21 Best Pork Belly Recipes (2024)

Let me introduce you to your new favorite cut of meat. These pork belly recipes prove that bacon’s time in the spotlight is coming to a close.

When done right, pork belly is the perfect blend of crispy and fork-tender.

And this simple ingredient takes ordinary recipes like ramen, crispy cracklings, or fried rice over the edge.

These 21 pork belly recipes are so good, you’ll want to make them every night!

They’re just so versatile!

And before you go, don’t miss the step-by-step guide on crafting a slow-roasted crispy pork belly at the bottom of the post!

How To Cook Pork Belly

1. Slow Roasted Pork Belly Bites

This pork belly dish is not only succulent but is packed with flavor as well.

To cut through the richness of the pork belly, there’s some sweet and spicy jalapeno slaw with a dressing of brown sugar, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil.

Together, these two elements are perfection on a plate.

2. Glazed Honey Pork Belly

With ultra-crispy skin and sweet, fork-tender meat, this honey-glazed sliced pork belly recipe is to die for.

The pork is seasoned with a rub of smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, and garlic powder.

It’s then slow-roasted to get those crispy outsides with tender insides with a honey and dry sherry glaze.

This dish has nailed the authentic flavors of Spain.

3. Crispy Golden Pork Belly

Crispy pork skin and succulent meat, but minus all the effort; that’s what this dish is all about.

Flavored with Shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic, this dish will give Chinese restaurants a run for their money.

The secret to this pork belly recipe is the salt crust that delivers that wonderful crunch and perfect flavor!

4. Smoked Pork Belly Slices

Why settle for bacon when you can make pork belly slices? You’ll never go back to traditional bacon ever again.

They’re thick and smoky and explode with flavor thanks to garlic, smoked paprika with a hint of sweetness from brown sugar.

Just picture it: a juicy burger topped with a slice of this delicious pork belly.

5. Quick Pork Belly Fried Rice

Fried rice never tasted so good! While fried rice is often a way to use up leftover rice from the night before, this recipe doesn’t taste like leftovers!

Adding pork belly to fried rice adds succulent, meaty flavors that take ordinary fried rice over the edge.

Plus, it’s a sneaky way to fit in some veggies.

6. Pork Belly Burnt Ends

If you’re a fan of barbecue, you’ll want this pork belly skin to get in your belly!

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, “burnt ends” refers to a point of a brisket that’s sliced into cubes and coated in barbecue sauce.

Flavored with butter, honey, and barbecue sauce, and smoked to perfection, these pork belly burnt ends fulfill every barbecue lover’s desires.

7. Sticky Chinese BBQ Pork Belly Slices

I am the biggest fan of char siu. It’s pork belly flavored with lovely Chinese spices and roasted to perfection.

What you’ll get is a sweet and sticky, melt-in-your-mouth meat that’s perfect with rice or sweet bao buns!

And with this simple recipe, you can have char siu right in the comfort of your own home.

8. Pork Belly Sliders

One bite is all it takes to fall in love with these pork belly sliders.

They’re filled with shredded cabbage and flavored with sriracha honey mayo. It’s the epitome of sliders.

Serve it on a tender potato bun (I love King’s Hawaiian), and don’t forget the kettle chips!

9. Oven Roasted BBQ Pork Belly

Are you ready for the most tender, sweet, and savory grilled pork belly recipes?

The key is to let the pork belly marinate in soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Once all the flavors have seeped into the meat, all that’s left is to bake it for 30 minutes. Minimal effort, maximum flavor: that’s my kind of recipe!

10. Texas-Style Smoked Pork Belly

Give that spice rack the night off. You won’t need it for this super simple Texas-style pork belly recipe.

The secret to this Texas-inspired recipe lies in the wood you smoke it in, which is either oak or hickory.

Sure, it will take 6-8 hours to grill, but I promise you, it’s worth the wait.

11. Pork Belly Ramen Noodle

For a Japanese-themed dinner, how about this pork belly ramen noodle?

There’s nothing like slurping egg noodles and rich broth on a cold night!

In this recipe, ramen is taken to a whole other level by adding crispy roasted pork belly flavored with a five-spice rub.

Finished off with a runny boiled egg, you’ll have the perfect dinner.

12. Beer Braised Slow Cooker Pork Belly

Beer braised slow cooker pork belly dinner is comfort food at its finest. It is sweet, sticky, smokey, and absolutely melts in your mouth.

Add beer to your slow cooker mix offers a wonderful depth of hoppy flavors that pairs well with sugar and spices.

Pair it with sticky rice, and dig in!

13. Spicy Korean Pork Belly

If you’ve been hit by the Korean wave just like me, you have to try this spicy Korean pork belly!

