I LOVE crispy pork belly, also known as Chinese Roast Pork, but I don't love paying an arm and a leg for it. Thanks inflation! My favorite way to serve it is with Golden Fried Rice, a side of Taiwanese Cucumber Salad, and a spoonful of Ginger Scallion Sauce.
This is my better than takeout crispy pork belly, and it's easy to make! Once you try this recipe you'll be putting the bucks back in your pocket, and you won't be ordering takeout again! Some of my other takeout favorites are mapo tofu, hot & sour soup, and string bean chicken.
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Chinese roast pork (crispy pork belly) was once considered a delicacy in our household, and we ONLY bought it for special occasions because of the cost. Now that I can make an even better crispy pork belly at home for a fraction of the price, we get to enjoy it more often, guilt free! This recipe has the best of both worlds: air fryer instructions AND oven directions too.
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Better than takeout: Light, crackly skin and juicy meat for a fraction of the restaurant price.
- Air fryer or oven: Step-by-step directions for both, so anyone can make it.
- Simple seasonings: Five spice, garlic powder, onion powder, and a few pantry staples.
- Mostly hands-off: The fridge does the hard work of drying the skin for you.
- Perfect for special occasions or any night you are craving crispy pork belly with rice.
🥓 Crispy Pork Belly ingredients
- Five spice powder
- Low sodium soy sauce
- Chicken powder - I use Totole
- Shao Xing cooking wine
A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found on the recipe card below.
🍽️ Equipment
- Air fryer or oven (oven directions are below)
- Meat tenderizer, toothpicks, or a wooden skewer for poking the skin
- Aluminum foil
- Food brush (optional)
🥢 Substitutions & Variations
- No air fryer - this crispy pork belly can also be made in the oven. Follow the oven directions below.
- Shao Xing cooking wine - dry sherry is the closest substitute.
- Chicken powder - use chicken bouillon powder, or a pinch more salt in the marinade.
- No meat tenderizer - toothpicks or a wooden skewer work too. It just takes a little longer.
🔪 How to make Chinese Roast Pork
First, mix all of the marinade seasonings (black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, five spice, soy sauce, chicken powder, and Shao Xing wine) in a small bowl and set aside. Don't add the salt to the marinade. The salt is only used to draw moisture out of the skin.
- Step 1: Place the pork belly skin side up and pat it completely dry with a paper towel. Poke holes all over the skin with a meat tenderizer. The more holes, the more the skin can puff up.
- Step 2: No tenderizer? Toothpicks or wooden skewers work too. Be careful not to poke too deep. If the meat layer is pierced, the juices can leak out and stop the skin from crackling.
- Step 3: Cover the skin with kosher salt. Larger grain salt is easier to wipe off. Leave it on for 20 minutes until you see puddles of water on the skin.
- Step 4: Wipe off all of the salt and moisture with a paper towel, then flip the pork belly over.
- Step 5: Cut shallow vertical slits 1" apart on the meat side. This helps the marinade soak in and makes the pork easier to slice later.
- Step 6: Flip it skin side up and cut matching 1" slits on the skin, lined up with the slits underneath so it's easy to cut in one slice when it's done. This step is optional but very helpful.
- Step 7: The skin slits should only cut through the skin to reveal the fat, not through the fat.
- Step 8: Flip the pork belly skin side down and brush or rub the marinade into the meat and the slits. Only marinate the meat, not the skin.
- Step 9: Flip it skin side up onto a piece of foil about 3 inches wider and longer than the pork. Brush vinegar onto the skin only, or spoon it on and rub it in.
- Step 10: While the vinegar dries, fold one long side of the foil over 2 to 3 times to make a wall around the pork, leaving the skin exposed.
- Step 11: Repeat on the other long side.
- Step 12: Wrap the short ends like a present and tuck them into the foil. If any marinade got onto the skin, wipe it off.
