Rinse the pork belly, and then pat it dry.

Place it skin-side down on a small tray (you’ll be putting it in the refrigerator for some time, so make sure you have space)

Rub the shaoxing wine into the meat (not the skin). Mix together the salt, sugar, five spice powder and white pepper. Thoroughly rub this spice mixture into the meat as well. Make incisions in the pork and push slivers of garlic into the slits.

Flip the meat over so it’s skin-side up and place it on a small tray.

Let it dry out in the fridge uncovered, for 12-24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Poke holes ALL over the skin, which will help the skin crisp up, rather than stay smooth and leathery. The more holes there are, the better, really. You want lots of small, delicate holes. I used a multi-pronged ice pick. You could use turkey skewers.

Using heavy duty aluminum foil, wrap the pork like the bottom of the box. The top (skin) will remain exposed. Try to wrap the pork snugly so the edge of the foil meets the top edge of the pork sides. See pic above.

Rub the skin of the pork with the vinegar. Sprinkle with salt to create an even layer over the skin. Try not to the salt fall down the sides in-between the foil.

Bake in oven for 1 hour and a half.

Remove from oven. Take the pork out of the foil pouch, remove salt crust and place pork on a foiled lined pan fitted with a rack. Turn oven onto broil, low setting. Oven rack should be set in the lower portion of the oven. Place pork in oven and broil for 10-15 minutes until skin puffs and becomes crispy. There should be tiny bubbles formed on the skin, if not the skin will be tough.

Keep an eye on the pork while broiling!

Remove from oven and let rest approximately 10-15 minutes. Cut into bite size pieces making sure each piece as a crispy little hat of cracklin! Serve with Chinese mustard or hoisin or sugar and oyster sauce.