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    Home » Recipes » Pork

    Sous Vide Char Siu Pork Belly

    Apr 18, 2018 · 10 Comments

    This sous vide char siu pork belly is a straight mouthgasm. First off, sous vide pork belly is simply unbelievable. It is insanely tender and juicy. The definition of perfection. Then you glaze the belly with a delectable char siu marinade and you have the perfect flavor profile.

    Do yourself a favor and make this recipe stat.

    sous vide char siu

    Time and Temperature

    Through loads of experimentation, we’ve found that cooking the char siu pork belly at 74C/165F for 10 hours is the perfect combo. Leaving the pork in for 10 hours breaks down the connective tissue (collagen), which results in an extremely tender belly. Also, cooking it at a temperature of 165F is the sweet spot for juicy, delicious pork belly. Just make sure you have a reliable sous vide that accurately regulates the temperature of the bath or your results may vary (check out the Anova or Joule). For other time and temperature options, check out our cooking guide here.

    Special Equipment

    Sous Vide Machine – This one is obvious. To cook sous vide, you’re going to need a device to precisely regulate the temperature of the bath water. The two best sous vide machines in the game right now are the Anova Precision Cooker and the Breville Joule. The main difference between the two is that with the Anova you can control the device both manually and with a mobile device, and with the Joule you can only control the device by using your mobile device. Either way, both sous vide machines are top class and you can’t go wrong with either choice.

    12-quart Container – Although you can use a basic stockpot for your sous vide cooking needs, I highly recommend buying a large plastic container. They are inexpensive and spacious, so you won’t have to worry about cooking a big roast in a small pot. I recommend a 12 quart Rubbermaid container, as it is BPA free, sturdy, and large enough for just about anything you will be cooking.

    Container Lid – If you are going to buy a plastic container, I highly suggest buying a compatible lid for it. When you sous vide for a long duration, the heat of the water causes evaporation. With a lid, it eliminates a majority of the evaporation so you can cook for 72 hours care-free.

    Cast Iron Skillet – If you are looking to take your searing game to the next level, we recommend investing in a cast iron skillet. By using a cast iron in this recipe, you’ll achieve a deep sear on the protein. Cast irons are also extremely handy for searing just about any and all sous vide meat. Lodge offers the best quality and price, which is why it is our favorite cast iron brand.

    Check out our full list of recommended gear here.

    sous vide char siu
    5 from 2 votes
    Print

    Sous Vide Char Siu Pork Belly

    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Chinese
    Keyword char siu, chinese, pork belly, sous vide
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Hands-On Cook Time 15 minutes
    Sous Vide Time 10 hours
    Total Time 10 hours 25 minutes
    Servings 4 people

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb pork belly
    • 1 ½ tablespoon hoisin sauce
    • 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
    • ½ tablespoon honey
    • 2 teaspoon white sugar
    • ½ teaspoon five spice powder
    • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
    • 2 drops red food coloring (optional)

    Instructions

    Preparation

    1. In a bowl, mix together hoisin, soy sauce, honey, sugar, five spice powder, sesame oil and red food coloring.

    2. Put the pork belly in a freezer bag with the char siu sauce, and remove the air through a vacuum sealer or the displacement method. Put the bag in the fridge, and let the pork marinade for 4 to 24 hours (optional, but recommended).

    3. Set sous vide machine to 74C/165F. Once the target temperature is reached, drop pork belly in the bath for 10 hours.

    Finishing

    1. Set oven to 204C/400F. 

    2. Remove bag from bath, and immediately transfer bag to an ice bath to cool down the pork belly. Once cooled, take pork belly out, pat dry and slice the belly into ¼-inch lengthwise pieces.

    3. Heat small sauce pan on medium, add char siu sauce from bag and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Once thickened, turn off heat and add pork belly to evenly coat each slice. Leave extra sauce for a second coat. Remove slices from pan and arrange them on a foil-lined baking sheet.

    4. Set oven to 350F. Place baking sheet in oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven, and re-coat the pieces with remaining sauce. Switch to broil mode and finish for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven, and cut in to desired piece size. Serve with fried rice, noodles, and/or vegetables and enjoy!

    « Sous Vide Pork Belly Ramen
    Sous Vide Pollo Asado »

    About Jason Veselak

    Jason is a home chef with a passion for preparing perfectly-cooked, gourmet meals at home - so naturally he became obsessed with cooking sous vide. This obsession led to a quest to find the perfect cooking time, temperatures and techniques for every type of food he puts in the bath. Jason is excited to share his pro-tips and favorite recipes to help make cooking sous vide an unforgettable experience for everyone. Follow his culinary adventures at @sousveezy on Instagram to learn more!

    This post may contain affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Evelyn says

      May 01, 2020 at 7:45 pm

      The sauce doesn’t thicken at all. Need to add sugar?

      Reply
    2. David L says

      December 03, 2020 at 5:06 pm

      Why set oven to 400 in step 1 of finishing?

      Reply
      • Jason Veselak says

        December 06, 2020 at 8:42 am

        Just so the oven is preheated and ready for when you complete the rest of the steps :).

        Reply
    3. Jax says

      July 04, 2021 at 7:00 pm

      Just popped this in my Anova for overnight. Will finish off on grill tomorrow 🥰

      Reply
    4. Richard says

      November 03, 2021 at 2:23 pm

      Do you recommend leaving the skin on or removing before cooking?

      Reply
      • Jason Veselak says

        November 03, 2021 at 2:29 pm

        Hi Richard, I would recommend removing the skin prior to cooking. The skin gets very chewy during the SV process and it's really tricky to make it crispy/edible after. Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Chris says

      January 07, 2022 at 12:16 pm

      This pork belly was absolutely divine. Used Kecap manis instead of soy sauce & halved the sugar added. Finished on the BBQ. Everyone loved this dish. Thank you.

      Reply
    6. Mimi A says

      April 24, 2022 at 6:13 pm

      Absolutely delish! Sliced, baked on both sides and broiled. Hub likes the fat rendered more I less and we both have it rave reviews. Many thanks and looking forward to making more of your sous vide recipes!

      Reply
      • Jason Veselak says

        April 25, 2022 at 9:40 am

        I love to hear that, so glad you enjoyed!

        Reply
    7. Bob L says

      July 16, 2022 at 7:13 am

      Great recipe! Finished with sear in skillet.

      Reply

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