- Step 13: Apply vinegar to the skin one more time. Place the foil-wrapped pork on a small baking sheet or plate on the top shelf of your fridge, uncovered.
- Step 14: After 48 hours the skin should look darker and feel hard to the touch. For bonus puffy skin, give it a few more light pokes with a small sharp knife.
Air fryer directions
- Step 15: Preheat the air fryer to 300°F for 5 minutes. Add the pork belly with the foil still on, which keeps the meat juicy and the air fryer clean. Cook at 300°F for 30 minutes.
- Step 16: Turn the air fryer up to 400°F and cook 10 to 15 minutes until the skin puffs up. Every air fryer is different, so peek at 10 minutes. If yours has a broil setting, use 450°F. My Crux air fryer takes about 10 to 15 minutes on broil.
Oven directions
- Step 15: Preheat the oven to 350°F (convection bake). Place the pork belly on a baking sheet with the foil still on.
- Step 16: Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. At about 50 minutes the internal temperature will be around 145°F for cooked but slightly pink meat. At about 60 minutes it will be around 160°F for white, juicy pork.
- Step 17: Switch to broil at 450°F for 10 to 20 minutes until the skin puffs up. Your broiler may be at the top or bottom of your oven, so use the rack closest to it (about 12" away) and watch closely the entire time. If one side browns faster, rotate the pork or cover that side with a piece of foil.
Rest: Once the Chinese roast pork is done, let it rest for 10 minutes so the juices absorb back in. I know this is the hardest part, but it's worth it!
Slice and serve: Cut along the slits you made earlier and enjoy!
Hint: Keep the marinade off the skin. Any marinade on the skin will stop it from drying out and puffing up, so wipe off any drips before it goes in the fridge.
💡 Tips for extra crispy pork belly
Have you tried to make Chinese roast pork but it didn't work out for you? Here are my tips for that light, crackly skin and perfectly juicy crispy pork belly.
- Holes, and lots of them - The more holes you poke in the pork skin, the more chances the skin has to fluff up into a light, crackly texture. Bonus points and extra puffy skin if you poke again lightly with a sharp knife after the drying process. Just don't poke past the skin and fat layer, or the juices may run out and stop it from puffing.
- Dry skin and vinegar - 48 hours may seem like a long time to wait, but be patient. With that magical 48 hours, the crackles of your dreams are within arm's reach. The vinegar helps dry out the skin even more, and as a bonus it helps remove some of the funky pork smell.
- High heat only at the end - When high heat is saved for the end of cooking, the skin stays soft until then. When it's suddenly hit with high heat, it puffs up into beautiful crackles. From my experience, if the heat is too high at the start, the skin hardens too much to puff up.
💭 Crispy Pork Belly FAQ
What if I don't have an air fryer?
This crispy pork belly can also be made in the oven! Bake on the middle rack at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes, then broil at 450°F for 10 to 20 minutes until the skin puffs up. Watch the pork belly closely the entire time it's under the broiler.
How long should I dry the pork belly skin?
Dry the pork belly uncovered in the refrigerator for 48 hours. The skin should look darker and feel hard to the touch when it's ready. Brushing the skin with vinegar helps it dry out even more.
Why didn't my pork belly skin puff up?
The most common reasons are skin that wasn't dried long enough, marinade or moisture left on the skin, not enough holes, or heat that was too high at the start of cooking. Save the high heat for the end so the skin stays soft until it's ready to crackle.
🫙 Storage
Store leftover crispy pork belly in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the air fryer or oven, skin side up, to bring back the crunch. The microwave will make the skin soft.
More Air Fryer Recipes
If you love this Chinese roast pork, check out my other easy air fryer recipes:
Did you try this recipe?
I'd love to hear from you! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below and tag @thesavorychopstick on Instagram.
