Sticky, caramelised pork belly bites made in the air fryer in under 20 minutes, served with crunchy dressed cucumbers and plenty of steamed rice.
If there’s pork belly on a restaurant menu, there’s a very good chance I’m ordering it! I absolutely love it. But for the longest time it has sat firmly in the “food I eat when I go out” category, because cooking a whole pork belly at home can feel like a bit of an EVENT. There’s the thick rind to deal with, the long cooking time and, on a Friday night when I’m already exhausted, I’m generally not looking for another project.
Enter pork belly rashers. They’re my little cheat code here. I remove the rind (it simply doesn’t have enough time to soften properly with this quick cooking method), cut the rashers into chunky bites, toss them in a simple sticky marinade and into the air fryer they go. In under 20 minutes, you’ve got beautifully caramelised pork with crispy edges and a sweet, salty, sticky coating – with no saucepan of bubbling glaze to make and very little washing up.
And yes, I make this one for me. The kids eat it, my husband Heath eats it, everyone is very happy when it appears on the table … but really, when I ask, “Who wants pork belly?” basically I mean I want pork belly. 😂 I don’t plan dinner around myself very often, but I’m claiming this one.
This is exactly the kind of recipe I love making on a Friday night when takeaway starts sounding very appealing. I put the rice cooker on, quickly smash together the crunchy, vinegary cucumber salad and dinner is done with very little thought required. And the cucumber isn’t just there so we can say we served a vegetable! Pork belly is rich, sweet and salty, so that cold, sharp crunch alongside it makes the whole thing work. You need that acidity, plus plenty of fluffy steamed rice.
I think recipes like this are a big part of why I fell in love with cooking in the first place. Before I had kids, eating out was something we did all the time. Once I became a mum, staying home was much more important, but I still wanted that feeling of having something really delicious to look forward to. This is that kind of dinner for me. It feels a little bit like restaurant food, costs significantly less than ordering takeaway and, importantly, doesn’t require restaurant-level energy to make. Add a cheeky glass of wine if that’s your thing and Friday night is looking pretty good. 😂
One expectation I do want to set: this isn’t low-and-slow pork belly where the fat becomes completely melting and soft. This is the quick weeknight version – beautifully caramelised and crispy around the edges with juicy pork inside. The marinade caramelises quickly too, so start checking it towards the end of the cooking time – depending on your air fryer, it can be ready in as little as 16 minutes.
Do I need to remove the rind/skin from my pork belly/pork rashers to make Air Fryer Sticky Pork Belly Bites?
Yes. For this recipe I recommend removing the rind. Because we’re cooking the pork belly quickly in the air fryer, there isn’t enough time for the rind to soften properly or turn into crisp crackling. Leaving it attached can give you a chewy layer rather than the crispy, caramelised pork belly we’re going for.
Pork belly rashers make this much easier than starting with a whole piece of pork belly. Use a sharp knife to carefully slice between the rind and the fat, leaving as much of the fat attached to the pork as possible.
How do I know when the pork belly bites are cooked?
The pork should be deeply golden and caramelised around the edges, with the fat visibly rendered and the meat cooked through. Start checking it at around the 16-minute mark, as the strength of air fryers varies considerably.
The honey and hoisin in the marinade mean the pork can go from beautifully caramelised to too dark quite quickly. If yours looks perfect at 16 or 17 minutes, take it out – don’t feel like you need to keep cooking it just because the recipe says 18–20 minutes.
Why isn’t my pork belly completely soft and tender?
This is important: air-fried pork belly is not going to have the same texture as pork belly that’s been cooked low and slow for several hours. Here we’re trading that meltingly soft texture for speed and caramelisation. The pork is juicy, the fat renders and the outside becomes beautifully crispy and sticky. If you’re looking for completely soft, fall-apart pork belly, a slow-cooked recipe is going to be a better option, such as my Slow-cooked Sticky Pork Belly or Crispy Slow-cooked Pork Belly and Gravy.
What can I serve with Air Fryer Sticky Pork Belly Bites?
The pork is rich, sticky, sweet and salty, so I love serving it with something relatively simple, plus something fresh or acidic to balance everything out. The Smashed Asian Cucumber Salad and jasmine rice in this recipe are my favourite combination, but there are loads of ways you can turn the pork belly into dinner.
Rice and grains
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Steamed basmati rice
- Brown rice
- Coconut rice
- Fried rice
- Cauliflower rice
- Quinoa
Noodles
- Egg noodles
- Rice noodles
- Udon noodles
- Ramen noodles
- Singapore-style noodles
- Sesame noodles
Fresh sides
- Smashed Asian Cucumber Salad
- Asian-style slaw
- Shredded cabbage dressed with rice wine vinegar and sesame oil
- Pickled cucumbers
- Pickled onions
- Pickled carrots
- Kimchi
- Edamame
- Steamed or stir-fried Asian greens, such as Chinese broccoli (gai lan)
- Steamed broccoli or broccolini (tenderstem broccoli)
- Green beans
Make it into something different
- Stuff the pork belly into steamed bao buns with cucumber and spring onion (scallion)
- Add it to a banh mi-style roll with pickled vegetables
- Make pork belly rice bowls with cucumber, avocado and edamame
- Add it to noodle bowls with greens and chilli oil
- Chop leftover pork belly and toss it through fried rice
- Serve it in lettuce cups with cucumber and herbs
If I’m keeping things really simple, it’s jasmine rice and the cucumbers every time. The plain rice and sharp dressing are particularly good at cutting through the richness of the pork.
