Crispy Oven Roasted Pork Belly

Detailed quantities and instructions in the recipe card below.

With just 3 ingredients, roasting pork belly really is simplicity at it’s best. Just a slab of pork belly, a little oil and sea salt are all the ingredients you need.

What is pork belly?

Pork belly is a fatty cut of meat from, you guessed it, the belly of the pig and it’s actually the cut used for making bacon! In its whole form, it looks like a slab of meat with skin on top. There is a layer of fat between the skin and the meat and then running straight through the middle of the meat too so that it’s broken up into 5 very distinct layers. It is often sold as pork belly strips too, normally cut between ½ up to 1 inch thick.

How does it taste?

Pork belly is rich and full of umami. While the layers of fat add amazing flavour to the meat, they also add juiciness making pork belly a very succulent cut. The skin also is full of flavour and is often cooked until shatteringly crunchy. Because of the flavour intensity of the pork belly, not a lot of salt is required however adding some salt to the skin takes it to a whole new level.

What to look for?

For oven baked pork belly, look out for a slab of meat that;

• is quite even in thickness throughout. A good 1 ½ inches or close to is great.
• has two good layers of meat running through. I tend to prefer meatier over fattier cuts though some like a good thick layer of fat.
• Has even, flat skin (not wrinkly) that isn’t covered in juices – from your butcher is the best way. If you get the vacuum-packed type you can get from the supermarket, definitely do not skip drying the skin overnight in the fridge or the boiling water steps.

Another good reason to purchase from your butcher is you can be sure you’re getting a higher quality meat. Some supermarkets have been known to inject water into meat products, increasing the weight but doing nothing good for the meat itself. As it cooks, that water will turn to steam making the skin near-on impossible to get evenly crispy.

How to roast pork belly in the oven (step-by-step)

Roasting pork belly in the oven couldn’t be simpler though there are a few tips to make it spectacular.

Detailed quantities and instructions in the recipe card below.

1. Dry out the skin: The first step is to dry the skin out by, first, patting it with paper towel, then chilling it uncovered in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Score the skin: Scoring the skin is a great way to get salt into the fat and skin, helping it to crisp up. You don’t need deep cuts and you must be careful not to cut through to the meat only to the fat. Use a very sharp knife and carefully score shallow lines about 1cm apart across the top.
3. Scald the skin with boiling water: While in my images I haven’t shown this step, and it is optional, I always seem to get the best result after tipping a kettle full of boiling water over the skin, then drying it off with paper towel.
4. Oil and season: Pour just a little oil over the skin then sprinkle over sea salt. You can also add some freshly cracked black pepper if you like. Rub it all over the skin making sure to work it into all those score lines. With just the residue on your hands, rub over the meat section.
5. Prepare to bake: Line a large roasting tray with foil (3 layers and you likely won’t need to clean the tray afterward). Place a flat roasting rack inside the tray – you can do it without if you don’t have a rack – then sit the pork flat onto the roasting tray. It’s important the pork is flat so use small pieces of rolled up aluminium foil to prop up any parts where the meat is thinner so the skin is flat.
6. Roast: Roast the pork belly for around 2 – 2 ½ hours until that skin is crunchy all over.
7. Rest: Make sure to rest the roasted pork belly for 10 minutes before cutting into it.
8. Slicing the pork belly roast: I find a serrated knife is great to saw through the crackling but can tear the delicate meat apart so easily. So here’s my trick – two knives are best. I go over the whole piece, sawing through at about 1 – 1 ½ cm intervals with the serrated knife just until I get through the skin. I then go back over it with a smooth bladed chefs knife to cut the slices apart.

What temperature for roast pork belly?

The trick to getting the shatteringly crispy skin whilst keeping that meat moist and tender is in the changing of the oven temperature. You’ll start at a high temperature (230C / 450F) for 1 hour, then turn the oven down (to 180C / 350F) for another 1 – 1 ½ hours. Just keep cooking until that skin is crunchy all over.

If you follow all these steps, and they’re very simple steps, you’ll achieve perfect porky results EVERY SINGLE TIME. The skin is crunchy, and the layer of fat that was beneath it has all but rendered away. The meat will be succulent with a small layer of fat between the two layers of meat. Most of the fat will melt and seep down through the meat keeping it unbelievably juicy and tender while the excess will drip into the tray below.

What to serve with crispy roast pork belly

Side dishes

As for sides, classics include mashed potato or roast potatoes then something nice and green. These roasted mini potatoes are perfect too. I served this one with my rocket salad (minus the parmesan) but this apple coleslaw or Asian coleslaw would be wonderful too. Some lovely steamed green beans and peas or broccoli are great if you want a hot vegetable side. To make this extra indulgent why not serve it with my stovetop mac n cheese. For something extra special, make sure to add these tender roasted shallots.

This pickled red cabbage is a great condiment to balance the richness of the fatty pork.

Sauces

I love a good gravy with any roast and this one is no different. For this one, I did something a little different though and added a sage butter sauce – delicious! You can also try one of these options depending on your mood.

• Chimichurri sauce – this South American sauce is herby and vibrant and a great lift for the fatty, meaty flavoured pork.
• Mojo verde – similar to chimichurri, mojo verde is a Spanish tangy herb sauce.
• Apple sauce – an absolute classic with pork, apple sauce and gravy is my go to.
• BBQ sauce – give your pork belly an American vibe with BBQ sauce. Use the sauce section of the recipe card at that link.
• Asian – turn you roast pork belly into an Asian delight using the sauce from these honey soy wings or the spicy sauce from these Korean wings. You could even try serving it in bao buns!
• Peppercorn sauce – try the peppercorn sauce from this chicken.
• Creamy mushroom sauce is amazing with this roast pork.
• Nam jim dressing – this gorgeous bold and tangy Thai dressing does works a dream with the fattiness of roast pork belly.

This pork belly can be turned into pork belly tacos or pork fried rice too.

Yield and storage

This recipe can be scaled easily. While this amount of pork is good for 8-10 serves, you can easily roast a larger piece or a smaller piece depending on what you need.

Leftover crispy pork belly should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It can be reheated in the microwave or in the oven.

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