Air Fryer Crispy Pork Belly (2024)

Crunchy, crispy pork belly whipped up in the air fryer make for the perfect bite sized pieces of goodness. What normally takes hours can now be made in a fraction of the time. You’ve got to give this a try.

Chinese crispy pork belly, also known as siu yuk, is a favorite in our house. Just a few simple ingredients come together to make a delicious meal.

The pork skin is bubbly and golden brown. The meat is juicy, tender, and packed with flavor. And best of all it doesn’t take all day to make. More on that in a bit. But first…

What is pork belly?

Pork belly is a boneless, fatty cut of meat that comes from the underside of the pig. It is commonly used to make crispy pork belly, a classic Chinese BBQ dish.

If you love pork, you’ve got to try pork tonkatsu, shoyu pork, or kālua pig.

Ingredients for crispy pork belly

• Pork belly slab: Be sure to get a piece that has a good meat to skin ratio.
• Garlic: Get yourself the fresh stuff if you can.
• Oyster sauce: This is a thick, dark brown condiment made from oyster extracts. It can be found in the Asian aisle at most grocery stores.
• Garlic salt: This is a staple to have in your pantry.
• Pepper: Finely ground black pepper works well here.
• Salt: And of course can’t forget the flavor enhancer.
• Oil of choice

Traditional roast pork takes hours to make, but this air fry pork belly recipe speeds up the process.

The trick to getting crispy, bubbly skin is to dry it out. Many recipes call for placing the pork belly in the refrigerator and leaving it for hours to dry it. Sometimes you just don’t have the time for that, or you decide last minute you want to make this.

Call in the air fryer. This is the one I have.

Air fryers work like a convection oven, but are more compact so it heats up and cooks things quicker.

Tips for the ultimate crispy pork belly

• Pat the skin dry. Excess moisture will make the skin soggy.
• Pierce the skin with many little holes. Use a skewer, meat tenderizer, or knife.
• Be sure not to pierce down through the skin to the meat. This will allow the juices from the meat to rise to the surface and make the skin soggy.
• Allow a low and slow period of cook time before cooking. Using an air fryer set at 200F for 30 minutes will dry out the skin enough to give you that crispy goodness.

How long to air fry pork belly?

This recipe will take about 30 minutes to dry out the skin and another 40 minutes to cook through. A total of 70 minutes, however each air fryer is different and I recommend you monitoring the pork belly to ensure it does not over cook.

What goes well with air fried pork belly?

As with most local dishes here in Hawai’i, you can’t make a plate lunch without sticky white rice and macaroni salad. If you are serving it as an appetizer lay it over some shredded cabbage. You can also add it to your ramen or in your bao bun.

How to store?

To maintain the ultimate crispness of the airfry pork belly these are best served fresh. If you have leftovers, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. This will last for 3-4 days.

Can you freeze?

While you can freeze pork belly once cooked, the best crispness happens when it’s fresh. Place in an airtight container and store in the freezer. This will keep for 2-3 months.

How to reheat crispy pork belly?

As I mentioned, freshly cooked pork belly will result in the ultimate crispness. The most simple way to reheat is to place in an air fryer skin side up and cook at 400F for about 10 minutes. The microwave will reheat the meat, but not give it it’s crispiness. You could also bakr or use a toaster oven.

How to make air fryer crispy pork belly?

1. Preheat the air fryer to 200F.
2. Dry the skin of the pork with a paper towel. Then using a fork or skewer poke the skin creating many little holes over the entire surface of the skin. Dry with a paper towel again if more moisture has seeped out.
3. Next flip the pork so the skin side is down. Make shallow cuts perpendicular to the meat and 1 inch apart being sure not to cut through the skin layer.
4. In a small bowl mix garlic and oyster sauce.
5. Season pork belly with garlic salt and pepper. Then rub the oyster sauce mixture over to coat.
6. Flip and place skin side up on a piece of foil. Fold the four sides of the foil up to create a tray to hold the pork juices in and prevent drying out.
7. Place the pork belly in the air fryer and cook for 30 minutes. This will help to dry out the skin and create a more crispy skin. Once the skin has dried, season with salt and brush a thin layer of oil over the skin.
8. Increase the heat of the air fryer to 400F and cook for another 40 minutes.
9. Remove from the air fryer and cut using the precut lines made previously and ENJOY!

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