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    Home » Course » Main Course

    Air Fryer Pork Belly

    Published: Oct 25, 2020 · Modified: Oct 3, 2022 by Erin Carter · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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    pork belly pieces cooked in an air fryer
    pork belly pieces cooked in an air fryer
    pork belly pieces cooked in an air fryer
    pork belly pieces cooked in an air fryer
    pork belly pieces that were cooked in an air fryer

    This is the best air fryer pork belly recipe. Slightly sweet and a little salty with a melt in your mouth meat layer and nice and crispy skin. It's so easy to make in just 20 minutes with ingredients from your pantry. Plus the clean up is so simple!

    Three pieces of cooked pork belly on a plate with fresh thyme around them.

    I have always struggled to make the perfect pork belly in the oven, I could just never get the meat to be that tender or the pork belly skin to be that crispy. The air fryer has changed all of that! It took me a few tries to get the perfect air fryer pork belly strips recipe but I did it! You guys are going to love this recipe. It's so easy to make and is ready in just 20 minutes. It is slightly sweet yet a little salty with a perfectly tender meat layer and nice and crispy pork belly skin.

    Why you will love this recipe:

    • This air fried pork belly turns out perfectly! The meat layer is so nice and tender yet the skin is nice and crisp, just how pork belly should be!
    • It's so easy and simple to make pork belly in air fryer.
    • It's ready in under 30 minutes, taking just 20 minutes to cook.
    • This pork belly is made without boiling first. 
    • These marinated pork belly strips taste incredible! Plus the marinade is made with pantry staple ingredients. 
    • It's so much healthier and less messy to make pork belly in an air fryer when compared to deep frying. 
    • These fryer pork belly bites are so versatile. You can serve them as a main dish, as an appetizer or as a side dish.

    Key ingredients and substitutions: 

    • A piece of pork belly - I prefer to use pasture raised pork, but any type of pork belly will do. If you can't find pork belly at your grocery store you can find it at your local butcher.
    • Soy sauce - to help tenderize the meat and give it a delicious flavour. Instead of soy sauce you can use coconut aminos. 
    • Balsamic vinegar - this also helps tenderize the meat and give it a slightly sweet taste. 
    • Brown sugar - to add just the perfect amount of sweetness to this pork. Instead of brown sugar you can use coconut sugar. 

    How to make this recipe:

    Step one:

    First, wash and dry the pork belly, and if there is any hair on it, scrape that off. Then cut the pork belly into ~1″ sized strips.

    Pork belly strips on a plate.

    Step two:

    Next, place the marinade ingredients in a bowl and stir them well to combine. Then put the pork belly strips into the bowl and coat them well with the sauce.

    Pork belly pieces being marinaded in a bowl.

    Step three:

    Lastly, place the pork belly strips onto the top rack of your air fryer and cook for 18 minutes at 390 degrees Fahrenheit. Then flip the pork belly strips and cook them for an additional 3-5 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit to crisp up the pork belly skin even more (note that the cooking time will depend on the size of your pork belly strips and your air fryer).

    Marinated pork belly strips on an air fryer tray.

    Chef's tips:

    • Every model of air fryer is different, so depending on the air fryer you are using you may have to adjust the cooking times. 
    • Try and cut the strips of pork belly into the same sized pieces so that they cook at the same rate.
    • I cook all the pork belly pieces on the top rack of my air fryer, if you use the lower rack you may have to increase the cooking time.
    • Feel free to double this recipe if you are serving more people.
    • You can serve these pork belly bites as an appetizer or a main dish.

    Variations and add ins:

    • To make this gluten free: use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
    • To make this recipe paleo: use coconut aminos and coconut sugar instead of soy sauce and brown sugar. 
    • For a different flavour feel free to use other spices such as garlic powder.
    • Try serving these fryer pork belly bites with bbq sauce to give them even more flavour. 

    How to store:

    Keep this pork belly in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

    Cooked pork belly pieces on a plate with a bowl of soy sauce beside it.

    Frequently asked questions:

    What is pork belly?

    Pork belly is a boneless cut of fatty meat from the belly of a pig. It is the same type of meat that is used to make bacon, but pork belly is uncured, un-smoked and un-sliced in comparison to bacon.

    Is air fried pork belly healthier than bacon?

    That often depends on the type of bacon and pork belly you are getting. Most types of bacon on the market contain nitrates, more salt, and sugar, so in that case, yes pork belly would be considered a healthier alternative. If however you are getting nitrate free and sugar free bacon the two would be fairly equal health wise.

    What to serve with pork belly air fryer?

    You can serve many different things with pork belly but some of my favourites include:
    Simple Broccoli Salad
    Asian Coleslaw
    Easy Potato Salad
    Cauliflower Fried Rice
    Other ideas include a side salad, caesar salad, roasted potatoes or other roasted vegetables.

    Other air fryer recipes you will love:

    • Air fryer frozen hamburgers
    • Air fryer lamb chops
    • Air fryer salmon cakes with lemon dill aioli
    • Air fryer salt and pepper chicken wings
    • Air fryer frozen meatballs
    • Air fryer frozen French fries
    • Air fryer BBQ ribs

    Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star review before you go!

    Air Fryer Pork Belly

    This air fryer pork belly is the best! The skin is nice and crispy while the meat is so tender. It has a slightly sweet yet salty flavour and is ready in just 20 minutes.
    4.24 from 42 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course, Meat
    Cuisine: American, asian
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 21 minutes
    Total Time: 26 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 622kcal
    Author: Dr. Erin Carter

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb pork belly

    Marinade Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoon soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoon brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

    Instructions

    • Wash and dry the pork belly, and if there is any hair, scrape that off. Cut the pork belly into ~1" sized strips.
    • Place the marinade ingredients in a bowl and stir well to combine.
    • Add the pork belly strips to the bowl and coat them well with the sauce.
    • Place the pork belly strips onto the top rack of your air fryer and cook for 18 minutes at 390F. Flip the pork belly strips and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes at 400F to crisp up the pork belly even more (cooking time will depend on the size of your pork belly and your air fryer).

    Notes

    1. Every model of air fryer is different, so depending on the air fryer you are using you may have to adjust the cooking times. 
    2. Try and cut the strips of pork belly into the same sized pieces so that they cook at the same rate.
    3. Store this cooked pork belly in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 3 days. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 622kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1084mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @pureandsimpleno or tag #pureandsimpleno!

     

    More Healthy Main Courses

    • Mango Chicken Curry
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    • Denver Steak
    • Blackened Mahi Mahi

    DISCLAIMERS: The statements made on this website have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. You assume full responsibility for how you use this information. Always consult with your physician or other health professionals before making any diet or lifestyle changes. This post may contain affiliate links whereby if you purchase these products I receive a small percentage of the sale price. This allows me to keep the blog running and I thank you for allowing me to do that!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sabine

      February 20, 2022 at 2:04 am

      I tried this for dinner tonight, and it was delicious. I will definitely make this again. Thank you for a great air fryer recipe.5 stars

      Reply
      • Erin Carter

        February 20, 2022 at 9:54 pm

        OH I am so glad you love it!!! Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply

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    Hi everyone! My name is Dr. Erin Carter and I am so thrilled you are here. I am a physician with specialities in both internal medicine and rheumatology, and I believe that food and healthy living are forms of medicine. In my spare time I share health information and delicious, healthy recipes here on Pure and Simple Nourishment.

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