The same techniques that go into creating the deep savouriness of Cantonese roasted pork belly work equally well with pork shoulder. Half the calories, all of the flavour.

Time: 4/5
Oven time is passive time.

Effort: 3/5
There’s a lot less work when you don’t need to make crispy crackling skin.

Prep for Success

Cantonese-style roast pork belly (Siu Yuk) is so rich and decadent that it’s a true special occasion meal. But there’s a way to have a similar experience of meaty, savoury, well-spiced pork without consuming enough lard to put you into a coma.

I made Siu Yuk healthier in the same way that I made a macro-friendly Filipino pork adobo, or meal prep Bak Kut Teh. By simply substituting pork belly with shoulder, you can follow pretty much the same recipe and get most of the way there in terms of flavour.

Of course, there’s a trade off. Using pork shoulder means going without the shatteringly crispy crackling that you get with a nice piece of belly. But it does mean that you can skip all the work that goes into trying to get that crispy skin – the pre-blanche, the vinegar brush, the overnight cure, poking holes in the skin … that can all be dispensed with.

And just like how Siu Yuk can be turned into a Pork and Tofu Stew the next day, the main reason I made this recipe was actually to get plenty of leftovers to make a Roast Pork and Beancurd Stew. I mean, since I’m turning the oven on, I might as well take the opportunity to cook extra and eat like a king all week.

I love these sort of one-two punch type of combinations where the first recipe sets up the other. With just a bit of knowledge and skill, you can transform old ingredients into new and exciting meals that keep the food fresh and interesting.

I also hope posts like this one inspire you to make your own twists and modifications to traditional recipes so you can continue to enjoy your food while still meeting nutrition goals that support your needs.

Posts since the last recipe that was actually served with rice: 0

Dramatis Personae

Served two using about a third of the pork, with plenty of leftovers for stews and stir fries later in the week.

• 1400g pork butt
• 3 tsp salt
• 3 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp five spice powder

Also served with stir fried lettuce. Always eat your veggies!

Executive summary

1. Marinade the pork in the fridge overnight.
2. The next day, roast the pork at 200C/400F for about 90 minutes, flipping halfway.
3. In the meantime, make rice and vegetables.
4. Once the pork is tender and slightly browned, take it out of the oven and allow it to rest.
5. Serve about a third of the pork for today, and save the rest for other recipes.

Play by Play

Last things first. I like to give my pork an overnight marinade.

Here I am the next day. Lettuce fresh from the market, and pork ready to go into the oven first where it can hang out.

Now that my hands are free, I can start the rice cooker, then wash and cook the lettuce.

I also made a very simple sauce by essentially washing off the residue of the teriyaki glaze left from my salmon recipe a few days ago. Remember, good cooks do easy dishes!

About time too, because the pork is done roasting. Got a bit of colour on it even if it isn’t as visually impressive as the Siu Yuk roast pork belly, but it will do for our purposes. In fact, it looks a lot like my DIY Char Siu (and why shouldn’t it? It’s the same cut of meat after all.)

Dinner’s served! A simple but delicious affair, and now I have a whole lot of roast pork ready to go for super quick meal preps later in the week.

Print Recipe

Macro-friendly Cantonese Roast Pork

The same techniques that go into creating the deep savouriness of Cantonese roasted pork belly work equally well with pork shoulder. Half the calories, all of the flavour.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Oven, Pork

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1400 g pork butt
• 3 tsp salt
• 3 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp five spice powder
• 1800 g lettuce

Instructions

• Marinade the pork in the fridge overnight.
• The next day, roast the pork at 200C/400F for about 90 minutes, flipping halfway.
• In the meantime, make rice and vegetables.
• Once the pork is tender and slightly browned, take it out of the oven and allow it to rest.
• Cut pork into bite sized pieces, assemble, and serve.

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