Ella Walter
Cooking pork belly in an air fryer is an easy way to make tender, juicy, and crispy pork with minimal fuss. It's a healthier alternative to deep-frying, as air-frying uses less oil and creates less mess. The cooking time is also relatively short, with most recipes requiring under 50 minutes from start to finish. You can season the pork belly with a variety of spices, such as Chinese five spice, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder, or keep it simple with just salt and pepper. The air fryer does most of the work, so you can sit back and relax while your pork belly turns golden-brown and charred.
How to cook pork belly in an air fryer
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preheat temperature | 400°F or 200°C |
| Preheat time | 4-5 minutes |
| Cooking temperature | 400°F or 200°C |
| Cooking time | 15 minutes |
| Cooking time for crispy pork belly | 30 minutes |
| Cooking time for pork belly bites | 8-10 minutes |
| Reheating temperature | 350°F or 160°C/320°F or 200°C/400°F |
| Reheating time | 5 minutes or 7 minutes or 10 minutes |
| Resting time | 10 minutes |
| Seasoning | Salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chilli powder, onion powder, olive oil, brown sugar, Chinese five spice, red pepper flakes |
| Dipping sauce | Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar |
| Storage | Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-4 days |
| Freezing | Wrap in foil or plastic and store in a sealed bag for up to 3 months |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right pork belly
Skin On or Skin Off:
There is an ongoing debate about whether to cook pork belly with the skin on or off. Some chefs advocate for removing the skin and the underlying fat to create a leaner dish. Others insist that leaving the skin on enhances flavour and moisture. For crispy pork belly, keeping the skin on is generally recommended, as it renders the fat and results in a puffed-up, crispy texture.
Selecting the Right Cut:
When choosing your pork belly, look for a cut with a good balance of meat and fat. This balance ensures that your cooked pork belly is both flavourful and crispy. Avoid overly lean cuts, as they may lack the fat necessary for the skin to puff up properly during cooking.
Poke or Score the Skin:
Before cooking, use a sharp knife or piercing tool to make small holes or score lines in the skin of the pork belly. Be careful not to pierce too deeply, just enough to go through the skin without reaching the meat. This technique helps the fat render out more easily, promoting crispiness and allowing the skin to puff up during cooking.
Dry the Skin:
Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin. Before seasoning and cooking, use paper towels or a clean tea towel to pat the skin of the pork belly dry. This step helps ensure that the skin becomes crispy and puffed up during the air-frying process.
Seasoning Options:
There are various seasoning options to consider for your pork belly. A basic combination includes salt, pepper, and garlic granules or powder. For a sweeter and more complex flavour profile, you can add brown sugar, smoked paprika, and five-spice powder. Experiment with different seasonings to find your preferred flavour profile.
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Preparing the pork belly
Once you have selected your pork belly, it is important to pat it dry with a paper towel. This step helps the seasonings stick to the meat and ensures a crispier texture. After patting the meat dry, you can begin to season it. A simple seasoning blend can be made with sea salt and olive oil or cooking spray, but feel free to add additional spices like smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder, or Chinese five spice for extra flavour. You can also add a teaspoon of garlic powder to your salt for a savoury kick. Mix your seasonings in a bowl, and then rub the blend all over the pork belly.
For extra crispy skin, use a sharp knife to score the top layer of the pork belly skin in a criss-cross pattern, being careful not to cut all the way through. This will help the fat render and create a bubbled-up, crispy texture.
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Seasoning the pork belly
Firstly, pat the pork belly dry using kitchen paper, a clean tea towel, or paper towels. This step is important as it helps the seasonings stick to the meat and encourages a crispier texture.
Next, you can score the fat side of the pork belly. Be careful not to cut all the way through the meat. Scoring the fat allows the seasonings to penetrate the meat better and also helps the fat render and bubble up, resulting in a crispier texture.
