Pork belly is easy to make at home? Yes it is! If you’re looking for restaurant-style pork belly with crazy crispy skin and the juiciest meat with tons and tons of flavor, my recipe will blow your mind.
Well if you’re here, you’re probably looking for the best pork belly recipe on the internet, and dare I say, you’ve found the one. After making my Grilled Pork Tenderloin, I was called the “Pork Queen”, and this recipe might just solidify my role. Wink.
So let’s talk about what everyone wants to know…YES, your pork belly will have the crispiest, crackling, shattering skin. AND YES, it will have the juiciest, most flavorful meat below it that you thought could only live in your wildest pork belly dreams.
Honestly, I might need to stop writing before I drool all over my keyboard. Let’s get to it…
What You Need To Make Pork Belly
You only need a handful of ingredients to make the best crispy pork belly!
- Skin-on pork belly – good-quality pork belly is so important! Look for skin-on, boneless pork belly that’s around 3 pounds so that the cook-time and spice amounts are accurate.
- Chinese five spice powder – five spice is a classic Chinese spice blend, typically with clove, star anise, cinnamon, fennel, and peppercorn. You can use a different spice blend if preferred!
- Apple cider vinegar – apple cider vinegar is not only complementary to the five spice, but it helps break down the tough fibers of the skin and aids in crisping it up in the oven!
- Vegetable oil – vegetable oil helps crisp up the skin in the oven.
- Salt – salt not only enhances flavor but it helps crisp up the skin, and tenderize and lock in the juices of the meat.
- Black pepper – black pepper adds warmth and an ever-so-slight touch of heat.
- Garlic powder – garlic powder adds a little garlicky sweetness.
- Onion powder – onion powder adds a touch of oniony sweetness.
- Light brown sugar – brown sugar aids in the caramelization of the pork belly meat.
Watch This Pork Belly Recipe Video!
How to Make Pork Belly
Learn how to make crispy pork belly! Full instructions in the recipe card; this is an outline!
- Blend.
Combine five spice, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and brown sugar in a bowl.
- Rub.
Place pork belly meat-side up and rub this spice blend evenly onto the meat and sides only, not the skin-side.
- Dry.
Flip the pork belly to the skin-side and pat dry with paper towels. Try to keep spice rub off skin.
- Score.
Score (poke) the skin with a sharp knife, spacing the marks about ½-inch apart. Do NOT go too deep into the meat.
- Massage.
Evenly rub ½ tablespoon salt onto the skin.
- Wrap.
Place a large piece of foil underneath pork belly, meat-side down. Wrap the foil up the sides of the pork belly, tightly wrapping around like a foil boat, without touching the top of the pork belly (the skin).
- Chill.
Place pork belly in the foil boat, on a baking sheet. Chill pork belly, uncovered, in the fridge for 2 hours.
- Brush.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix together oil and vinegar. Brush the skin with all of this mixture.
- Roast.
Roast pork in the foil boat on a baking sheet for 55-70 minutes. Foil boat will peel away from the pork belly as it roasts. The center of a meat layer should register at least 165 degrees.
- Cool.
Remove pork belly from the oven, turn oven off, and leave oven door open for 5 minutes to let oven cool (to ensure broiler works correctly).
- Broil.
Turn on broiler (low setting if you have one). Place pork belly back in the oven and let broil for 5-15 minutes until skin is crispy. Watch carefully! Pork belly skin will pop and crackle, crisping up. Rotate pork belly if needed. If there’s a spot that’s burning, cover with a little piece of foil.
- Serve.
Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Tips for Making the Best Crispy Pork Belly
Here are some tips and tricks for the very best crispy pork belly every time!
- Score skin: use a sharp knife to score the skin of the pork belly (not the meat underneath)! These shallow cuts will help the fat render and the skin crisp up evenly.
- Dry skin: moisture is the enemy of crispy skin. Pat the skin of the pork belly dry with paper towels.
- Generously salt and season: season the meat side of the pork belly. Generously salting the skin will draw out moisture and help it crisp up.
- Chill uncovered: after seasoning, let the pork belly chill in the refrigerator, uncovered, to help dry out the skin while keeping the meat tender when roasting.
- Broil the skin: once the meat is cooked through, switch to the broiler to crisp up the skin. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning, rotating the pork belly if needed for even browning.
- Rest before slicing: allow roasted pork belly to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing to keep the juices in.
- Serve right away: crispy pork belly is best enjoyed hot out of the oven!
Serving Suggestions
Serve crispy pork belly with one or more dipping sauces, or as part of a larger dish! Here are some ideas:
- Sauces: Hoisin sauce (classic), Peanut Sauce, applesauce, BBQ sauce, mustard, or Gremolata
- Pork belly instead of salmon in an Asian Salmon Rice Bowl
- Tacos or bao buns
- Salad topper with this Asian Salad Dressing
- With sticky rice and sesame Sugar Snap Peas or Baby Bok Choy
More Pork Recipes You’ll Love!
Crispy Roasted Pork Belly
Equipment
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 3 pound skin-on, boneless pork belly
- 1 tablespoon Chinese five spice powder
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
Instructions
- Mix together five spice, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and brown sugar.
- Place pork belly, meat-side up, on a working surface. Rub this spice blend evenly on the meat-side only, plus the sides of the pork belly.
- Flip the pork belly over to the skin-side. Try to not get spices on the skin! Use paper towels to pat dry the skin as best as possible.
- With a sharp knife, score (poke) the skin. Do NOT go too deep, into the meat. These poke marks should be about ½-inch apart.
- Rub ½ tablespoon salt evenly on the skin.
- Place a large piece of foil underneath the pork belly, meat-side down touching the foil. Wrap the foil up the sides of the pork belly, tightly wrapping around it like a foil boat. Foil should come up the sides without touching the top of the pork belly (the skin).
- Place pork belly in the foil boat, on a baking sheet. Let chill in the fridge, uncovered, for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Mix together oil and vinegar. Use a basting brush to brush the skin with this mixture. It will look like too much, but use it all!
- Roast pork in the foil boat on a baking sheet for 55-70 minutes. Foil boat will peel away from the pork belly as it roasts. The center of a meat layer (not fat layer) should register at least 165 degrees. It’s okay if the temperature is a bit over.
- Remove pork belly from the oven, turn oven off, and leave oven door open for 5 minutes to let oven cool. This ensures oven broiler will work correctly.
- Turn broiler on (I use low setting if you have one). Place pork belly back in the oven and let broil for 5-15 minutes until skin is crispy. Watch carefully! Pork belly skin will pop and crackle, crisping up. Rotate pork belly if needed, to ensure even crackling. If there’s a spot that’s burning, cover with a little piece of foil.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with hoisin or your favorite dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
- While you can use a different sized pork belly, finding pork belly as close to 3 pounds as possible will ensure the cook time and spice amounts are accurate. Otherwise, these will vary!
- Five Spice is a classic Chinese blend of typically clove, star anise, cinnamon, fennel, and peppercorn.
- You can use whatever spice blend you’d like, keeping the salt amount the same. Salt is key for flavor, the juiciness of the meat, and crispiness of the skin!
- I imagine you can chill the pork belly for longer than 2 hours in the fridge, but I have not tested this.
- It’s more accurate to insert thermometer into the side of the pork belly (through a meat not fat layer) instead of the top.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
