Pork belly is a versatile cut of meat that has gained popularity in home cooking over recent years.
Rich, flavorful, and indulgent, this cut transforms into incredibly satisfying dishes when prepared correctly.
From crispy roasted bites to tender braised slices, pork belly offers endless possibilities for creating memorable meals.
You’ll find a variety of cooking methods and flavor profiles represented in these pork belly recipes, including Asian-inspired dishes like bao buns and Korean preparations, alongside Western favorites like slow-roasted bites with barbecue sauce.
Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner solution or planning a special occasion meal, these recipes demonstrate how this once-overlooked cut can become the star of your table.
Many require simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry, making them accessible even for those new to cooking with pork belly.
1. Slow-Roasted Crispy Pork Belly
Slow-roasted pork belly delivers the perfect combination of juicy meat and crispy crackling.
This dish requires just four simple ingredients but creates amazing results.
The cooking method makes the flesh tender while the skin turns impossibly crispy. You’ll need to cook it low and slow to achieve this contrast of textures.
Season your pork belly with sea salt and black pepper. Some recipes suggest adding aromatics like fennel, bay leaves, and garlic to enhance the flavor.
The key to success is patience during the roasting process. The result is versatile enough to use in sandwiches, with rice, or in steamed buns.
2. Sticky Chinese Pork Belly
Sticky Chinese Pork Belly is a mouthwatering dish with tender meat and a sweet-savory glaze. This recipe features pork belly that becomes meltingly tender through a three-step cooking process.
The dish uses simple ingredients including chicken stock, ginger, garlic, sugar, and rice wine vinegar. You’ll achieve the perfect balance of juicy meat with crispy bits in each bite.
Many home cooks love this recipe because it’s accessible yet impressive. The salty-sweet glaze caramelizes beautifully on the pork, creating that signature “sticky” texture.
You can serve this flavorful pork belly with steamed rice and vegetables for a complete meal.
3. Pork Belly Bao
Pork belly bao combines tender braised pork belly tucked inside fluffy steamed buns. This Taiwanese street food favorite balances savory and sweet flavors perfectly.
To make pork belly bao, you’ll braise the pork in a mixture of soy sauce, dark soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic, and scallions. This creates a rich, flavorful meat that melts in your mouth.
The braised pork is then nestled in a soft steamed bun with fresh vegetables and herbs. You can add toppings like pickled vegetables, cilantro, or cucumber for extra crunch and flavor contrast.
You can find these delicious treats at many Asian restaurants or make them at home for a special meal.
4. Cantonese Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Siu Yuk is a classic Cantonese dish known for its crackling skin and tender meat. This famous roast pork belly is a staple at Chinese celebrations and barbecue shops.
The recipe requires simple ingredients: pork belly, Shaoxing wine, salt, sugar, five spice powder, white pepper, rice wine vinegar, and salt. The preparation focuses on creating that signature crispy skin.
The cooking process draws from traditional techniques used by expert Chinese chefs with decades of experience. The result is a perfect contrast between the crunchy top layer and the juicy meat beneath.
You can serve this dish at special occasions or as part of your New Year celebrations. It pairs wonderfully with rice and vegetables for a complete meal.
5. Glazed Pork Belly with Ginger Sauce
Glazed pork belly with ginger sauce combines rich meat with sweet and tangy flavors. This dish starts by boiling the pork belly with seasonings before frying it to develop a crispy exterior.
The ginger sauce typically includes brown sugar, soy sauce, and rice wine. Some recipes add honey for extra sweetness and stickiness. The combination of ginger and garlic creates a fragrant base for the sauce.
You can enhance the flavor by adding chili for heat or spring onions for freshness. The sauce reduces as it cooks, creating a thick glaze that coats the crispy pork belly perfectly.
Try serving this dish with simple sides like steamed rice to balance its richness.
6. Rice Cooker Pork Belly with Mui Choy
This delicious dish combines tender pork belly with mui choy (preserved mustard greens) and rice in one simple cooking process. You can make it entirely in a rice cooker, saving time and cleanup.
To prepare, you simply layer the ingredients in your rice cooker. Start with the rice at the bottom, then place the pork belly on top, followed by the mui choy and napa cabbage.
Set your rice cooker to white rice or sushi rice mode and let it work its magic until the rice is fully cooked. The result is a rich, flavorful meal where the pork belly fat infuses the rice below.
This traditional Hakka dish pairs wonderfully with salted egg or white porridge for a complete meal.
7. Pork Belly Bites
Pork belly bites are delicious, bite-sized pieces of pork belly that offer a perfect blend of crispy exterior and tender interior. They’re versatile and can be prepared in several ways.
You can smoke pork belly until fully cooked, then cut it into bite-sized pieces and fry them for extra crispiness. This method creates a wonderful texture contrast that’s hard to resist.
For an Asian-inspired version, try seasoning your pork belly with Chinese five spice and dark soy sauce. Hoisin sauce also pairs exceptionally well with pork belly bites.
Season and smoke your pork belly bites until done, or roast them in the oven if you don’t have a smoker. Both methods yield delicious results with crispy, flavor-packed bites.
8. Thai Style Fried Pork Belly
Thai Style Fried Pork Belly is a delicious dish that combines crispy texture with bold flavors. You can make this amazing dish in just 30 minutes.
