Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly (Printable Format)

Pork belly turns succulent and crispy in the air fryer, ideal for an easy, flavorful main course.

# What You Need:

→ Pork

01 - 1.5 pounds pork belly, skin on

→ Seasoning

02 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
03 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

→ Optional Garnish

07 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat pork belly thoroughly dry using paper towels. Score pork skin in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife, avoiding cutting into the meat beneath.
02 - Rub rice vinegar over pork skin. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of kosher salt onto the skin only. Flip pork belly and distribute the remaining salt, black pepper, Chinese five-spice powder, and garlic powder evenly over the meat side.
03 - Arrange pork belly skin side up on a wire rack set over a tray. Refrigerate uncovered for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight to desiccate the skin.
04 - Preheat air fryer to 390°F.
05 - Remove pork belly from refrigerator and brush away excess surface salt. Position pork belly skin side up in the air fryer basket.
06 - Air fry at 390°F for 35 to 40 minutes until skin is golden and blistered. For enhanced crispness, increase cooking time by an additional 5 minutes if needed.
07 - Allow pork belly to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Plate and garnish with sliced scallions to serve.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Uses pantry staples for flavor-packed results
  • Ready in just under an hour with hardly any cleanup
  • Perfectly crispy crackling every single time without deep frying
  • Naturally gluten free for easy entertaining
02 -
  • High in protein and gluten free
  • Freezes well for make ahead meal prep
  • An incredible way to enjoy restaurant style crackling at home
03 -
  • For extra crisp skin always let the pork belly air dry overnight in the refrigerator
  • If your air fryer is on the smaller side cook in batches to avoid crowding
  • Scoring the skin just to the fat layer not the meat guarantees the skin puffs up evenly

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