You haven’t truly experienced roast pork belly until you’ve cooked it in the air fryer. This method delivers shatteringly crisp crackling with succulent, juicy meat underneath — all without turning on the oven. With just a few minutes of prep (and an overnight fridge rest if you can plan ahead), this air fryer roast pork belly is on the table in under an hour and leaves you with minimal washing up.
Loved by home cooks and backed by dozens of five-star reviews, this recipe proves the air fryer is unbeatable for pork belly. No boiling, no deep frying, no long slow roasting — just hot circulating air doing all the hard work.
Why This Air Fryer Pork Belly Works So Well
The secret is two cooking temperatures.
- A high initial heat blasts the rind, puffing and blistering it into golden crackling
- A lower finishing temperature gently cooks the meat so it stays moist and tender
This method gives you the best of both worlds: crunchy, dry crackling and juicy pork underneath — without drying out the meat or burning the skin.
Pro Tip: Dry Skin = Perfect Crackling
Moisture is the enemy of good crackling. For best results, pat the pork belly rind dry with paper towel and place it uncovered in the fridge for several hours or overnight. This dries out the skin so when it hits the hot air fryer, the fat renders properly and the crackling turns crisp and bubbly.
Key Ingredients
- Pork belly roast (boneless) – A supermarket pork belly with the rind already scored makes prep easy
- Sea salt flakes – Essential for drawing moisture out of the skin and creating crisp crackling
- Olive oil spray – A light coating helps fat render evenly without making the skin greasy
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1kg boneless pork belly roast, rind scored
- 2 tsp sea salt flakes
- Olive oil spray
Method
Step 1
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes. Pat the pork belly rind very dry with paper towel. Rub salt thoroughly into the scored rind.
Step 2
Place pork belly into the air fryer basket and lightly spray the rind with oil. Cook at 200°C for 25 minutes, or until the rind has blistered and crackled.
Step 3
Reduce the temperature to 160°C and continue cooking for 30 minutes, or until the pork is tender and cooked through.
Step 4
Remove from the air fryer and rest for 10 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Slice and serve.
Recipe Notes
Why preheat the air fryer?
Starting hot helps the crackling puff and blister quickly before the fat begins to render too much.
What if the crackling browns too fast?
If needed, loosely cover the pork with foil during the second cooking stage to prevent over-browning.
Keeping the air fryer clean
Rendered fat can drip into the basket. Using a silicone liner helps reduce cleanup.
Serving suggestions
Serve with roasted potatoes, steamed greens, rice, or crusty bread. Apple sauce or gravy are optional — the pork is excellent on its own.
Nutrition (Per Serving)
- Energy: 5511 kJ (1317 cal)
- Protein: 22.3g
- Fat: 134.2g (Saturated: 49.4g)
- Sodium: 541.6mg
- Health Score: 2.6 (Low)