📖 Recipe Card
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Easy Chinese Roast Pork Belly Extra Crispy
If you're like me, I LOVE Roast Pork but I don't love to pay an arm and a leg for it. Thanks inflation! This is my BETTER than takeout Roast Pork, and it's easy to make! Once you try this recipe you'll be putting the bucks back in your pocket, and you won't be ordering takeout again!
Equipment
1 air fryer or oven Oven bake on middle rack at 350 for 50-60 minutes, then Broil at 450 for 10-20 minutes until the skin has puffed up. During this entire broil process please watch the pork belly closely. Your broiler may be at the top or bottom of your oven so put it on the closest rung 12" away to the boiler for the skin puffing process and monitor closely.
1 Food Brush optional
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Pork Belly
For the Marinade
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon Soy Sauce - Low Sodium
- 1 teaspoon Totole Chicken Powder
- 1 tablespoon Shao Xing Cooking Wine
For the Drying Process
- 1 tablespoon Salt - I used Kosher (to extract moisture from pork skin)
- 1 tablespoon Vinegar
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Instructions
- Combine all the seasoning ingredients into a bowl and mix well and set aside. Do not add in the salt at this time, the salt will be used to draw the moisture out from the skin.½ tsp Black Pepper, ½ tsp Onion Powder, ½ tsp Five spice powder, 1 tsp Soy Sauce - Low Sodium, 1 tsp Totole Chicken Powder, 1 tbsp Shao Xing Cooking Wine, ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- Place pork belly skin side up and use a paper towel to remove all the moisture.
- Take your meat tenderizer , toothpicks, or skewers to poke the skin. Be careful not to poke too deep. If the meat layer is penetrated, the juices may leak out and interfere with our crackling skin during cooking. The more holes you poke the more opportunity the skin has to puff up.3 lbs Pork Belly
- Cover the skin side of the pork belly with salt (I used Kosher salt). Leave salt on the skin for 20 minutes until there are puddles of water on the skin.1 tbsp Salt - I used Kosher (to extract moisture from pork skin)
- Wipe off all the salt and moisture with a paper towel and flip the pork belly over
- Cut 1" wide shallow vertical slits on the meat side of the pork belly. This will help the marinade process and assist in cutting the pork belly when it is ready.
- Flip the pork belly over and cut 1" wide shallow vertical slits on the skin side of the pork belly. The slits should just cut through the skin to reveal the fat but not through the fat. These cuts on the slits should be placed at the same intervals as the meat slits so during the final cutting it is easy to cut through in one slice. This step is optional but is very helpful when cutting the pork once completed.
- Flip the pork belly over again, skin side down and apply the marinade with a food brush or pour on and rub in with your hands. Be careful only to marinate the meat portion and into the slits we have cut.
- Flip the belly over one last time, skin side up onto a piece of foil. The foil should be around 3 inches wider and longer than the pork belly itself.
- Use a food brush to apply vinegar to the top of the skin only, or you can carefully spoon the vinegar to the skin and rub it in.1 tbsp Vinegar
- While the vinegar is drying, it's time to wrap the pork on the sides with the skin exposed. Fold the long side of the of the foil 2- 3 times to create a wall for the pork belly, and repeat on the other side. Wrap the shorter end like a present and tuck into the foil. (Scroll up for pictures)
- If any marinade has transferred to the skin, wipe it off.
- Apply vinegar one more time to the skin.
- Now the pork belly is ready to dry out in the refrigerator. I usually transfer my open pork present onto a small baking sheet (or plate) and place it on the top shelf of my fridge for the dry out process.
- 48 hours later the pork belly is ready to go, and the skin should appear darker in color and hard to the touch. For bonus puffy skin, you can take a small sharp knife and give the skin some more pokes.
Air Fryer Cooking Instructions ( Oven Instructions below this)
- Preheat your Air fryer to 300°F for 5 minutes and then put the pork belly in with the present foil still on the pork. This will help to keep the meat from drying out and make less of a mess inside the air fryer (YAY).
