Best Crackling on Pork Belly: Super Crispy, 1 Ingredient Only

The Easiest Crackling Pork Belly Method

My ultimate guide to the Crackling on Pork Belly. It is super crispy with only one ingredient. Yeah. It is just salt and nothing else. Pork belly can be even crispier than bacon.

We always follow recipes that promise perfectly crispy crackling on pork belly but end up pretty disappointed. We then start blaming the oven or the pig’s genetics. Yes, that was me many years ago.

Well, the pig’s genetics are totally fine. With a little tweak and a few tricks of the cooking method, we can easily get the perfect crispy pork belly we always dream of.

There are many ways to make this crackling dish. However, in reality, there are just two schools of cooking pork skin: Western and Chinese.

The Western approach is quite straightforward and often fails to produce the desired skin texture. In contrast, traditional Chinese techniques yield excellent results but can be pretty time-consuming.

They both have pros and cons. I think the best method is to combine both.

Beginner-Friendly Guide to Crispy Pork Belly

In today’s information overload world, it can be challenging to determine which method is best for achieving that delicious crackling pork skin. Many people feel overwhelmed and discouraged after trying various techniques, such as using vinegar, refrigerating the meat overnight, boiling the meat, or experimenting with different spices.  

That’s why I’m here to eliminate unnecessary confusion and help you by focusing on a simple, one-ingredient solution. Once you’ve mastered this technique, you can confidently incorporate other ingredients to enhance the dish further.

What You Need to Know Before Cooking the Crispy Skin

Most of my cooking is done with the air fryer nowadays. Unlike traditional ovens, air fryers distribute heat from above, creating a unique cooking environment. Of course, this is not the only way to make crackling skin. Check out my other methods for achieving crispy skin pork belly, “The Best Way to Cook Pork Belly”.

As an added bonus, I also share some delicious pork belly recipes involving braising and grilling for those who want to explore different cooking styles. But wait, there’s more! I’ve included a comprehensive troubleshooting guide and FAQ section to address any issues you may encounter during the cooking process.

I’ve got you covered whether you’re dealing with partially or fully burnt skin or unevenly cooked areas. There’s no need to worry about wasting a beautiful piece of meat! Feel super duper free to comment below if you have questions about getting that perfect crackling skin. I am going to help you in your crispiness journey. 

Detail Cooking Instructions with photos

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pork belly, skin on
• 1 tablespoon regular salt
• 1/2 cup coarse salt 

Step by Step:

1. Salt the whole pork. Don’t worry if the pork is still frozen. I don’t recommend it, but if you are short of time. Why not? Just throw the pork belly straight into the air fryer.

   

2. Put it into the air fryer. The secret here is the temperature. Turn your temperature to 65° C or 150° F. Let it sits in our air fryer for 35 minutes without preheating. Why are we doing this? This does two things: it defrosts our meat and dehydrates the skin. Many Chinese recipes call for dehydrating skin overnight in the fridge, which is super time-consuming. I want to consume the crispy pork in less than 2 hours.

   

    

3. After the dehydration, take the pork belly out from the air fryer and use a fork to poke some holes in the skin. If you don’t do this, the skin will puff at a later stage. Most professional Chinese recipes use a unique needle tool, but the fork works perfectly. Only do this step after dehydration, not before. It is tough to poke when the skin is not dry enough.

   

4. Okay. Then, start to cover the skin using coarse salt. Why use coarse salt? One, it is easier to cover and two, cheaper. Just buy cheap salt for this purpose. It really doesn’t matter what kind of salt you gonna be using. If you want to follow my style, I use good salt like sea salt for the meat part but a cheaper, coarser one for the skin surface. The purpose is to prevent the top from cooking and also draw out moisture at the same time.

   

5. Roast the pork belly for 30 minutes at 200° C / 400° F. Pro tip: if the pork is uneven and the salt seems sliding off the skin, just slide a spoon at the bottom to even the pork.

   

6. Take it out and carefully remove the crusted salt on top. Don’t throw it away; put it aside first, as you might still need it.

   

   

7. Turn the temperature to the maximum and give it a couple of minutes to preheat. Now roast the pork skin side up for 10 minutes. You will start to hear the crackling sound of the pork. Pro tricks: If you found the height of the meat is uneven, you may want to slide a spoon at the bottom to prevent uneven cooking.

   

    

   

8. After 10 minutes, check whether the skin is golden yellow and looks good. If not, continue for another 5 minutes at the maximum temperature. In most cases, it takes 15 minutes to complete. Notes: sometimes, it could take close to 20 minutes, but no more than that.

   

    

9. Most of the time, you will find some parts of the pork belly skin look perfect while others are still pale. I bet you’ll also find spots that are burnt out. Don’t worry! Stay calm. Remember that I asked you to set the crusted salt aside earlier? Now, use it to patch and cover the areas that are done or even burnt. Uneven cooking is the most challenging part of this dish, but this trick will ensure even cooking.

   

    

   

10. Once it’s done, place our end product on a wire rack. This is the prevent the bottom part from getting too moist. What happens if you have some spots that are burnt out (blackened)? It’s easy; use a spoon to scrape it.

    

    

Well. This is it. My ultimate best crackling on pork belly recipe. Believe me. You are going to cook better than the store-bought one. Remember! Something will always be wrong in the process of cooking, but by implementing the tips above, you will get a nice, super crispy skin pork belly. 

I hope this recipe helps you create the best pork belly crack. If you want to cook pork belly without the skin, I got you covered too. Check out the Skin-off Air Fryer Pork belly recipe.  Also, check out other methods to cook pork belly: “The best way to cook pork belly.”