Crispy Pork Belly is an incredibly tempting dish, but many people hesitate to make it because they think it takes too long. With these 3 methods, you can easily prepare a delicious and unique meal for your family.

Crispy pork belly is especially irresistible when the weather is cool. It’s also a favorite dish for men during gatherings and a snack kids enjoy eating on its own. Crispy pork belly can be paired with baguettes, dipped in fish sauce and served with rice, or eaten with noodles—every way is delicious. Making it at home is more hygienic because you know exactly what kind of meat you are using, unlike buying from the market where you have no idea if the meat is fresh or safe.

You don’t need an oven or an air fryer—you can even cook it in a simple pan. That means any household can easily make this dish. Below are all three methods.

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Ingredients

• Pork belly (Choose a piece that is dry, evenly colored, with firm layers of meat and fat. Balanced meat–fat ratio will give better texture and prevent dryness. The recipe below is for 2 kg of pork belly.)

• 1 small head of garlic

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce

• Cooking wine (or regular white wine if unavailable)

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• ½ packet of five-spice powder

• Sugar, seasoning powder, salt

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Preparation and Marinating

1. Wash the pork belly with salted water. You can rub it with salt for 15 minutes to remove the pork aroma, then rinse well.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add a spoonful of vinegar. Blanch the pork belly for about 5 minutes. Remove and rinse with cold water, then drain.

3. Score the meat side if the piece is thick.

4. Marinate the meat:
   Finely mince the garlic, mix it with the five-spice powder, oyster sauce, soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, seasoning, and 1 tbsp cooking wine.
   Wear gloves and rub the mixture evenly onto the meat—avoid getting any on the skin.
   Place the pork into a bowl, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 3 hours.

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Preparing the Skin for Maximum Crispiness

This is the most important step.

Mix 2 tbsp vinegar with 1 tbsp salt.
Poke holes all over the pork skin using a fork or sharp tool.
Brush the vinegar–salt mixture evenly onto the skin.
This helps the skin expand and become extra crispy when cooked.

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Cooking Methods

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Method 1: Using an Oven

Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F) for 5 minutes.
Place the pork on a baking tray, then bake at 200°C (392°F).
Make sure the heating element is focused on the skin side.
After about 20 minutes, check the skin—it should begin to puff up and crisp.

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Method 2: Pan-Frying

Heat a pan until dry and hot.
Add oil, then stir in 1 spoonful of flour (cornstarch, tapioca starch, or all-purpose flour).
This prevents oil splatters and helps the skin crisp better.

When the oil is hot, place the pork belly in the pan skin-side down.
Fry for about 10 minutes until the skin becomes crispy, then flip and fry the other sides until golden.

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Method 3: Using an Air Fryer

Wrap the pork belly in foil, leaving only the skin exposed.
Preheat the air fryer, brush a thin layer of oil on the skin, and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue air-frying for another 15 minutes until the skin becomes fully crispy and the meat turns golden.