These Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly Slices are tender in the middle, crisp around the edges & coated in a sticky BBQ glaze. Ready in just 30 minutes, with no need to boil the pork first!
These crispy air fryer pork belly slices are the most viewed recipe on my website and also a family favourite!
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I've made these loads of times using the pork belly strips from the supermarket & one thing I've learnt is that they aren't always the same thickness.
If yours are a bit chunkier than mine, don't just rely on the cooking time in the recipe card, I've included my tips below so you can get them just right.
They are delicious served alongside these slow cooker roast potatoes & hot honey Brussels sprouts or garlic & rosemary hasselback potatoes & roasted carrots and green beans.
If you're a fan of pork belly you might also like my pork belly slices in the slow cooker?
Like all of my recipes, I've also included simple allergy-friendly swaps, plus make-ahead, freezing and reheating tips to help make family dinners that little bit easier.
How LONG DO PORK BELLY SLICES TAKE IN THE AIR FRYER?
Standard supermarket pork belly slices usually take around 20-25 minutes at 200°C in a preheated air fryer. Turn them during cooking and add the BBQ sauce towards the end so it caramelises without burning.
Thicker pork belly strips may need an extra 5-10 minutes. If the outside is browning before the middle becomes tender, reduce the temperature to 190°C and continue cooking, checking regularly.
- I tested this recipe using a Ninja Foodie Dual Zone air fryer using standard pork belly slices.
| PORK BELLY THICKNESS | TEMPERATURE | APPROX COOKING TIME |
|---|---|---|
| Thin slices | 200°C | 17-20 min |
| Standard Slices | 200°C | 20-25 min |
| Thick Slices | 200°C | 25-35 min |
Reader 5⭐ Review
"Honestly surprised by how well it turned out! Tender inside and crispy outside, lots of flavour. This recipe is super easy and quick, you just have to time the basting.
We had it with rice and a side salad. Will definitely recommend and use it again thanks"
- Tatjana
Jump to:
- How LONG DO PORK BELLY SLICES TAKE IN THE AIR FRYER?
- Reader 5⭐ Review
- 🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
- 🥜 how can i make this allergy-friendly?
- ✏️ How To Make Pork Belly Slices In The Air Fryer
- How Do I Know When My Pork Belly Is Cooked?
- Why are my pork belly slices chewy?
- 💡 Lauren's TOP Tips
- 🤔 Which Air Fryer Do You Use?
- 🔨 Meal Planning Toolbox
- 💬 Recipe FAQs
- 📖 More Air Fryer Recipes..
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients you will need to make these crispy air fryer pork belly slices. To find out how to make them allergy-friendly, scroll to the section below this one.
✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋
- Pork Belly: Most major supermarkets sell pork belly pre-sliced, or you can ask your butcher to slice it into strips for you. Choose slices that are fairly even in thickness so they cook at a similar rate. Try and find strips that have a stronger meat-to-fat ratio.
- BBQ Sauce: For quickness, I have used a shop-bought BBQ sauce from Heinz as I have in these BBQ chicken wraps. This brand is free from the top 14 allergens.
- Seasonings: I have used a mixture of black pepper, sea salt and garlic powder.
- Olive Oil: Mixed with the seasoning to coat the pork belly, this helps to give a crispier finish to the outside of the pork. You can buy these great olive oil spray bottles if you don't want to add as much oil.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🥜 how can i make this allergy-friendly?
Make It Gluten-Free: Check the ingredients on your BBQ sauce and ensure its gluten-free.
✏️ How To Make Pork Belly Slices In The Air Fryer
⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, this will be used to coat the pork belly.
Step 2: Next, pat the pork belly slices dry with paper towels, this helps dry out the meat so the seasoning will stick to it.
Step 3: Add the strips to the mixing bowl, and using your hands or a spoon, toss the pork until evenly coated in the seasoning mixture.
Step 4: Spray the basket with olive oil then place the pork belly slices in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket, making sure they do not overlap.
