Air-Fried Pork Belly Strips: A Quick, Crispy Treat

Air fryers are a great way to cook pork belly strips, creating a crunchy exterior and a juicy, tender inside. The high temperature helps render the fat, and the dry heat ensures a crispy texture. To make pork belly strips in an air fryer, preheat your air fryer to 200°C, and pat the pork belly strips dry with paper towels. If the strips are too thick, slice them to a thickness of 1.5-2 cm. In a bowl, combine olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and brown sugar. Rub this mixture all over the pork belly strips, and place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, and continue in 3-5 minute increments until the desired crispiness is achieved.

How to cook pork belly strips in an air fryer

Preheat the air fryer and pat the pork belly dry

To cook pork belly strips in an air fryer, you'll first need to preheat the appliance and pat the meat dry. Preheating the air fryer ensures the pork belly cooks evenly, while patting it dry helps to achieve a crispy texture.

Start by preheating your air fryer to 200°C for about 2 minutes. Different air fryer models may require different preheating times, so adjust accordingly. While the air fryer is preheating, you can pat the pork belly strips dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel. Make sure to remove any excess moisture, as this can prevent the meat from crisping.

If your pork belly strips are too thick, you can slice them into thinner pieces of about 1.5-2 cm in thickness. This will help ensure even cooking. Once the air fryer is preheated and the pork belly strips are patted dry, you can proceed to the next steps of seasoning and cooking the meat.

It's important to note that the preheating temperature and cooking temperature may vary slightly depending on your air fryer model and personal preferences. Some recipes suggest cooking pork belly at a lower temperature of 190°C or a higher temperature of 240°C for a shorter time to achieve the desired crispiness. Experiment with different temperatures and cooking times to find the best settings for your air fryer and taste preferences.

Seasoning and coating the pork belly

Firstly, ensure your pork belly strips are patted dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel. This step is important as it helps to remove excess moisture, ensuring a crispy texture. Evenly thick slices of around 1.5-2 cm are ideal for uniform cooking.

Next, prepare your seasoning mixture. A simple yet effective blend includes olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and brown sugar. You can also experiment with other seasonings like onion powder, smoked paprika, chilli powder, or Chinese five-spice powder. For a more complex flavour profile, you can incorporate an egg white with the salt to prevent it from blowing off during cooking. Additionally, a tangy BBQ sauce can be used as a coating or a dipping sauce. If you're feeling adventurous, create a sauce by mixing hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar.

Once your seasoning mixture is ready, generously rub or toss the pork belly strips until they are evenly coated. Make sure to get a good coverage by using your hands or a spoon to work the seasoning into the meat. This step ensures that every bite of your pork belly strips will be packed with flavour.

After coating the pork belly strips, it's important to let them rest for a few minutes. This step allows the seasonings to settle and adhere to the meat, ensuring that the flavours truly penetrate the pork belly.

Now your pork belly strips are seasoned and coated, they are ready to be placed in the air fryer. Remember to arrange them in a single layer, ensuring they don't overlap or overcrowd the basket for even cooking and maximum crispiness.

By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to creating mouth-watering, flavourful air-fried pork belly strips with a delightful crispy texture and juicy meat.

Placing the pork belly in the air fryer

When placing the pork belly in the air fryer, it is important to ensure that the pork belly strips are not overcrowded. They should be placed in a single layer in the air fryer basket, with space in between each strip to allow the hot air to circulate properly. Overcrowding the air fryer basket can prevent the pork belly from crisping up.

Before placing the pork belly in the air fryer, you should also pat the strips dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel. This helps to remove excess moisture, ensuring that the pork belly will achieve a crispy texture.

You can also line the air fryer basket with baking parchment or an air fryer liner, which makes cleanup easier and prevents smaller pieces of food from falling through the basket. However, if you are using foil, make sure it is tightly wrapped around the food and does not come into contact with the heating elements to prevent fire hazards.

If your pork belly strips are too thick, you can slice them thinner to a thickness of about 1.5-2 cm to ensure even cooking.

Cooking the pork belly

Firstly, pat the pork belly strips dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel. This helps to ensure a crispy texture by drying out the meat so that the seasoning will stick to it. If the strips are too thick, you can slice them thinner to about 1.5-2 cm in thickness to ensure even cooking.

Next, season the pork belly. You can mix up a blend of your favourite seasonings in a small bowl and add a dash of olive oil, or you can simply rub the pork belly with oil and season with salt, pepper, and garlic granules. For extra flavour, you can season with Chinese five-spice and garlic powder, or onion powder, smoked paprika, and chilli powder. Generously rub the seasoning mixture all over the pork belly strips, ensuring they are well coated.

Now you are ready to cook the pork belly strips. Preheat your air fryer to 200°C for about 2 minutes. Place the pork belly strips into the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they do not overlap or overcrowd so that the air can circulate properly. Air fry at 200°C for 15-20 minutes, flipping them occasionally to ensure they cook evenly and become crispy on both sides. If you want to check if the pork is cooked, you can use a meat thermometer.

After 15 minutes, check the pork belly strips. If they aren’t crispy enough, continue air frying in 3-5 minute increments until they reach your desired level of crispiness. Once cooked, remove the pork belly strips from the air fryer and let them rest for about 5 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute, making the meat even more tender and juicy.

Resting the pork belly

During the resting period, the juices inside the meat will spread evenly, ensuring that every bite is succulent and flavourful. This process also helps to retain the heat, so your pork belly will still be nice and warm when you serve it. It is important to note that the meat will continue to cook slightly during this resting period due to residual heat, so take this into consideration when planning your cooking time.

The resting period is also a good time to prepare any side dishes or sauces that you plan to serve with your pork belly. Some side dishes that go well with pork belly include roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a fresh salad. For sauces, you might consider a tangy BBQ sauce, a spicy keto BBQ sauce, or a simple combination of hoisin, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar.

Finally, when the resting period is over, you can slice the pork belly into strips or cubes if you prefer. Slicing the meat will allow you to see the beautiful juicy texture that you have achieved through the cooking and resting process.

Frequently asked questions