- Cook the pork at 300°F for 30 minutes.
- Turn the Air Fryer up to 400°F and cook for 10-15 minutes until the skin has puffed up. Every Air fryer is different so your time may vary. Take a peek at 10 minutes to check on the action. (My Air Fryer has a broil setting and I cook around 10 mins at 450°F for my skin to puff up)
- Once the Roast Pork is done cooking, remove from air fryer and set aside for 10 minutes for the juices to absorb back in. (I know this is the hardest part but it will be worth it!)
- Enjoy!
Oven Cooking Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (Convection Bake) and put the pork belly onto a baking sheet and leave the present foil on the pork. This will help to keep the meat from drying out and make less of a mess inside your oven (YAY).
- Cook the pork at 350°F for 50-60 minutes. Notes: At around 50 minutes your internal temp should be 145 deg if you want a cooked but slightly pink meat. At around 60 minutes you will be at 160 deg which will yield in a white cooked pork that is still juicy.
- Turn the Oven to broil at 450°F and cook for 10-20 minutes until the skin has puffed up. During this entire broil process please watch the pork belly closely. Your broiler may be at the top or bottom of your oven so put it on the closest rung 12" away to the boiler for the skin puffing process and monitor closely. If the pork starts browning more on one side, you can rotate it, or use a sheet of foil to cover that side.
- Once the Roast Pork is done cooking, remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes for the juices to absorb back in. (I know this is the hardest part but it will be worth it!)
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
** Alternate Oven Cooking times**
- 16. Preheat your oven to 350°F and put the pork belly in with the present foil still on the pork. This will help to keep the meat from drying out and make less of a mess inside the oven (YAY).
- 17. Cook the pork at 350°F for 50-60 minutes.
- 18. Turn the Oven to broil at 450°F and cook for 10-20 minutes until the skin has puffed up. During this entire broil process please watch the pork belly closely. Your broiler may be at the top or bottom of your oven so put it on the closest rung 12" away to the boiler for the skin puffing process and monitor closely.
Nutrition
Calories: 2365kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 43gFat: 241gSaturated Fat: 88gPolyunsaturated Fat: 26gMonounsaturated Fat: 112gCholesterol: 327mgSodium: 3130mgPotassium: 866mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 47IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was, and tag @thesavorychopstick on social!
Food safety
- Cook pork to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F (63 °C), then let it rest for at least 3 minutes
- While the pork dries in the fridge, keep it on a plate or sheet pan away from ready-to-eat foods
- Do not use the same brush, utensils, or cutting board on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave cooked pork sitting out at room temperature for more than 2 hours
- Pork belly releases hot fat while cooking, so never leave the air fryer or broiler unattended
Kelly says
Hi! I love Chinese crispy pork belly, and have had success making it in the oven before (very similar to your steps!) but I just bought an air fryer so I'm SO excited to try this!!
I have a different air fryer than you, based on the pictures -- mine is more circle-shaped vs your longer rectangular one. I probably can't fit a whole/normal pork belly in, and will prob have to cut it in half lengthwise. Do you think I'll need to cut back on any cook time? (either the first 30min, or the final broil?)
Thanks!!!
The Savory Chopstick says
Hi Kelly! The cooktime should be the same. The pork belly does shrink a big during the cook process too. I’m so excited to see your results, please let me know how it goes !
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Joanne says
Super easy to make. But you really have poke the pork belly skin to make sure it gets crispy
The Savory Chopstick says
Hi Joanne! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. The poking of the holes is my least favorite part since its so time consuming but its so rewarding at the end 😆
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Kathy says
Thanks for this recipe, it ws definitely a favourite with my family. Very simple and easy directions and came out delicious. I can’t wait to try your other recipes.
TheSavoryChopstick Recipes says
Hello again Kathy! Thank you so much for your support and trying this recipe as well. I am so happy you and your family enjoyed this one, It is one of our favorites as well. -Sharon