Belly Pork In An Air Fryer: A Tasty, Crispy Treat

Air fryers are a great way to cook pork belly, resulting in a juicy and tender dish with a crispy skin. There are a variety of recipes available online, with some suggesting that the pork belly be cut into strips and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and baking powder the night before cooking. The next day, the air fryer is preheated to 250 degrees F, and the pork belly is cooked for 25 minutes before the temperature is increased to 400 degrees F for an additional 20 minutes. This method ensures that the pork belly is cooked through while also achieving the desired level of crispiness on the skin.

How to make crispy pork belly in the air fryer

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds pork belly
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or ½ tsp garlic granules)
• Oil for spraying

Method:

Firstly, cut the pork belly into 1-inch strips or chunks and place in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the pork belly with salt and rub it into the skin and meat. Set the pork belly skin-side up on a plate and sprinkle with black pepper. Place the pork in the refrigerator, uncovered, and let it chill overnight.

The next day, preheat your air fryer to 250°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking powder and garlic powder. Rub this mixture all over the pork belly. Spray the inner basket of the air fryer with cooking oil spray. Generously spray the pork belly with the cooking oil spray, ensuring the dry mixture is completely moistened.

Place the pork belly in one layer, skin-side-up, in the air fryer basket. Air fry for 25 minutes, then increase the temperature to 400°F and air fry for an additional 20 minutes. If the skin is not yet crisp, continue cooking and checking on the pork belly every five minutes until it reaches your desired level of crispiness.

Tips:

• Season and place the pork belly in the refrigerator overnight. This helps draw extra moisture out of the skin, which is the key to making crispy pork belly in the air fryer.
• Make sure the dry mix of garlic powder and baking powder on the skin is generously coated with cooking oil spray until moistened completely.
• Always let the pork dry out in the fridge overnight to draw out excess moisture.
• Keep the pork belly skin-side up during cooking to help the meat stay moist and tender.

Tips for making super crispy pork belly bites

Preparation

Firstly, cut the pork belly into 1-inch strips or chunks. You'll need around 1.5 pounds of pork belly for this recipe. Place the meat in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle salt over the pork belly and rub it into the skin and meat. Set the pork belly on a large plate, skin side up, and sprinkle with black pepper.

Refrigerate

Place the pork belly in the refrigerator, uncovered, and leave it to chill overnight. This step is important as it helps to draw out extra moisture from the skin, which will make it crispier when cooked.

Coating

In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (or granules). Rub this mixture all over the pork belly. Spray the pork belly with cooking oil spray to ensure the dry mixture is completely moistened.

Cooking

Preheat your air fryer to 250 degrees F. Place the pork belly in the air fryer basket, skin side up, and cook for 25 minutes. Then, increase the temperature to 400 degrees F and cook for an additional 20 minutes. If the skin isn't crispy enough, add more time in 5-minute increments until it reaches your desired level of crispiness.

Serving

Serve your super crispy pork belly bites with sides such as air fryer baby potatoes, air fryer broccoli Parmesan, or air fryer sweet and spicy Brussels sprouts. Enjoy!

Why it’s important to prep pork belly the night before

Preparing pork belly the night before is important for several reasons. Firstly, it helps to draw out moisture from the skin, which is crucial for achieving crispy pork belly in the air fryer. Leaving the pork belly uncovered in the refrigerator allows the skin to dry out, resulting in a better texture when cooked. This process also helps to enhance the flavour of the meat by allowing the seasonings to penetrate deeper into the pork belly.

Additionally, preparing the pork belly in advance saves time when you're ready to cook. By cutting the meat into strips or chunks and applying the seasonings beforehand, you can simply preheat the air fryer and cook the pork belly without any last-minute preparations. This is especially convenient if you're short on time or want to serve the dish to guests without spending too much time in the kitchen.

Moreover, preparing pork belly the night before gives the salt in the rub or seasoning adequate time to work its magic. Salt is essential for creating bubbly, crispy crackling. Leaving the salted pork belly in the refrigerator overnight ensures that the salt has time to interact with the skin, resulting in a more satisfying texture when cooked.

Finally, preparing pork belly in advance gives you the opportunity to focus on other dishes or sides to serve with your meal. Since pork belly pairs well with various sides, such as potatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or green beans, you can use the extra time to prepare a well-rounded meal for your family or guests.

How to cook frozen pork belly in the air fryer

How to Cook Frozen Pork Belly in an Air Fryer

Ingredients

• Pork belly
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Baking powder
• Garlic powder
• Cooking oil spray

Method

• The night before cooking, cut the pork belly into 1-inch strips or chunks, then place in a large mixing bowl.
• Sprinkle the pork belly with salt and rub it into the skin and meat. Next, set the pork, skin side up, on a large plate and sprinkle with black pepper.
• Tightly wrap the pork belly in plastic wrap, seal in a plastic zipper bag, then freeze.
• When ready to cook, preheat the air fryer to 250 degrees F. Remove the pork belly from the freezer.
• Spray the inner basket of the air fryer with cooking oil spray. Generously spray the pork belly with the cooking oil spray.
• Place the pork belly in one layer, skin side up, in the basket.
• Air fry for 30 minutes. Open the basket, spray the pork belly with more cooking oil spray, then turn up the heat to 400 degrees F and air fry for an additional 20 minutes.
• Add on more time in 5-minute increments until the skin is as crispy as you like.

Tips

• If you want your pork belly to have crispy skin, season and place the pork belly in the refrigerator overnight. This helps draw extra moisture out of the skin, which is key to making crispy pork belly in the air fryer.
• To prevent pork belly from drying out in the air fryer, make sure to season it well and spray the meat generously with oil. Keeping the pork belly skin-side up during cooking also helps the meat stay moist and tender.
• If your pork belly isn’t getting crispy, it could be due to insufficient drying or seasoning. Always let the pork dry out in the fridge overnight to draw out excess moisture, and make sure to spread the baking powder evenly over the meat, then spray enough oil to moisten the dry mixture on the skin.
• Pork belly will become more tender the more it is air-fried, but be careful not to overcook it, as this can lead to a tough texture. Keep an eye on the cooking time and temperature for optimal tenderness.

How to cook quick pork belly bites in the air fryer

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup char siu sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds pork belly

Method

• Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Coat the pork belly in the char siu sauce.
• Place the pork belly in the air fryer, ensuring it is skin-side up.
• Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping the meat halfway through.
• Check the pork belly bites are cooked to your liking. If not, continue cooking for a few minutes at a time until done.

Tips

• If you want to add extra seasoning, sprinkle salt and black pepper over the pork belly before placing it in the air fryer.
• To prevent the pork belly from drying out, spray the meat generously with oil before cooking.

Frequently asked questions