Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (2024)

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (1)

Free: Healthy 5-Ingredient Meals Ebook

Get It Now

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
Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (2)

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.

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (3)

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.

  1. Score the skin. Use a sharp knife to makea crisscross pattern across the skin of the pork.
  2. Season. Brush the avocado oil over the top of the pork. (I like to use this brush.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (4)
Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (5)
  1. 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.
  2. Broil. Place under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the skin.
  3. Serve. Slice the pork into thin, 1-inch slices.
Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (6)
Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (7)

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (8)

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.
Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (9)

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

RECIPE SAVED! The recipe was sent to your email. I also sent you your free login info. You can use that to access your saved recipes at My Favorites.

Recipe Card

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (15)

4.84 from 43 votes☝️ Click stars to rate or click here to leave a review!

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)

Un-save RecipeSave Recipe Remove Ads

Recipe Video

Like this video? Subscribe to my YouTube cooking channel for healthy recipes!

ReviewPrint

US CustomaryMetric

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.

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C).

  2. Using a knife, score the skin of the pork belly.

  3. Use a silicone basting brush to brush the avocado oil over the top of the pork belly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

  4. Place the pork belly into a baking dish, skin side up, and bake for 1 hour.

  5. Increase oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

  6. 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.

  7. Allow the pork belly to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into 1-inch slices.

Did You Like It?

Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.

Rate recipe

Save Recipe

Related Easy Recipes

  • Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

  • Smothered Pork Chops

  • 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

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe

Pin It For Later!

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (23)
Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum (2024)

FAQs

Crispy Pork Belly Recipe - Wholesome Yum? ›

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.

Why won t my pork belly get crispy? ›

The skin wasn't dry enough. Make sure to pat the pork completely dry before rubbing in the salt and oil as excess moisture will stop it from crisping up. It's important to score the skin if you want it really crisp. You'll need a sharp knife for this, or ask your butcher to do it for you.

How do you cook pork belly so it's not tough? ›

Preheat oven to 450°F. Roast pork belly for 30 minutes on the middle rack in a heavy, oven-safe pan or skillet, skin side up / fat side up. Reduce heat to 275°F and roast for an hour or more, until tender but not mushy. (Larger pieces of pork belly will take longer.

Is crispy pork belly healthy? ›

Yes, pork belly can be part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation and balanced with other nutritious foods. Is pork belly high in cholesterol? Pork belly does contain cholesterol, but dietary cholesterol has less impact on blood cholesterol levels than previously believed. However, moderation is still key.

What is the secret to perfect crackling? ›

Preheat oven to 230°C, 210°C fan or Gas Mark 8. Put the joint in a roasting tin on the top shelf for 20 minutes. This sudden blast of heat is the key to crispy crackling. Reduce the temperature to 180-190°C, 160-170°C fan or Gas Mark 4-5 and follow the cooking times below to ensure the joint is cooked through.

Why put baking soda on pork belly? ›

It is a fact of life that dry skin crisps better than moist skin. Scotese's trick to crispy pork belly is to rub equal parts baking soda and salt into the skin—the combo of baking soda and salt will draw out moisture and set you up for success.

Why do you put vinegar on pork belly? ›

White Vinegar helps dry out the skin – but it has a secondary purpose of removing the odour! If you are prepared, place the Pork in the Fridge UNCOVERED overnight – the skin will dry out. When you pre-heat your oven, remove the pork from the fridge and let it return to room temperature.

Why do you pour boiling water on pork belly? ›

boiling water trick

This helps to prep the skin to crackle as its now "pre-cooked" so to speak. Make sure to pat dry with paper towel to further dry afterwards.

How to get pork skin crispy? ›

You need a LOT of salt on the skin. In fact, salt is what helps the skin go bubbly-crispy rather than hardening into an impenetrable hard, flat sheet of skin; Oil – To make the seasonings adhere to the flesh and skin, as well as being a heat conductor; Garlic and onion – The pork sits on top of these as it roasts.

Why didn't my pork belly crackle? ›

If you've missed a step along the way and the skin hasn't crackled, don't give up. Cut it away from the meat and place it on a baking tray lined with foil, then brush with oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook under a preheated grill until the magic happens. Keep a close eye on it as it can easily burn.

How long should you cook pork belly for? ›

Pork belly needs a combination of slow, gentle heat to tenderise the meat, plus a shorter blast at a higher heat to crisp up the skin. Cook at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 2 hrs 15 mins, then turn up the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for a further 35 minutes to crisp the crackling.