Now, it's time to apply the seasonings. You can use a simple salt rub, or create a blend of your favourite seasonings. Popular seasoning choices for pork belly include pepper, garlic granules or garlic powder, smoked paprika, chilli powder or red pepper flakes, onion powder, brown sugar, and olive oil. You can mix your chosen seasonings in a bowl and then rub them onto the pork belly, ensuring all sides are coated. Alternatively, you can place the pork belly in a bowl with the seasonings and toss until all the pieces are evenly coated.
If you want to get creative, you can try mixing an egg white with the salt to prevent it from blowing off during cooking, or brushing vinegar onto the pork belly for added flavour.
Once your pork belly is seasoned to your liking, it's ready to be placed in the air fryer!
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Cooking the pork belly
Firstly, select a good quality pork belly. Look for slabs that are evenly marbled with fat and bright pink with no signs of discolouration. Buying from a butcher is preferable to a grocery store, as the meat will be fresher and free from preservatives.
Next, prepare the pork belly for cooking. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. If you are cooking a slab of pork belly, you should then score the top layer of skin in a criss-cross pattern, being careful not to cut all the way through. If you are making pork belly bites, cut the meat into pieces.
Now it's time to season the pork belly. For a simple seasoning, rub the meat with salt, and, if you like, a mixture of garlic powder and pepper. Alternatively, mix up a blend of your favourite seasonings in a small bowl and rub this into the meat. Onion powder, smoked paprika, chilli powder, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar are all popular choices. You could also try a wet rub by mixing your seasonings with olive oil to create a paste with the texture of wet sand.
Once your pork belly is prepared and seasoned, you can place it in the air fryer. If you are cooking a slab of pork belly, place it in the air fryer skin-side up. If you are cooking pork belly bites, place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/400°F.
For a slab of pork belly, cook at 200°C/400°F for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 160°C/320°F and continue cooking until the pork is cooked through. For pork belly bites, cook at 200°C/400°F for 15 minutes, turning the pork halfway through.
When the pork belly is done, it should be golden brown with some charred bits. Remove the pork belly from the air fryer and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. This will allow the juices to redistribute, resulting in juicier meat.
If you have any leftover pork belly, let it cool, then place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, return the pork belly to a preheated air fryer at 160°C/320°F for about 7-10 minutes, or until hot.
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Storing and reheating the pork belly
Storing and reheating pork belly is simple and convenient. If you have any leftover pork belly, you can store it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 to 4 days. It is recommended to consume the pork belly within this timeframe to ensure freshness and maintain its tender texture.
If you wish to freeze your cooked pork belly for longer-term storage, let it cool down to room temperature first. Then, wrap the pork belly securely in foil or plastic wrap, ensuring no exposure to air. Place the wrapped pork belly into a sealed freezer bag or an airtight container. It is recommended to divide it into portions before freezing to make reheating easier. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you're ready to enjoy your frozen pork belly again, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw slowly in the refrigerator overnight. This gradual thawing process helps maintain the quality and texture of the meat.
To reheat your leftover pork belly, you have a few options. You can use an air fryer, which will help retain the crispy texture. Preheat your air fryer to around 160°C to 200°C (320°F to 400°F) and place the pork belly inside for about 7 to 10 minutes, flipping it halfway through to ensure even heating. Alternatively, you can use a microwave. Place the pork belly in the microwave with the lid slightly ajar, heating it until it is piping hot.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes between 15 and 40 minutes to cook pork belly in an air fryer, depending on the size of the meat and the model of the air fryer.
This depends on how many people you are serving and how hungry they are! As a rough guide, a medium to large pork belly joint (around 800g) should be enough for 3-5 people as an appetizer.
To make pork belly crispy, start by patting the skin dry with paper towels. Then, rub a generous amount of salt into the skin to draw out moisture. Poke holes in the skin with a sharp knife to allow the fat to render out more easily. Finally, cook the pork belly skin-side up in the air fryer at 200°C/400°F until the skin crackles.
