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In This Post
- Why You’ll Love This Pork Belly Recipe
- What Is Pork Belly?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Cook Pork Belly
- Tips For Best Results
- Storage Tips
- What To Serve With Crispy Pork Belly
- More Flavorful Pork Recipes
- Crispy Pork Belly RecipeRecipe card
- Recipe Reviews
If you’ve never had crispy pork belly or are intimated with how to cook it, you are in for a treat! It’s not quite the same asbacon, but if you like bacon, you’ll love this pork belly recipe. It’s the perfect combination of crispy and tender, incredibly simple to make, and lets the pork flavor shine. And it’s so easy to do!
Why You’ll Love This Pork Belly Recipe
- Tender like a pork loin with crispy crackling on top
- Rich, salty flavor
- Only 4 simple ingredients
- Prep in 5 minutes, then hands-off in the oven
- Perfect for family meals
What Is Pork Belly?
Pork belly is a flavorful, boneless, fatty cut of meat from the belly of the pig, known for its rich, meaty taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture, topped with crispy skin (similar to pork rinds).
Unlike bacon, which comes from the same cut, pork belly recipes aren’t cured or smoked, and are typically served in thicker, unsliced portions. It’s a versatile ingredient in global cuisines, including Chinese, Hispanic, Danish, Norwegian, Korean, Thai, and Filipino cooking.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This section explains how to season pork belly, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Pork Belly – I can’t always find it at the grocery store, but it’s readily available at butcher shops, specialty meat stores, and Asian markets. Select cuts with uniform thickness for even cooking.
- Avocado Oil – This gets your baked pork belly recipe nice and crispy. You can also use olive oil or any heat-safe cooking oil.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – I prefer sea salt, but kosher salt also works.
VARIATION: Add more seasonings!
The only thing you really need to season pork belly is salt and pepper! Of course, feel free to branch out. These seasonings are also delicious and common in pork belly recipes:
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Brown sugar (or Besti Brown natural sweetener!)
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Chinese five spice – One of the most popular options
- Cajun seasoning – Separate from the spices above
How To Cook Pork Belly
This section shows how to make crispy pork belly, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Score the skin. Use a sharp knife to makea crisscross pattern across the skin of the pork.
- Season. Brush the avocado oil over the top of the pork. (I like to use this brush.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake. Roast the pork belly recipe in a baking dish or on a sheet pan with sides, skin side up. Increase heat and bake again, until the top is golden brown.
- Broil. Place under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the skin.
- Serve. Slice the pork into thin, 1-inch slices.
Tips For Best Results
- Position the oven rack correctly. It should be in the middle while baking, but you can move it to 6 inches away from the broiler for the broiling step.
- Bake time will vary. This can depend on the thickness of your pork belly, the baking dish you use, and your oven. An hour for the first baking step is a good starting point regardless, but when you bake after increasing the oven temperature, watch for a golden brown skin.
- Watch closely when broiling. Pork belly can go from crispy to burnt very quickly, so check on it every minute or so.
- Slice against the grain. This makes each bite more tender.
Storage Tips
- Store: Crispy pork belly has the best texture when it’s fresh, but you can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Reheat: Reheat in a hot skillet, or in the oven at 400 degrees F.
- Freeze: Slice and store in a freezer container or zip lock bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
What To Serve With Crispy Pork Belly
You can serve pork belly as a breakfast meat, like bacon, or as a main protein dish with a side. There are so many options! Here are some of my favorite ways:
- Veggies – Try serving this pork belly recipe with roasted asparagus, simple stir fry veggies, or sauteed zucchini. I also like it with sauteed spinach to balance the richness of the pork.
- Rice – Serve over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice.
- Salad – Make a lighter meal with a creamy radish salad, an Asian-inspired cabbage salad, or a smashed cucumber salad.
- Sandwich – Stuff pork belly in between two slices of your favorite bread with a drizzle of BBQ sauce and a lettuce leaf for any easy sandwich.
- Pork Belly Tacos – Slice into bites or thin strips, and serve in warm tortillas with your choice of toppings, like fresh salsa, avocado, and fresh cilantro.
- Eggs – Whip up a special breakfast or brunch with a spinach quiche, customizable egg muffin cups, or simply hard boiled eggs.
More Flavorful Pork Recipes
Craving more tasty pork dishes? These other flavorful pork recipes focus on big flavors and easy cooking:
Air Fried Pork Chops
Greek Souvlaki Recipe
Egg Roll In A Bowl
Pork Steak Recipe
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Recipe Card
Crispy Pork Belly Recipe
Learn how to cook pork belly that's tender inside and crunchy on top! This crispy pork belly recipe is simple, flavorful, and so easy.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 50 minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 55 minutes
Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com
Servings: 12 (adjust to scale recipe)
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C).
Using a knife, score the skin of the pork belly.
Use a silicone basting brush to brush the avocado oil over the top of the pork belly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the pork belly into a baking dish, skin side up, and bake for 1 hour.
Increase oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
Change oven to broil and broil the pork belly on high for 2-5 minutes, until the skin is crispy to your liking. It will crisp up more as it cools from hot to warm.
Allow the pork belly to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into 1-inch slices.
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How To Make Pork Rinds (Chicharrones)
Cast Iron Pork Chops
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/12 entire recipe
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.
Calories618
Fat63.5g
Protein10.6g
Total Carbs0.3g
Net Carbs0.2g
Fiber0.1g
Sugar0.1g
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:American
Keywords:crispy pork belly, how to cook pork belly, pork belly recipe
Calories: 618 kcal
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Crispy Pork Belly Recipe
