Easy Sweet and Sour Pork Belly

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). (5 minutes)

Using a sharp knife, score the fatty side of the pork belly with 1/8-inch deep cuts, spaced 1/2 inch apart. Create a crosshatch pattern by repeating the cuts at a 45-degree angle. Transfer the pork belly to a shallow baking dish, ensuring it fits snugly. (10 minutes)

In a small bowl, combine the salt, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and black pepper to create a dry rub. Generously apply the rub to all sides of the pork belly, pressing it into the meat. Ensure the fatty side faces up. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place it on a sheet pan. (5 minutes)

Bake in the preheated oven until the pork belly is incredibly tender, easily pierced with the tip of a knife, approximately 3 1/2 hours. (210 minutes)

Remove the pork belly from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then, cover and refrigerate for a thorough chill, ideally 8 hours or overnight. (30 minutes + 480 minutes)

Remove the chilled pork belly from the refrigerator and transfer it to a cutting board. Slice the pork belly into ½-inch thick pieces. (5 minutes)

Prepare the glaze: Skim 2 teaspoons of rendered pork fat from the top of the baking dish drippings and heat it in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the minced ginger and garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds. (5 minutes)

Stir in the pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sambal chili paste. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sauce has reduced by approximately half, around 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. (5 minutes)

In a dry, nonstick pan over medium-high heat, cook the pork belly slices until they develop a beautiful brown crust on the surface, about 2 minutes per side. (10 minutes)

Add a couple of tablespoons of the pork belly "jelly" (rendered collagen) from the baking dish and the sweet and sour sauce to the pan. Continue cooking until the sauce reduces to a glossy glaze, about 2 to 3 more minutes. (5 minutes)

Remove from the heat and serve immediately over rice or noodles.