A fool-proof, ultra-crispy method you’ll love
After multiple times of experimenting with different ways to achieve that perfect crackling, I’m delighted to say I’ve finally cracked it – the Crispy Pork Belly (without poking holes). I’ve tried all sorts of methods over time, but this one stands out because it’s reliable, incredibly simple and doesn’t require poking holes into the skin. That step is always my least favourite, so discovering a method that avoids it entirely is a game-changer for me.
What I love most about this Crispy Pork Belly recipe is how plain and unfussy the meat is. There’s no complicated marinade to prepare, instead the magic lies in the cooking process and in the sauce you serve alongside it. The skin becomes beautifully crispy – you’ll hear it crunch when you slice through it – while the meat stays soft, tender and juicy. Paired with the right sauce, it’s absolutely heaven.
On a warm summer’s day, I love serving it with cold noodles and fresh salad before drizzling the dressing sauce over the top. But on chilly days like today, nothing beats a bowl of steaming jasmine rice and some quick stir-fried vegetables alongside this glorious Crispy Pork Belly.
Ingredients & preparation
Although this recipe requires a bit of advance preparation, the actual hands-on work is minimal. As long as you follow each step carefully, your pork belly will come out perfectly every time. I use my air fryer because it produces consistently good results, but you can absolutely use an oven instead.
Preparing the pork belly
If you’re using a whole slab of pork belly, begin by making deep cuts across the skin and fat. These cuts should be around 2cm apart. You’ll eventually slice along these marks to create even pieces of crispy pork belly later.
Soaking the skin in vinegar
Place a wide, flat plate on your counter and pour in enough vinegar to cover the surface. Lay the pork belly skin-side down so the entire skin is soaking.
Why soak in vinegar?
Vinegar helps draw moisture out of the skin, tightens it and enhances its ability to crisp up during roasting. This small step makes a huge difference in achieving a crackly, blistered surface without poking holes.
Leave the pork belly soaking for around an hour.
Drying & salting the skin
After soaking, remove the meat and pat it dry thoroughly with kitchen paper, focusing especially on the skin – dryness is key to a good crackle.
Sprinkle table salt over the skin and gently rub it in. Take care not to let the salt fall onto the meat side as it can make the meat excessively salty.
How to make Crispy Pork Belly (without poking holes)
Dehydrate the skin
Place the pork belly in the air fryer basket, skin side up. Dehydrate at 80°C for 1 hour. After this time, the skin should look noticeably drier and slightly tightened.
Cook the meat
Flip the pork belly so the meat side faces up. Air fry at 180°C for 20-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your pork belly. This ensures the meat becomes tender and juicy.
Crisp up the skin
Turn the slab over so the skin side faces up again. Increase the temperature to 240°C and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the crackling is golden, blistered and beautifully crispy.
Your Crispy Pork Belly (without poking holes) is now done!
Slice & serve
Using a sharp knife, slice along the pre-cut lines you made earlier. Then chop each strip into bite-sized pieces. Because the skin is so crispy, you’ll find it very easy to cut through cleanly without the skin breaking apart.
My simple and powerful sauce
In a small jug, mix together:
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 chilli (or a small red pepper for a milder option), finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
Stir well until the sugar dissolves. This sauce is the perfect match for the Crispy Pork Belly (without poking holes) – sweet, salty, tangy, spicy and incredibly fragrant.
Serving suggestions
For a comforting dinner, I like a place a few pieces of Crispy Pork Belly on a hot bed of jasmine rice and add quick stir-fried vegetables on the side. You can drizzle the sauce over the pork or like my son prefers, serve it as a dipping sauce.
Simple, satisfying and packed with flavour, this is a dish that will quickly become a family favourite.
Crispy Pork Belly (without poking holes)
Description
This Crispy Pork Belly (without poking holes) is an easy, reliable method that delivers ultra-crispy crackling and tender meat with minimal effort. No poking required – just soak, dry, dehydrate and crisp. Paired with a simple sweet–salty–tangy dipping sauce, it’s perfect with steamed rice, noodles or salad.
Ingredients
For the Pork Belly
For the Dipping Sauce
Instructions
-
Prepare the Pork Belly
- Use a sharp knife to make deep cuts into the skin and fat, spaced about 2cm apart.
- Pour vinegar into a shallow plate and place the pork belly skin-side down, ensuring the skin is fully submerged. Soak for 1 hour.
- Remove and pat completely dry, especially the skin.
- Sprinkle table salt over the skin and gently rub it in, avoiding the meat side.
-
Dehydrate the Skin
- Place the pork belly skin-side up in the air fryer.
- Air fry at 80°C for 1 hour until the skin looks dry and firm.
-
Cook the Meat
- Flip the pork belly meat-side up.
- Cook at 180°C for 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness.
-
Crisp the Skin
- Flip again so the skin is facing up.
- Air fry at 240°C for 10-12 minutes or until golden, blistered and very crispy.
-
Slice & Serve
- Slice along the pre-cut lines and chop into pieces.
- Mix the dipping sauce ingredients in a small jug and serve with the crispy pork belly.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 1079.94kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 106.1g164%
- Saturated Fat 38.61g194%
- Trans Fat 0g
- Cholesterol 144mg48%
- Sodium 580.83mg25%
- Potassium 475.46mg14%
- Total Carbohydrate 9.97g4%
- Dietary Fiber 0.33g2%
- Sugars 7.46g
- Protein 20.05g41%
- Vitamin A 11.63 mcg
- Vitamin C 20.96 mg
- Calcium 26.61 mg
- Iron 1.39 mg
- Vitamin D 0 mcg
- Vitamin E 0.92 mg
- Vitamin K 1.68 mcg
- Thiamin 0.81 mg
- Riboflavin 0.52 mg
- Niacin 9.6 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.36 mg
- Folate 10.56 mcg
- Vitamin B12 1.68 mcg
- Phosphorus 244.13 mg
- Magnesium 20.11 mg
- Zinc 2.19 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