This recipe gives you the perfect combination of two Asian elements: Chinese pork belly and savory and spicy Samgyupsal.

It’s savory and tender meat infused with spicy Asian spices.

Served with rice and kimchi, you’ll have a spectacular Asian meal.

14. Gua Bao (Pork Belly Bao Buns)

Words alone cannot express how much I love bao buns. And this recipe is a must-try!

Delicately sweet buns paired with smokey pork belly and crisp veggies are a match made in heaven.

Sure, they’re a little time-consuming. But trust me when I say they are well worth the wait.

15. Cantonese Roast Pork Belly

Siu yuk, or the Cantonese roast pork belly, is a classic dish I love to order whenever I’m in a Chinese restaurant.

It may be a simple dish – fried pork belly with a crisp skin – but it’s absolutely wonderful.

And you can make it at home! You’ll use the salt crust technique to achieve that iconic crispy skin.

16. Pork Belly Pastrami

Sure, pastrami is usually made using beef, but pork belly works, too!

Full disclosure: this recipe is a bit complicated, and will take a few days to complete. But as they say, good things come to those who wait!

What you’ll get after days of working on this recipe is moist, succulent, and aromatic pastrami that’s bursting with so much flavor!

17. Pork Belly Nachos

Add a Korean twist to the Tex-Mex favorite! Infuse your nachos with pork belly that’s flavored with kimchi juice, soy sauce, garlic, honey, and red pepper powder.

Together with tortilla chips, cheese, kimchi, red onions, and sour cream, you’ll have the perfect snack to enjoy while watching your favorite K-Drama.

18. Crème brûlée Pork Belly

Crème brûlée and pork belly dinner? Why not!

Just imagine the classic Chinese char siu elevated to a whole other level. The twist is that the skin is glazed and torched to get a sweet and crunchy crack.

I know, it sounds a little strange. But it’s one of those recipes you have to try at least once!

19. Crispy Instant Pot Pork Belly

Bust out those Instant Pots, friends! Whipping up pork belly in an Instant Pot makes the most mouth-watering main course you’ve ever had.

They’re insanely crispy-crunchy on the outside with juicy, tender insides that melt like butter.

And paired with the bright spices of garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, they’re pretty hard to resist.

20. Pork Belly Cracklings

Cracklings (aka pork rinds) are a keto-friendly dream come true. They are a zero-carb, high-protein snack that hits the spot.

I mean, you can’t go wrong with a meaty, smoky treat garnished with salt and your favorite spices.

One bite of these pork belly skin cracklings, and you’ll never look at a potato chip the same way.

21. Pork Belly Tacos

This recipe uses the versatile pork belly to make the most tender and flavorful taco filling.

Mexican pork belly is topped with a green onion sauce and a pickled watermelon rind. These tacos have the best flavors and textures in every bite.

They’re also Paleo-friendly, to boot! Who says tacos can’t be good for the body?

21 Best Pork Belly Recipes

Course: MainCuisine: American

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

13

hours

Cooking time

4

hours

Calories

503

kcal

Looking for the best pork belly recipes? Try this crowd-pleasing slow-roasted crispy pork belly for a guaranteed hit.

Ingredients

• 1 kilogram pork belly, with skin on

• 2 teaspoons salt, divided

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon thyme, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Clean the pork belly and pat dry with kitchen towels. Score the skin diagonally in a diamond pattern, ensuring you only cut into the fat and not into the meat.
• Rub 1 teaspoon of salt into the scored skin. Place the pork belly on a plate or tray, skin side up, and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight.
• The next day, remove the pork belly from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a bowl, mix together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, rosemary, thyme, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.
• Rub the mixture all over the flesh side of the pork belly, careful not to get any on the skin.
• Place the pork belly, skin side up, on an oiled rack in a roasting tray. Pour a cup of water into the base of the tray, ensuring the pork belly doesn’t touch the water.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Then, turn the heat down to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and roast for another 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat should be tender and juicy by the end of this period.
• After slow roasting, increase the oven temperature to 430 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue to roast for another 30-40 minutes. Watch closely to keep the skin from burning. The skin should puff up, turning a golden brown.
• Remove pork belly from heat and let it rest for 15 minutes.
• Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

• Pat the pork belly dry thoroughly after cleaning to ensure a crispy skin during the roasting process.
• Watch closely during the final high-temperature roasting to achieve perfect golden skin without burning.

Nutrition

• Calories: 503kcal
• Carbohydrates: 1g
• Protein: 31g
• Fat: 49g
• Saturated Fat: 16g
• Cholesterol: 125mg
• Sodium: 1129mg
• Potassium: 11mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 0g
• Calcium: 8mg
• Iron: 0mg