Why is pork belly so expensive? ›

It goes back to the elementary lessons of supply and demand. According to market analysis, pork bellies' supply is tight. The latest Cold Storage report by the USDA shows stocks of frozen bellies at a record low. Basically, the bacon stash is depleted, and it is time to restock the freezers.

Can you eat too much pork belly? ›

Compared with other cuts of pork, pork belly contains more saturated fat. While saturated fat can be part of a healthy diet, a South Korean study on pork belly intake suggests lowering your total calories from saturated fat. That's because it may be linked to numerous health conditions, including heart disease ( 4 ).

Is pork belly as unhealthy as bacon? ›

Is pork belly healthier than bacon? Bacon contains smoke flavor, preservatives (like nitrates), and added ingredients that may not be considered part of a healthy diet. If you're trying to eat more naturally, pork belly may make a better choice.

What if pork belly skin didn't crackle? ›

If you've missed a step along the way and the skin hasn't crackled, don't give up. Cut it away from the meat and place it on a baking tray lined with foil, then brush with oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook under a preheated grill until the magic happens. Keep a close eye on it as it can easily burn.

How to get good crackling on pork belly? ›

Cook at 180°C (Fan) on the middle shelf for 60mins, Take out of oven, remove the salt crust and return to oven set to 220°C (Fan) for 30-40 minutes until crakling is golden and bubbled all over. Turn as needed. Place pork on wire rack and allow to air cool for 10 minutes which helps crackling crisp up nicely.

Does pork belly get softer the longer you cook it? ›

This is a tough muscle, so it needs a longer cooking time at low heat to breakdown the tough tissue." So, to serve up good roast pork, budget for at least 3-4 hours in the kitchen. If done correctly, a piece of roast pork should be so tender you can pierce its flesh with a fork.

How do you get bark on pork belly? ›

Arrange the pork belly cubes on a wire cooling and baking rack, then place on the smoker and smoke between 225°F and 250°F for 2 ½ to 3 hours until dark red and a nice bark starts to form.

Top Articles
Play Browser Game: Topspeed Stunt Racing [Playing Now]
Free Browser Game: Return Man 2 Unblocked Crazy Games [Play Now]
LOST JEEPS • View forum
Obituaries in South Bend, IN | South Bend Tribune
Mw2 Other Apps Vram
Ender Dragon Pet Hypixel Skyblock
Tc-656 Utah
Fbsm Berkeley
One Hour Rosemary Focaccia Bread
A Qué Hora Cierran Spectrum
Which is better, bonds or treasury bills?
Orange Craigslist Free Stuff
Kathy Carrack
Craigslist 5Th Wheel Campers For Sale
Craigslist Com Humboldt
manhattan cars & trucks - by owner - craigslist
Anchoring in Masonry Structures – Types, Installation, Anchorage Length and Strength
Walgreens Dupont Tonkel
Ff14 Cloth Softening Powder
Craigslist Org Hattiesburg Ms
Maximise Your Funding: Key Insights on Accounting for Grants
Wayne State Dean's List
The Big Picture Ritholtz
Watch My Best Friend's Exorcism Online Free
Pennys Department Store Near Me
Joshua Efird Net Worth
Littleton U Pull Inventory
Samantha Lyne Wikipedia
Bolly2Tolly Sale
Lil Coffea Shop 6Th Ave Photos
La Times Jumble Answer Today
Hyvee.com Login
$200K In Rupees
Scholastic to kids: Choose your gender
Black Myth Wukong All Secrets in Chapter 6
Terraria Cement Mixer
The Untold Truth Of 'Counting Cars' Star - Danny Koker
Star News Mugshots
cGMP vs GMP: What's the Difference? | Ascendia Pharma
Margie's Money Saver Hey Dudes
Wiki Jfk Film
4Myhr Mhub
Ihop Ralph Ave
7Ohp7
Snapcamms
German American Bank Owenton Ky
Old Navy Student Discount Unidays
Commissary Exchange Benefits What You Need To Know Aafes To Offer Service To Former Military
Where To Find Mega Ring In Pokemon Radical Red
Rubrankings Austin
Craigslist West Valley
Pioneer Library Overdrive
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Horacio Brakus JD

Last Updated:

Views: 5512

Rating: 4 / 5 (71 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Horacio Brakus JD

Birthday: 1999-08-21

Address: Apt. 524 43384 Minnie Prairie, South Edda, MA 62804

Phone: +5931039998219

Job: Sales Strategist

Hobby: Sculling, Kitesurfing, Orienteering, Painting, Computer programming, Creative writing, Scuba diving

Introduction: My name is Horacio Brakus JD, I am a lively, splendid, jolly, vivacious, vast, cheerful, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.