Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly Strips (Quick & Easy!)
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Once you try these air fry pork belly strips, there’s no going back! They feature amazingly succulent and juicy meat on the inside, and crispy pork belly skin on the outside (with no boiling or deep frying required!).
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
These air fryer belly pork slices are marinated in a delicious, sweet, salty, spicy, umami-rich sauce that makes them highly addictive. Some reasons you’ll love them:
- Gluten-free: Most of the ingredients for these air fry pork belly strips are naturally gluten-free. You can enjoy this dish on a gluten-free diet with a few quick swaps. Use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce and a gluten-free sweet soy sauce instead of regular.
- Mouth-wateringly tender: Marinating this pork belly slices air fryer dish first and using air frying as the cooking method helps create yummy, perfectly tender meat in only a few minutes.
- Flavorful: The Korean/Chinese-inspired marinade helps create a delightfully complex taste for this pork belly slices in air fryer dish. It’s sweet, salty, slightly spicy, and mouthwatering.
- Quick and easy: This roast pork slab recipe is ready in 30 minutes or less, and most ingredients are kitchen staples, making this a convenient dish for a weeknight meal.
If you’re craving more pork dishes this week, try making these recipes: Thin Pork Chops in Air Fryer, Juicy Baked Pork Steak, or Crispy Pork Schnitzel.
What is Pork Belly?
If you’re new to recipes like these air fry pork belly strips, you may not have heard of pork belly before. It’s a delicious, boneless cut of meat from the underside of the pig that’s higher in fat content than other cuts like pork loins. Pork belly is the leftover meat from the belly, after the loin and spareribs are cut off.
It’s a popular cut of meat often seen in Asian cuisine, like Chinese dishes. It’s also popular in Latin American and Mexican recipes. There are many ways to cook pork belly, including making crispy pork belly (like in this Ninja air fryer pork belly strips recipe) or braising it with a sweet, savoury sauce.
Are pork belly slices the same as bacon?
Pork belly and bacon are actually the same cut of meat. However, the way they are prepared sets them apart. While bacon is typically cured, smoked, and may even include seasoning, pork belly is the raw cut.
Ingredients
The ingredients that make this Air Fry Pork Belly Strips recipe fantastic are the following:
Pork Belly Strips – This air fry pork belly strips dish wouldn’t be the same without the key ingredient – pork belly! Make sure to get pork belly that’s skin-on for an extra crispy texture when cooked.
Chilli Crisp – While chilli crisp is optional in this pork belly slices recipe, I recommend adding it if you enjoy spicy flavours. This ingredient adds an extra burst of heat that really ties the other marinade flavours together to the pork bites.
Soy Sauce – A must-have for these pork belly slices is soy sauce, which creates that irresistible umami flavour. If you’re on a gluten-free diet, you can use tamari sauce or coconut aminos instead for a similar taste.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
This air fry pork belly strips dish is so good you’ll want to make it every week! Here are a few ways you can vary the recipe so you can continue to enjoy it as often as you like.
Make it spicy: I’ve included cayenne pepper and chilli oil in this pork belly recipe for a kick of heat, but you can increase the heat with chilli flakes/ red pepper flakes.
Chinese Seasoning: Switch up the flavour of this dish by making pork belly with five spice powder.
Korean BBQ: You can also turn this belly pork strips in air fryer recipe into a Korean BBQ-style dish by making or buying Korean BBQ sauce. Many ingredients are the same as listed in my recipe, but you’ll also need items like brown sugar, rice vinegar, sriracha, ginger, garlic powder, sesame oil, and cornstarch for a homemade sauce.
Pork Belly Bites: For easier meal prep, dice the pork belly into cubes. Diced pork belly makes it easier to pack with rice, noodles, etc. when making lunches during the week.
How to cook Air Fryer Pork Belly Strips
- In a large mixing bowl, add garlic paste, soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, fish sauce, and cayenne pepper (Image 1).
- Add the pork belly strips to the bowls with the spices and turn them with a pair of tongs until they are well coated in the seasonings. Next, line the inside of the air fryer with foil (Image 2).
3. Place the pork belly strips in the air fryer in one layer on top of the foil and cook for 10 minutes at 190°C/380°F (Image 3).
4. After 10 minutes, add a drizzle of honey and then continue cooking for another 2-8 minutes at 200°C/400°F (Image 4).
5. Let the pork belly rest for at least 5 minutes in their juices (Image 5).
6. Serve using the cooking sauce as a dip and sprinkled with spring onions and a crack of black pepper (Image 6).
Try making these other Asian-inspired recipes during the week for easy lunches: Minced Pork Noodles, Soy Garlic Chicken Breast, and 10 Minute Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles.
