Perfect crispy air fryer pork belly with crackling is easier to make than you might think. All you need is time and a little preparation, but the result is definitely worth the effort!
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Pork belly is such a controversial cut of meat. Some people love it, others hate it. My opinion is that it's is great when it's cooked right. It should be well seasoned, with no large chunks of fat, and the skin should be cooked to crispy crackling.
The key to perfectly cooked pork belly is to set aside enough time to prepare it. In fact, you should start making it ready at least 12 hours before you intend to serve it. The main goal here is to make the crackling, which many find difficult, but don't worry - my method is foolproof and super simple!
Cooking the pork belly in the air fryer also means that most of the fat will drip off of the pork as it cooks. You can use this fat to make a sauce if you want, but it also means that the dish will be leaner compared to traditional cooking methods.
Ingredients
Choose a nice cut of pork belly. I buy pork belly slices because they fit better in my air fryer, but if you have a larger air fryer you can also buy a whole joint. Just make sure that the meat can fit comfortably in your appliance.
Additionally, you will need plenty of salt, and your favorite spice rub. I like to use store bought BBQ seasoning or spice rub, but you can also simply combine some spices from your pantry.
I don't recommend using a marinade for this cut, as it could prevent the skin from becoming crispy. Instead, you can add a glaze to the pork after the crackling has developed.
How to make crackling
Making crackling is easy. Crackling is pork skin which has been dried, then expanded by cooking it on high temperatures. Most pork belly joints come with the skin still attached, but if yours don't, you will not be able to make crackling.
The first step is to make the skin as dry as possible. To achieve this, we wipe any water off the pork belly, then store it uncovered in a refrigerator for 12-24 hours. We also cover the pork belly skin with salt, which helps to draw out even more water.
While the pork belly is resting, you should use a paper towel to wipe off any excess water on the surface of the skin.
After the skin has dried out sufficiently, we place it directly in a preheated air fryer. This gives the meat a temperature shock, causing the skin to expand and create crackling.
Instructions
Fill a large pot with boiling water, and add the pork belly. Leave it to boil for about 10 minutes. This will make the meat tender, and shorten the cooking time for the next day.
Place the pork belly in a shallow bowl or on a plate, skin side up. Use paper towels to pat the meat as dry as possible.
Use a sharp knife or a metal skewer to pierce or slice ridges into the skin on top of the pork belly, being careful not to cut too deep as to slice into the meat underneath.
Transfer the pork belly to your refrigerator, and leave it to rest uncovered for 12-24 hours. Once or twice while it rests you should try to wipe off any excess water from the skin, and cover with additional salt if required.
Then, preheat your air fryer and add a spice rub to the sides of the pork belly, being careful as to not touch the skin.
Place the pork belly slices or joint in your air fryer, skin side up. Air fry for about 30 minutes, or until the meat has cooked through and the crackling has developed.
You can use a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the meat to ensure optimal cooking time. The pork belly can be removed from the air fryer when it reaches 145 °F / 63 °C.
Leave the meat to rest for 3 minutes before serving it. You can serve pork belly in slices, or dice it and serve as pork belly bites.
Top tips
Here is all of my best advice to succeed with this air fryer pork belly recipe:
- Keeping the skin dry is essential. Use the resting time wisely to dry off any excess liquid.
- Adding salt will force water to be drawn out of the pork belly. Season generously and don't worry, the dish will not actually taste particularly salty.
- Always store and air fry the pork belly with the skin side up. This will keep it dry.
- When you slice or pierce the skin, you should make sure not to slice through to the meat, as this will prevent the skin from drying out sufficiently.
Serving suggestions
Air fryer pork belly is fantastic served as a main course, paired with your favorite sides. Here are some of my favorite serving suggestions:
- Air fryer sweet potatoes - Baked sweet potatoes are an excellent pairing.
- Spiralized potatoes - Crispy spiralized potatoes taste great, and are much more interesting than plain potatoes.
- Sauteed red cabbage - The color of this dish is fantastic, but so is the flavor!
- Honey sriracha brussels sprouts - Sweet, spicy and sticky; these are the best brussels sprouts ever.
- Turmeric rice - I always love a good rice dish, and this one has some extra added flavors.
- Kale salad with apples and cranberries - A lovely salad, perfect for the holiday season.
Leftovers
You can store leftover pork belly in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in an oven, air fryer or microwave, and serve it warm with your favorite side dishes.
You can also freeze pork belly, but the crackling is usually not as crisp after defrosting it. If you have so much leftover meat that you wish to freeze it, I recommend you remove the crackling, and either shred or dice up the meat and freeze it to use in other dishes such as casseroles or soups. The crackling can then either be enjoyed as a snack, or discarded.
Frequently asked questions
Pork belly should be 145 °F / 63 °C when cooked.
If the pork belly skin is not crispy, there was too much moisture in it. To prevent this, make sure to salt the skin and wipe off any liquid. You should also avoid seasoning the skin, and avoid cutting into the meat when you slice the skin.
If there are any hairs on your pork belly you can remove these by using a safety razor, a blow torch or tweezers. The hairs are not dangerous to eat, but can be a little unappetizing.
You might also like these recipes
- Air fryer pork tenderloin
- Air fryer steak
- Slow cooker pulled pork
- Air fryer pork chops
- Air fryer chicken thighs
- Slow cooker gammon in coke
Recipe
Air Fryer Pork Belly
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pork belly slices
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pork spice rub
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with boiling water, and add the pork belly. Leave it to boil for about 10 minutes. This will make the meat tender, and shorten the cooking time for the next day.
- Place the pork belly in a shallow bowl or on a plate, skin side up. Use paper towels to pat the meat as dry as possible. Use a sharp knife or a metal skewer to pierce or slice ridges into the skin on top of the pork belly, being careful not to cut too deep as to slice into the meat underneath.
- Transfer the pork belly to your refrigerator, and leave it to rest uncovered for 12-24 hours. Once or twice while it rests you should try to wipe off any excess water from the skin, and cover with additional salt if required.
- Then, preheat your air fryer and add a spice rub to the sides of the pork belly, being careful as to not touch the skin. Place the pork belly slices or joint in your air fryer, skin side up. Air fry at 375 F / 190 C for about 20-30 minutes, or until the meat has cooked through and the crackling has developed.
- You can use a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the meat to ensure optimal cooking time. The pork belly can be removed from the air fryer when it reaches 145 °F / 63 °C.
- Leave the meat to rest for 3 minutes before serving it. You can serve pork belly in slices, or dice it and serve as pork belly bites.
Video
Notes
- Keeping the skin dry is essential. Use the resting time wisely to dry off any excess liquid.
- Remember that air fryers can cook a little differently. The cooking time is only a suggestion.
- Adding salt will force water to be drawn out of the pork belly. Season generously and don’t worry, the dish will not actually taste particularly salty.
- Always store and air fry the pork belly with the skin side up. This will keep it dry.
- When you slice or pierce the skin, you should make sure not to slice through to the meat, as this will prevent the skin from drying out sufficiently.
- You can store leftover pork belly in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in an oven, air fryer or microwave, and serve it warm with your favorite side dishes.
Erica
What temperature should the air fryer be? Ours is variable.
Tonje
I recommend cooking it at 375 F / 190 C!