Crispy & succulent, these pork belly slices cooked in the air fryer are a mouthwatering treat that will leave your taste buds begging for more! They are also gluten and dairy free.
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Hands down, this is the BEST way to cook pork belly slices! (I think so anyway!)
Now, I know pork belly can divide opinions, whilst some people aren’t big fans of fatty meat, a lot of you adore it. (Including me!)
The secret is, it just has to be cooked right! Cooking the pork belly strips in the air fryer helps the fat to render down, which results in a perfectly crispy and crunchy exterior, while the inside remains juicy and succulent.
I have marinated the air-fried pork strips in BBQ sauce which really brings out the natural flavours of the pork belly, infusing it with a blend of tangy and sweet flavours that complement the rich taste of the meat. As long as you are using a gluten-free BBQ sauce then this recipe is dairy, egg and gluten-free!
With no pre-boiling required, these easy crispy pork belly slices are ready in just 25 minutes!
Delicious served alongside these garlic & rosemary hasselback potatoes & roasted carrots and green beans, or why not chop the pork belly into cubes and use in this pork belly fried rice.
Jump to:
🥘 Ingredients Needed
✋ Be sure to double check all packaging for allergens. ✋
- Pork Belly: Try and buy the best quality pork that you can. Most major supermarkets sell pork belly pre-sliced or you can ask your butcher to slice it into strips for you. Try and find strips that have a stronger meat-to-fat ratio.
- BBQ Sauce: For quickness, I have used this pre-made BBQ sauce from Heinz. Remember to check the packaging as some shop-bought BBQ sauce contains gluten.
- 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.
🤔 Is Pork Belly The Same As Bacon?
Although pork belly and bacon share similarities, they are not identical. Typically, streaky bacon is derived from pork belly, while back bacon originates from the loin. Pork belly refers to a boneless, un-cured cut of fatty meat that is located on the underside of the pig. In contrast, bacon is a cured and smoked meat product that is typically produced from pork belly.
⚡ Variations & Substitutions
- Make Them Into Bites - You can easily make these into pork belly bites, that make a perfect snack or starter dish. Simply cut the pork into cubes before cooking. You may need to reduce the cooking time by five minutes or so.
- BBQ Sauce - For a sweeter taste, swap the BBQ sauce for honey or maple syrup.
- Seasonings - Mix up the seasonings. Paprika and garlic powder is a delicious combination as is a little brown sugar, mixed with oregano, salt & chilli flakes.
✏️ How To Make Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly Slices
⬇️ For the full printable recipe, along with ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the end of the post ⬇️
To make perfectly seasoned and delicious air fryer pork belly slices, start by preheating your air fryer to 400°F / 200˚C.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, this will be used to coat the pork belly.
Next, pat the pork belly slices dry with paper towels, this helps dry out the meat so the seasoning will stick to it.
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. The flavours will permeate the meat, creating a deliciously seasoned pork belly.
To cook the crispy pork belly slices in the air fryer, line the basket with baking parchment or an air fryer liner, then place the pork belly slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they do not overlap. This will allow the pork to cook evenly. Cook for 15 minutes, flipping the slices every 5 minutes.
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.
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!
💡 Tips & Tricks
- Cooking times will vary, depending on the make of your air fryer and the thickness of the belly slices, so I always recommend keeping an eye on the food and checking with a meat thermometer that the meat is cooked. Pork is cooked and safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 145˚F, but we are going to cook it until it reaches around 195˚F, so it gives time for the outside of the pork to really crisp up.
- I really recommend getting a meat thermometer, it will become your new best friend in the kitchen!
- Use baking parchment or an air fryer liner in the air fryer basket. This will help keep any mess to a minimum.
🔪 Equipment Used
- Air Fryer: I could talk about my air fryer all day long! I have the Instant Pot Vortex Plus Clear-Cook and I love it! It cooks really quickly and evenly and I love that it has a see-through cooking drawer with a light, so you can see how the food is cooking without having to actually open the drawer.
- Pastry Brush: Used to baste the pork with the BBQ sauce.
- Baking Parchment or Air Fryer Liners: Air fryer liners are a great invention. They line the bottom of the air fryer basket and catch any oil or food remnants, making cleanup a lot easier. You can also cut baking parchment to size and use this instead.
- Spray Oil Bottle: These spray bottles are great for when you are trying to limit how much oil you are using.
🥡 Storage
Once the pork has cooled, it can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop back in the air fryer on the re-heat function until the pork has reached 145˚F.
You can also freeze the pork belly in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat as above.
💬 FAQ
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.
It is not recommended to use frozen pork belly slices for air frying as they will not cook evenly and may result in undercooked or overcooked pork. It is best to use thawed pork belly slices for air frying.
While it is best to serve air fryer pork belly slices immediately after cooking, you can make them ahead of time and reheat them in the air fryer for a few minutes before serving. However, the skin may not be as crispy as when it is freshly cooked.
💫 Love this recipe? It would be great if you could leave a 5 ⭐ rating and comment below! Thanks x 💫
📖 More Air Fryer Recipes..
Looking for more air fryer recipes? Why not try these:
📖 Recipe
Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly Slices
Equipment
- Meat thermometer optional
- Air fryer liner optional
Ingredients
- 300 g 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.
- Line the air fryer with baking parchment or an air fryer liner, 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
- Cooking times will vary, depending on the make of your air fryer and the thickness of the belly slices, so I always recommend keeping an eye on the food and checking with a meat thermometer that the meat is cooked. Pork is cooked and safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 145˚F, but we are going to cook it until it reaches around 195˚F, so it gives time for the outside of the pork to really crisp up. I really recommend getting a meat thermometer, it will become your new best friend in the kitchen!
- Use baking parchment or an air fryer liner in the air fryer basket. This will help keep any mess to a minimum.
Let me know what you think of this recipe!