Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). Meanwhile, prepare a baking dish by inserting an elevated cooking rack.If you don't have an elevated rack, crumple up several sheets of aluminum foil and scatter them across the bottom of the baking dish.You'll need to keep the pork belly elevated as it cooks to help the fat render more readily.

Step 2

Score the meat. Using a sharp knife, the skin of the pork belly in a cross-hatch pattern. Slice across the skin in vertical rows spaced 2 inches (5 cm) apart, then create a series of perpendicular slices that are also spaced 2 inches (5 cm) apart.Pierce through the tough skin and the top layer of fat, but do not cut too deeply into the actual meat lying beneath the two.Scoring the meat in this manner will allow more of the fat to render out during the roasting process.

Step 3

Rub in the oil, salt, and pepper. Place the pork belly on your prepared baking rack with the skin-side facing up. Rub the top with oil, then generously season the meat with salt and pepper.In addition to seasoning the meat, the oil and salt make it easier for the fat to render out, resulting in crispier skin.Apply the seasonings by hand, and work the salt and pepper into the slits across the skin.Note that salt and pepper should withstand the roasting process without deteriorating, but other spices and herbs might burn. If you decide to add others, do so within the final 30 minutes of cooking.

Step 4

Cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Place the seasoned pork belly in the preheated oven. Roast it for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the skin browns and begins to look crispy.This brief period of high heat will not cook the pork through, nor should you cook the pork belly at this high heat for the entire time. The intense heat is only meant to crisp the skin.Do not wait for the skin to become dark brown or fully crisped since it will continue cooking at a lower temperature. Cooking it for too much time at a high heat could cause it to burn before the rest of the meat finishes.

Step 5

Decrease the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Decrease the temperature without removing the pork belly. Allow the meat to cook for another 2 to 2-1/2 hours, or until done.Check the pork belly halfway through the cooking process. If the fat gets too hot, it may start to smoke, and you'll need to transfer the meat to a clean baking dish.The pork belly must reach a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius) before you remove it from the oven.

Step 6

Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. After removing the pork belly from the oven, allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving it.During this time, the juices should distribute themselves and settle within the meat.

Step 7

Serve while still hot. Roasted pork belly will have crispy skin, but the inner meat should be tender and moist.Store any leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator.When reheating the leftovers, sear the slices in a skillet so that the skin remains crispy.