Can I make these pork belly bites in the oven?
Yes. I’ve included an oven method below. The air fryer is my preference because it heats quickly and does an excellent job of caramelising the pork belly, but the oven is a great option if you’re cooking a larger batch and don’t want to air fry the pork in batches.
If you enjoyed Air Fryer Sticky Pork Belly Bites, I think you’ll love:
Sticky Pork Bao Recipe – Succulent pork is cooked in a sticky sauce until fork-tender, then stuffed into bao buns with fresh veggies, crushed peanuts, herbs, chilli and mayonnaise.
Pork Belly Banh Mi Recipe – Crusty rolls are filled with melt-in-the-mouth pork belly with the best crackling you’ll ever eat. Fresh toppings and mayo complete the picture and are customisable to suit your preferences.
Slow-cooked Sticky Pork Belly Recipe – This sticky, sweet, fork-tender pork, flavoured with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Chinese five-spice and star anise, is totally restaurant-worthy but easy to prepare in the comfort of your own home.
Crispy Slow-cooked Pork Belly and Gravy Recipe – This recipe gives you melt-in-the-mouth tender meat and incredibly crispy, puffy crackling every single time – without scoring the skin or any complicated steps.
Pork Belly Fried Rice Recipe – A fast and easy alternative to takeout that doesn’t skimp on flavour! It’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights as it only takes 20 minutes.
Air Fryer Sticky Pork Belly Bites
Share Pin Recipe PrintIngredients
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp freshly grated garlic
- ½ tsp Chinese five spice
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- 1–1.2 kg (2¼–2¾ lb) pork belly rashers, rind removed (see note 1), cut into 4–5 cm (1½–2 inch) pieces
- Olive oil spray
- 2 Lebanese (short/Persian) cucumbers
- 2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced
- ½ tsp freshly grated ginger
- ½ tsp freshly grated garlic
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp chilli oil or chilli oil crisp, or to taste
- Cooked jasmine rice (see note 2)
- Sesame seeds
- Chilli oil or chilli oil crisp (optional)
Instructions
- Make the marinade – Combine the soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, Chinese five-spice and white pepper in a large bowl. Scoop out 2 tablespoons of the marinade and set aside before adding the raw pork. This will be used to glaze the pork after cooking. (It's important that you make sure you scoop the marinade out before it touches the meat.)
- Marinate the pork – Add the pork belly to the remaining marinade and toss well to coat (see note 3 if you'd like to marinate it ahead of time).
- Air fry – Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes to 180°C (350°F). Generously spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Lift the pork from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip off, and arrange it in a single layer in the basket. It's fine if the pieces are slightly touching as they'll quickly reduce in size, but don't overlap them. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Air fry for 16–20 minutes, turning or shaking the basket halfway through. Begin checking the pork at 16 minutes. It's ready when the fat has rendered and the pork is beautifully golden and caramelised around the edges, with the fat visibly rendered. Air fryers vary, so remove the pork as soon as it reaches this point rather than continuing to cook it for the full time. (See note 4 for oven method.)
- Make the cucumber salad – Cut the cucumbers lengthways into quarters. Place them cut-side down on a chopping board and firmly press with the flat side of a large knife until cracked and slightly split. Add the cucumber with the remaining salad ingredients to a large bowl. Toss well to combine and set aside while the pork cooks.
- Glaze the pork – As soon as the pork comes out of the air fryer, brush it with the reserved 2 tablespoons of marinade. The heat from the pork will help the glaze cling to the outside and give it a beautiful glossy finish without needing any further cooking.
- Serve – Spoon a generous amount of jasmine rice into bowls. Top with the sticky pork belly and serve the cucumber salad alongside. Finish with extra sesame seeds and chilli oil or chilli oil crisp, if using.
Nutrition information
Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes
Recipe notes
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced). Line a large baking tray with baking (parchment) paper.
- Follow steps 1 and 2 for the air fryer method above. Lift the pork belly from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip off, and arrange it on the prepared tray in a single layer without overlapping.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, turning halfway through, or until the fat has rendered and the pork is deeply golden and caramelised around the edges. Begin checking it at 25 minutes as the honey and hoisin can darken quickly.
- Brush the pork with the reserved marinade immediately after removing it from the oven. Serve as noted in the main recipe.
Make Ahead
The pork belly can be cut and added to the marinade up to 24 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook it. Make sure you reserve the 2 tablespoons of clean marinade before adding the raw pork and store this separately in the fridge. You can also prepare the cucumber dressing ahead of time, but keep it separate from the cucumbers. Toss everything together shortly before serving so the cucumbers stay beautifully crunchy. For a particularly easy dinner, prep the pork and cucumber dressing earlier in the day and have the rice measured and ready to go. At dinner time, it’s basically rice cooker on, pork into the air fryer, cucumbers tossed together. Done.Leftovers
- Store leftover pork belly in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the rice and cucumber salad separately.
- Reheat the pork belly in the air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 3–5 minutes, or until heated through. Keep an eye on it as the sticky glaze will caramelise further when reheated. You can also microwave the pork until hot, although it won’t retain quite as much of its crispy texture.
- Refrigerate leftover cooked rice promptly in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat until steaming hot. The cucumber salad is best eaten fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours; just expect the cucumbers to soften as they sit in the dressing.
