You will love this easy air fryer recipe if you love pork belly with a crunchy crackling and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. You can make the most delicious and satisfying pork belly with just four ingredients and two simple steps.
All you need is a slab of pork belly, some steak seasoning, vinegar, and salt. No scoring, no boiling, no fuss. Just rub, poke, salt, and air fry. The air fryer does all the work for you, rendering the fat and creating a crispy skin that will make you drool. This is the ultimate keto-friendly comfort food that you can enjoy any time of the day.
Ingredients:
- Pork belly with skin on
- McCormick’s Smoky Montreal Steak seasoning
- Red wine vinegar
- Coarse kosher salt
Air Fryer Crispy Pork Belly
If you think you need an oven to make a mouthwatering roasted pork belly, think again. With an air fryer, you can achieve the same results in less time and hassle-free. No preheating, no water bath, no flipping, no mess. Just season, poke, salt, and air fry.
The air fryer will do the magic for you, creating a crackling that is bubbly, crunchy, and addictive. And the meat? Oh, the meat. It will be so juicy, tender, and flavorful that you want to eat it yourself. This is not your ordinary roasted pork belly. This is an air fryer crispy pork belly.
This recipe is perfect for keto lovers; it only has four ingredients and zero carbs. You can use any steak seasoning or make your own with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cumin. The vinegar adds a nice tang and helps tenderize the meat. The coarse salt draws out the moisture from the skin and makes it extra crispy. And the pork belly itself is a star ingredient that needs no introduction.
You can serve this air fryer crispy pork belly as a main course with some low-carb sides, such as cauliflower rice, roasted vegetables, or salad. Or you can cut it into smaller pieces and enjoy it as a snack or appetizer. Either way, you will be amazed by this recipe’s easy and deliciousness. Trust me, once you try this air fryer crispy pork belly, you will never return to the oven again!
How to make Air Fryer Crispy Pork Belly: Overview
Here is how to make the most amazing pork belly in your air fryer in 4 easy steps (read further below for the why):
Mix the steak seasoning and the vinegar, then rub it all over the meaty side of the pork belly, making sure to get into the cuts. DO NOT SCORE (Game-changing tip #1);
Dry the skin with paper towels, then poke holes all over it with a sharp knife or a skewer. The more holes, the better. Sprinkle coarse salt evenly over the skin;
Air fry in an unheated air fryer at 350°F for 35 minutes, then scrape off the salt layer and discard it;
Increase the temperature to 375°F and air fry for another 25 minutes or until the skin is golden and crisp. No need to level the pork, as the air fryer circulates hot air evenly around it. (Game-changing tip #2)
Air Fryer Crispy Pork Belly
Make this air fryer crispy pork belly with just four ingredients and two simple steps. You will get juicy, tender, and flavorful meat with a crunchy crackling that is keto-friendly and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs slab pork belly with skin on, 1–1½” thickness
- 2 TB McCormick’s Smoky Montreal Steak seasoning (or other blend of your choice)
- 1 TB red wine vinegar
- 2 TB coarse kosher salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the steak seasoning and the vinegar. Mix well and set aside.
- Place the pork belly on a large piece of parchment paper. Make 1/4" deep cuts into the meaty side of the pork, leaving the skin intact.
- Rub the seasoning mixture all over the pork, making sure to get into the cuts. Fold up the sides of the parchment paper to form a tray around the pork.
- Pat the skin dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife or a skewer, poke holes all over the skin. The more holes you make, the crispier the skin will be.
- Place the parchment tray with the pork in the unheated air fryer basket. Sprinkle the coarse salt evenly over the skin.
- Set the air fryer to 350°F and cook for 35 minutes.
- Carefully remove the parchment tray and discard it. Scrape off the salt layer from the skin and discard it as well.
- Return the pork to the air fryer basket and increase the temperature to 375°F. Cook for another 25 minutes or until the skin is golden and crisp.
- Let the pork rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting it into bite-sized pieces.
- Serve and enjoy your air fryer crispy pork belly!
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 4-ounce (113-gram) serving of pork bellyAmount Per Serving: Calories: 585 kcalTotal Fat: 60gSaturated Fat: 22gSodium: 36.2mgCarbohydrates: 0gProtein: 11g