastic cover under the meat because it prevents the liquid from dripping on the floor.)
These Chinese bacon are hanging outside 2-3 days on a mostly sunny day, humidity was around 56%-76% and wind was around 5-9 mph.
On days 4-5, hanging the lap yuk outside. (On a sunny day, humidity was around 51%-69% and wind was around 4-7 mph.) You can see a layer of oil shiny on the meat. It’s a good indicator that the bacon is almost done.
Chinese cured pork belly, lap yuk, is ready after hanging outside for 7 days.
You can cut it into slices. (When the lap yuk is dried and cold, it is hard to cut.)
Therefore, a lot of people like to wash the lap yuk with warm or hot water. Then, put lap yuk on a plate and steam it for 10 minutes. (After the water is boiling, put the lap yuk in and account for 10 minutes.)
After steaming lap yuk for 10 minutes, it is softer.
And, steamed lap yuk is easier to cut. The taste is even better.

Notes

It is best to choose half fat and half meat of pork belly.
Mix the marinated sauce well.
Put pork belly in a ziplock bag and pour the marinade sauce into the bag. Zip and tighten the bag, mix and make sure the sauce covers the pork belly.
I prefer to use a ziplock bag because it’s easier and less messy.
Let the pork belly marinade in the refrigerator for at least a full day (24 hours). Marinated for 1-2 days is ok.
Lay the marinated pork belly bag flat in the refrigerator (12 hours), flip the other side at night before going to sleep (12 hours).
Thread the marinated pork belly with a needle and string. Make sure to thread through the meat, not the fat part.
I use safety pins to hook/hang the pork belly. However, you can use any hooks that help hanging is ok.
Since my area and weather is dry. I hung out with some sunlights for 7 days. Average people hang around for 5-7 days. Some may need 10 days, all depending on the area and weather.
Usually, I hang the marinated pork belly in the early morning until dark at night and I put them back in the refrigerator cover with a plastic wrap. I repeat this process for 7 days on average.
The first day hanging the marinated pork belly out, I usually put a plastic cover under the meat because it prevents the liquid from dripping on the floor.
We live in the mountain west area, the best time to make Chinese cured bacon is in November because the weather is nice, no bugs and flies.
I have tried to make some during winter time in December which is ok too. But, sometimes it snows and I have to hang them inside the house.
Before you make Chinese bacon, it is best to check the weather report and see the average 7 days weather. Sunny or partly cloudy works ok. However, don’t overexposure under the hot sun.
Normally, around 4-5 days hanging the lap yuk outside, you can see a layer of oil shiny on the meat. It’s a good indicator that the bacon is almost done.
Wrap 2-3 pieces of la yuk with parchment paper and put into a ziplock bag. Then, freeze them for up to months or put them in the refrigerator for a few days.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 16kcal (1%) Carbohydrates 3g (1%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Cholesterol 1mg (0%) Sodium 961mg (40%) Potassium 14mg (0%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 1IU (0%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 2mg (0%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 20Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 16 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	16kcal	1%
Carbohydrates	3g	1%
Protein	1g	2%
Fat	1g	2%
Saturated Fat	1g	5%
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	6%
Monounsaturated Fat	1g	5%
Cholesterol	1mg	0%
Sodium	961mg	40%
Potassium	14mg	0%
Fiber	1g	4%
Sugar	3g	6%
Vitamin A	1IU	0%
Vitamin C	1mg	1%
Calcium	2mg	0%
Iron	1mg	6%