Description
A delicious and easy recipe for crispy pork belly using an air fryer – perfect for impressing family and friends!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds slab of skin-on pork belly
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt (divided)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Shaoxing cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ¼ cup salt (for skin preparation)
Instructions
- Place a metal rack in the center of a large pan or wok. Fill the pan with enough water so that there is ½ inch of water above the rack. Lower the pork belly, skin-side down, into the water so that the skin rests on the rack and the meat is sticking out. Boil the skin for 10 minutes, then remove from the water.
- Using a box cutter, score a fine crosshatch all over the skin side. Make sure to only cut through the skin and fat; do not cut into the meat.
- Flip the pork belly over and make ½ deep cuts lengthwise along the meat.
- In a small bowl, combine the 1 ½ teaspoons salt, Shaoxing wine, Chinese five-spice, sugar, and white pepper. Rub this mixture all over the meat side, making sure to get into the shallow cuts.
- Prepare a sheet of aluminum foil about 12 by 16 inches. Place the pork belly skin-side up in the center. Fold up the sides of the foil to create a snug box around the meat.
- Place the pork belly in the fridge for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours.
- Preheat your air fryer to 250°F. Brush the vinegar on the skin and cover it with a layer of salt. Air fry for 30 minutes. Use oven mitts to hold the pork belly in the foil box above the sink and scrape off the salt with a knife.
- Increase the air fryer to 400°F. Air fry for another 35-40 minutes until the skin is golden brown, crispy, and very bubbly.
- Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes, then slice into pieces and serve.
Notes
Score the skin deeply for the best crispy result and let the pork belly marinate overnight for enhanced flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 80 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Air frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 120mg