Crispy Roast Pork Belly with Air Fryer

Here is a super simple crispy roast pork recipe using an air fryer. In this recipe, there is no long list of ingredients. No added oil. No poking holes, no scoring, and no special salt-vinegar treating the skin.

All you need to do is season the pork belly with four ingredients. Let it sit in the fridge for the meat to marinate and the skin to dry out, then pop this baby in the air fryer to get perfectly puffy and crispy crackling with juicy and tender meat.

Choose the Right Pork Belly

Look for a pork belly slab that is even in thickness all around. This will ensure that the skin will be uniformly puffy and crispy.

Try to select a pork belly piece that has a thin layer of pork skin and a thin layer of fat within the meat. I have no shame in rejecting the first piece my butcher gives me and pinpointing him to the best-looking piece behind the counter.

Get Rid of the Funky Smell

Depending on where you get your pork belly, it may have a lingering funky smell. If not prepped correctly, it will not taste good, as the aroma will still be there once cooked.

If you run into this problem, give the pork belly a good rub down with coarse salt, then rinse well with water and pat dry with paper towels.

The coarse salt rubs away any surface residue that may be causing the smell. Other traditional methods that work is rubbing it with vinegar and, cooking wine.

Seasoning Ingredients and Prep

For this super simple recipe, there are only four seasoning ingredients, and it’s likely that you already have them all.

What you will need:

Salt: The main seasoning ingredient. I’m using fine ground sea salt.

Sugar: A little is needed to balance the salt. I’m using granulated cane sugar.

Chinese five-spice powder and ground black pepper: Chinese five spice mixture typically contains a combination of Chinese cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise, cloves, and ginger. I try to avoid the one with Sichuan peppercorns as I’m not a fan of the numbing effect.

To start, combine all the above seasonings in a small bowl and rub this mixture onto the pork belly, including the skin.

Once seasoned, make a little tray out of aluminum foil that will perfectly fit around the pork belly. Transfer pork onto the foil tray with skin-side up, making sure the foil is covering all sides of the pork belly tightly. Leave the pork belly skin completely exposed so that it dries out. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge for better results.

How to Cook Pork Belly in the Air Fryer

Transfer directly in the air fryer basket. Wipe the skin dry with paper towels and cook at 375°F for about 35 to 40 minutes.

Check on it at the 15 to 20-minute mark. If some areas of skin is not popping, move it around, rotate, or prop up the low areas with small pieces of foil. No need for flipping.

The fat in the skin is going to drip down so the pork belly is cooking in its own fat for super succulent meat. Nom nom.

Storage & Reheating

Store any leftover pork belly in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and enjoy it within 4 days. You can reheat the pork belly in the air fryer at 375°F for 5 minutes or until warmed through.

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