This will allow the pork to cook evenly. Cook the slices for 15 minutes, flipping the slices every 5 minutes.
Step 5: After the initial cooking time, baste the pork belly with BBQ sauce and cook for a further 5 minutes. This will give the pork a delicious BBQ flavour and a shiny, caramelised glaze.
Step 6: Turn over the pork slices, baste the other side with the BBQ sauce, and cook for a final 5 minutes.
Once the pork belly slices are done, remove them from the air fryer and let them rest for a few minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making them extra juicy!
How Do I Know When My Pork Belly Is Cooked?
The Pork should feel tender when pierced with a knife, the fat should have rendered down and the edges should be crisp. If your slices still feel chewy, give them another few minutes in the air fryer.
Why are my pork belly slices chewy?
If your pork belly hasn't turned out quite how you expected, don't worry! There are a few common reasons why it can happen, and they're all easy to fix.
Your pork belly slices are thicker than mine
Not all pork belly slices are the same thickness, which means they won't all cook in exactly the same time. The slices I tested this recipe with were standard supermarket pork belly slices. If yours are thicker, they'll simply need a little longer in the air fryer.
Rather than turning the temperature up, keep cooking them for a few extra minutes and check them regularly until they're tender.
The outside has crisped up before the fat has rendered
If the outside is looking beautifully crispy but the middle is still a little chewy, the pork probably needs a bit longer to allow the fat to render down.
Try lowering the temperature slightly to 190°C and continue cooking until the pork is tender. This helps prevent the outside from overcooking while the inside finishes cooking through.
The air fryer basket was overcrowded
For the crispiest results, make sure the pork belly slices are arranged in a single layer with a little space between each one.
If they're overlapping or packed too tightly together, the hot air can't circulate properly, so they'll steam rather than crisp.
If you're cooking a larger batch, it's much better to cook them in batches.
The pork wasn't patted dry
Before adding the seasoning, use some kitchen paper to pat the pork belly slices dry.
Removing any excess moisture helps the outside crisp up much better in the air fryer.
It's cooked but not crispy enough
If your pork is cooked through but you'd like it a little crispier, simply pop it back into the air fryer at 200°C for another 2-3 minutes.
Keep a close eye on it during this final burst, especially once the BBQ sauce has been added, as it can caramelise quickly.
💡 Lauren's TOP Tips
- ✔️ Don't panic if your pork belly isn't crispy after 20 minutes: Pork belly slices vary hugely in thickness, so treat the cooking time as a guide rather than a rule. I'd much rather add a few extra minutes than overcook them trying to rush the process.
- ✔️ The rendered fat is completely normal: Don't be surprised by how much fat comes out during cooking, pork belly naturally releases quite a lot. That's exactly what helps create those crispy edges.
- ✔️ The BBQ sauce is there to glaze the pork, not marinate it: Brushing it on towards the end gives you that lovely sticky finish without the sugars catching before the pork has finished cooking.
- ✔️ Give each slice a little space: Arrange the pork belly in a single layer without overlapping. If the basket is too full, the pork will steam rather than crisp, so it's better to cook in batches if needed.
- ✔️ Serve it straight away: Pork belly is at its absolute best straight out of the air fryer while the edges are still crispy. If you leave it sitting for too long, the outside will gradually soften.
🤔 Which Air Fryer Do You Use?
This recipe is tested with my Ninja Foodie Dual Zone AF300UK Air Fryer, and the timings and temperatures are tailored for this model. Keep in mind that different air fryer brands may cook differently, so regularly check your food for the best results.
🔨 Meal Planning Toolbox
Make Ahead
You can season the pork belly slices with the oil and seasoning a few hours in advance & keep them covered in the fridge until ready to cook.
Batch Cooking
This recipe is easy to scale up. Just cook the pork belly in batches, rather than overcrowding the air fryer basket.
Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Chop any leftover pork belly into cubes to use in this pork belly fried rice or use in wraps or noodle bowls too.