Tips for the best result
Here are some tips to help you make the best air fry pork belly strips!
- Check the internal temperature so you don’t overcook. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Be sure to put the meat thermometer in the centre of the pork belly slabs for a more accurate reading.
- Make sure the outside of the slices are very dry. It’s very important to make the pork belly dry by patting the outside of the pork belly with a paper towel well.
- Single layer with space between for best cooking. When making this pork belly strips air fryer dish, be sure to give each strip plenty of room to cook in the air fryer basket. If they’re packed too tightly together, they’ll steam instead of crisp up.
- Thicker strips may need longer cooking time, and thinner strips may need less. Be sure to monitor your pork belly slices to make sure they’re done. Sliced pork belly comes in varying sizes and thicknesses, so the pork belly strips air fryer time may be different from what’s noted in the recipe below. Ensure it gets to 145°F (63°C).
Make Ahead Instructions
The best part about this recipe is that it stays good in the fridge for four days. So, if you’re wondering how to cook pork belly strips ahead of time, you’re in luck! Follow the steps below to marinate the pork belly and cook it in the air fryer the day before. Then, enjoy the air fry pork belly strips throughout the week.
Serving Suggestions
Air fry pork belly strips are quite versatile – so you can pair them with quite a few sides and mains! Serve them with pickled or stir-fried cabbage, a fresh salad, roasted veggies, mashed potatoes, or mac and cheese. One of my favourite ways of enjoying this recipe is over rice with a fried egg on top. Here are a few other dishes this pork belly goes well with:
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
Leftover air fry pork belly stripes hold up well in the fridge, freezer, and while reheating! Here are some notes on enjoying leftover pork belly.
Refrigerator – Let the pork belly cool fully, then pack it into an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge for up to four days.
Freezer – Cooked pork belly can stay in the freezer for up to six months. Be sure to let it cool fully before packing it into an airtight container.
Reheat – You can always enjoy pork belly cold if you’re in a time crunch. Otherwise, I recommend reheating it in the air fryer at 200°C/ 400°F for about 10 minutes so it can re-crisp up. You can also microwave it to heat it up, but it won’t be as crispy. Be sure to let it defrost overnight in the fridge if you’re reheating pork belly from frozen.
Recipe FAQs
Putting oil on pork belly before cooking depends on the recipe. If you’re creating crispy pork belly, many people recommend adding an oil mixture or cooking spray to the meat before airfrying it. My air fry pork belly strips dish crisps up without extra oil in the air fryer, as the fat rendered from the pork is substantial.
Marinating air fry pork belly slices beforehand helps keep them tender as they cook.
Yes, you can absolutely marinate pork belly before you cook it. This step will add a ton of flavour and help tenderise the meat.
Some recipes call for air frying after boiling. However, you don’t need to boil pork belly before cooking it in the air fryer.
There are a few reasons why a pork belly slices recipe air fryer may not turn out crispy. If the pork belly bits are not dry enough or don’t get hot enough in the air fryer, they may not turn out crispy. I recommend adding a bit more salt to help with the caramelisation and crispiness.
Yes, you can cook pork belly from frozen. However, it will take longer to cook and may not end up as crispy as cooking thawed meat.
I love pairing these air fry pork belly strips with Asian noodles and salads. Try making these Asian-inspired recipes for a mouthwatering meal: Quick Yaki Udon, Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce, or Spicy Korean Gochujang Noodles
If you tried this Air Fryer Pork Belly Recipe, it would mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Air Fry Pork Belly Strips
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork belly slices, 4 long strips (£5.32)
- 1 spring onion, thinly sliced to serve (£0.65)
- 1 tsp garlic paste (£1/20= £0.05)
- Optional chilli crisp
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 tbsp honey, optional
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- ¾ tsp cayenne pepper
Method
- To a large mixing bowl ,add the garlic paste, soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, fish sauce and cayenne pepper.
- Add the pork belly strips into the bowl and stir to combine. Add foil to line your airfryer basket, then place the pork belly strips inside. Cook for 10 minutes at 190°C/ 380°F.
- Next, add a drizzle of honey and cook for a further 5-8 minutes at 200°C/ 400°F.
- Let the pork belly strips rest for 5 minutes before plating, then top with spring onion, a crack of black pepper and optional chilli crisp. Serve the cooking sauce remaining in the foil as a dip.
Notes
- Ensure the pork belly is completely dry. Thoroughly pat the outside of each slice with a paper towel.
- Arrange in a single layer with space between slices.
- Adjust cooking time based on thickness.
- Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.
Nutrition
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