Homemade Sichuan Smoked Pork Belly

Sichuan cured pork belly—that's a longing etched into the DNA of every Sichuanese. In previous years, we'd eat cured pork belly made from pigs raised by our neighbors back home. Those pigs were raised for over a year, so they were incredibly fatty; the fat slices alone were as wide as a hand, making it quite a hefty meal. This year, I decided to make it myself—a down-to-earth, family-style version. I specifically chose leaner cuts of pork, finally achieving "cured pork belly freedom"! Look at this! The layers of fat are distinct, golden and translucent, glistening with oil—it makes my mouth water just looking at it. Unlike the dark, charred kind from smoking back home, this is clean and easy to wash. A close sniff reveals a subtle cypress aroma mixed with the numbing fragrance of Sichuan peppercorns. Steaming it releases a rich, smoky flavor that fills the room. The fatty parts are tender and not greasy, while the lean parts are firm and chewy—every bite is the taste of home.

Ingredients

5 catties of pork belly
A suitable amount of high-proof liquor (above 50 degrees).
12 grams of Sichuan peppercorns (If you don't like the numbing sensation, just add green Sichuan peppercorns; if you don't mind the numbing sensation, you can add some red Sichuan peppercorn husks.)
50g salt
Four bay leaves
2 grams of fennel seeds
2 star anise
500g of cypress leaves are preferred. (Use dried orange peel, peanut shells, tea leaves, etc. as substitutes.)

Steps

Preparing the pork: Traditionally, the meat isn't washed, but since we're particular about cleanliness, we'll wash the pork belly thoroughly and air dry it with kitchen paper or on a balcony. Then spray it with high-proof white liquor.
Prepare spices: Prepare Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, bay leaves, and fennel seeds. If you are particular about them, you can rinse them, but if you don't want to bother, you can use them directly.
First, put coarse salt in a pot and stir-fry over medium-low heat until the salt grains are boiling hot.
Immediately turn off the heat, add Sichuan peppercorns and star anise, and use the residual heat of the salt to stir-fry them until they are fragrant and caramelized.
Add bay leaves and fennel seeds last. These two are very easy to burn, so just let them warm slightly with the residual heat. If they cool down during cooking, turn the heat to the lowest setting and heat briefly, being careful not to burn them. Put the cooked salt and spices into a food processor and grind them. This mixture can also be used to steam pork with rice flour, make salt and pepper shrimp, and even flavor pancakes!
Find a large bowl and sprinkle a layer of prepared spiced salt at the bottom.
Rub each piece of pork belly evenly with spiced salt and arrange them in a bowl. If the room temperature is above 10 degrees Celsius, refrigerate the bowl. Turn the pork belly over once a day, bringing the bottom side to the top to ensure even marinating. Marinate for 5 days.
Take out the marinated meat, rinse off the excess spices and salt on the surface, and drain and dry it thoroughly.
Prepare a pot with a lid, and line the bottom with cypress leaves (dried orange peels or tea leaves can be used if you don't have cypress leaves). Place a grill rack inside the pot, making sure there's some space between the rack and the bottom of the pot so the smoke can swirl. Place the meat on the rack, cover the pot, and start smoking over the lowest heat. ⚠️ Important Reminder: Never leave the pot unattended while smoking! If you need to leave, you must turn off the heat first to avoid starting a fire! Smok for 1-2 hours each time, twice is enough. I smoked mine over two days for a more intense flavor.
Take out the smoked meat, let it air dry and blow dry the moisture, then seal it well and put it in the freezer. It can be stored for a year without any problems. Just thaw it in advance when you want to eat it.