Freezing
Once completely cooled, freeze the cooked pork belly in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
For best results, reheat the pork belly in the air fryer using the reheat setting ( or at around 180°C) for a few minutes until piping hot. This helps them crisp up again, much better than using a microwave.
💬 Recipe FAQs
No. That's the great thing about this recipe, no pre-boiling is required! You can still achieve juicy and tender, yet crispy pork belly by cooking it just in the air fryer.
This recipe was developed using fully defrosted pork belly slices, so I'd recommend thawing them overnight in the fridge before cooking. This helps them cook more evenly and gives you the best crispy finish.
📖 More Air Fryer Recipes..
Looking for more air fryer recipes? Why not try these:
If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊
📖 Recipe
Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly Slices
Equipment
- Meat thermometer optional
- Air fryer liner optional
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.5 oz) pork belly slices
- 2 tablespoon BBQ sauce check packaging for allergens
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F / 200˚C.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Pat the pork belly slices dry with paper towels.
- Add the pork belly slices to the mixing bowl and using your hands or a spoon, toss the pork until evenly coated in the seasoning mixture.
- Spray the basket with olive oil, then place the pork belly slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they do not overlap.
- Cook for 15 minutes, flipping the slices every 5 minutes.
- Baste the pork belly with the BBQ sauce and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Turn over the pork slices, baste the other side with the BBQ sauce and cook for a final 5 minutes.
- Remove the pork belly slices from the air fryer and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- I tested this recipe in my Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer using standard supermarket pork belly slices. If your slices are thicker than mine, they'll need a little longer to cook.
- Cooking times are a guide. Every air fryer cooks slightly differently, so always check the pork is cooked through and beautifully tender before serving.
- For thicker pork belly slices, add an extra 5-10 minutes to the cooking time, checking regularly until the fat has rendered and the pork is tender.
- Pork belly releases quite a lot of fat as it cooks. If your air fryer starts to smoke, carefully pause the cooking and check whether excess fat has collected underneath the basket. Always follow your air fryer's manufacturer's instructions when cooking fatty cuts of meat.
- To reheat, pop the cooked pork belly back into the air fryer at 180°C for 3-5 minutes, or until piping hot. This helps crisp the edges back up much better than using a microwave.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, simply use a gluten-free BBQ sauce and double-check that any seasonings you use are certified gluten-free.
Brigitte says
I made this tonight but the pork was a little undercooked and chewy. I was reluctant to cook them longer in case they burnt. Flavour was great though. Should I cook them longer at a lower temperature before crisping them up?
Lauren Woodger says
Depending on how thick the belly strips are, they could need a little bit longer than stated on the recipe. Different makes of Air Fryer take different times too. I would cook them for longer at 190C / 375F and check with a meat thermometer to see if when they are cooked. Its hard for pork belly to go dry, due to the high fat content, so they should still be juicy.
Tatjana says
Honestly surprised how well it turned out! Tender inside and crispy outside, lots of flavour. This recipe is super easy and quick, you just have to time the basting. We had it with rice and a side salad. Will definitely recommend and use it again thanks 😀
Lauren Woodger says
Ahh I'm so glad you loved it! They are super juicy aren't they, perfect with rice and salad 🙂
Kay says
Going to try this tonight with rice and asparagus.
Lauren Woodger says
I hope you enjoyed it! 🙂
Tara says
So so crispy! I love how easily these pork belly slices come together in the air fryer. They look so good.
Lauren Woodger says
The air fryer really helps to crisp them up! Thanks for your lovely comment 🙂
Carrie Robinson says
I just LOVE pork belly- especially when it has crispy edges! 🙂 Genius idea to make it in the air fryer.
Lauren Woodger says
The crispy bits are the best aren't they!
Ann says
I love pork belly and using air fryer means I can do portion control. Thanks!
Lauren Woodger says
So happy to hear you loved the recipe 🙂
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
I love sweet and sticky pork belly and using the airfryer makes it all so easy. Love this.
Lauren Woodger says
Glad you loved it.. the air fryer is a game changer isn't it!