The recipe typically uses fish sauce, white pepper, oyster sauce, and sugar to create that signature Thai taste. Some recipes also add tempura flour to help achieve the perfect crispiness.
For the best results, season your pork belly with these Thai flavors before frying. You can also try a variation with garlic, pepper, and basil for a different but equally delicious take on this dish.
This crispy pork belly pairs wonderfully with rice or noodles and makes for an impressive meal with minimal effort.
9. Oven Roasted Crispy Pork Belly
Oven roasted crispy pork belly needs just four everyday ingredients to create a truly impressive dish. The cooking method transforms the meat into something magical with contrasting textures.
You’ll want to slow-roast the pork belly until the flesh becomes ultra tender and juicy on the inside. This slow cooking process takes approximately 1.5 hours, though timing depends on the size of your cut.
The goal is to reach an internal temperature of 160-165°F while developing impossibly crispy crackling on the outside. This versatile dish can be served in sandwiches, with rice, or in steamed buns for a rich, decadent meal.
10. Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Pork belly burnt ends are often called “meat candy” because of their irresistible sweet and savory flavor. These bite-sized cubes of pork belly are smoked until tender, then glazed with a mix of maple and bourbon for a caramelized finish.
You can make these delicious morsels in either a smoker or an oven. Start by cutting pork belly into 1-inch chunks and applying a dry rub. Smoke them at 250°F for about 3 hours.
After smoking, the pork belly gets tossed in a sweet sauce and cooked further until the exterior becomes crispy while the inside stays juicy. The result is smoky, sweet and savory bites perfect for serving at your next BBQ gathering.
11. Honey Glazed Pork Belly
Honey Glazed Pork Belly offers a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. This dish requires minimal prep time—just 5 minutes—and cooks in about 20 minutes in an air fryer.
The recipe typically features a sticky honey glaze that contrasts beautifully with savory seasonings. Some versions use a Spanish dry rub that includes smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder.
You can serve this dish on coconut rice for a complete meal. The pork belly is often braised in chicken stock, Chinese rice wine, and sugar before the honey glaze is applied.
This quick cooking method ensures the pork belly becomes tender inside while maintaining a crispy exterior.
12. Smoked Pork Belly
Smoked pork belly combines rich flavor with incredible texture, making it a standout dish for any occasion. The smoking process infuses the fatty pork with a delicious smoky taste that complements its natural richness.
To smoke pork belly properly, maintain your smoker at 225°F (107°C) for about 1.5 hours. Many recipes recommend a dry brine for about 2 hours before smoking to enhance the flavor.
For extra flavor, try finishing your smoked pork belly with a sear to crisp up the outside. This creates a beautiful contrast between the crispy exterior and tender interior.
You can serve smoked pork belly in sandwiches, with rice, or in steamed buns for a satisfying meal.
13. Braised Pork Belly in Soy Sauce
Braised pork belly in soy sauce is a rich, flavorful dish that combines tender meat with a savory-sweet sauce. The pork belly chunks are slowly cooked until they become melt-in-your-mouth tender.
The braising liquid typically includes soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and aromatic spices. This creates a complex flavor profile that’s salty, sweet, and full of umami.
You can serve this dish with steamed rice, in sandwiches, or tucked into steamed buns. The Hakka version uses Shaoxing wine for added depth of flavor.
For best results, simmer the pork belly slowly to allow the fat to render and the meat to absorb all the delicious flavors of the sauce.
14. Sweet and Sour Pork Belly
Sweet and sour pork belly combines rich, meaty texture with a perfect balance of flavors. It’s cooked low and slow to develop amazing taste and tenderness.
The dish features a sticky glaze that’s sweet, sour, and slightly salty. Brown sugar helps create that perfect caramelized exterior that makes this dish so appealing.
You can serve sweet and sour pork belly in various ways. Try it with steamed rice, in sandwiches, or stuffed in steamed buns for a satisfying meal.
For best results, cook the pork belly until it’s tender on the inside but crispy on the outside. This contrast in textures makes the dish especially enjoyable.
15. Pork Belly Tacos
Pork belly tacos combine crispy, melt-in-your-mouth meat with fresh toppings for an incredible meal. The rich pork is typically seasoned with smoky-sweet spices like ancho chile or achiote.
To make these tacos, season pork belly with a blend of taco spices, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro. Roast until the meat is juicy inside and caramelized outside.
Serve your pork belly in soft tortillas with toppings of your choice. Common additions include diced onion, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
These tacos work well with various accompaniments – try them with rice, in steamed buns, or as part of a larger spread.
16. Pork Belly Stew
Pork belly stew combines tender chunks of pork belly with rich broth and vegetables. This hearty dish brings out the succulent texture of pork belly through slow cooking.
To make pork belly stew, first cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Brown them in a pot before adding aromatic vegetables like onions, carrots, and garlic.
Pour in broth, wine, or water and add seasonings.
Let the stew simmer on low heat for 1-2 hours until the pork belly becomes fork-tender.
You can customize your stew with ingredients like potatoes, beans, or tomatoes. The long cooking process allows the fat to render, creating a velvety texture throughout the dish.
17. Roasted Pork Belly with Apples
Roasted pork belly with apples combines crispy, tender meat with sweet, tangy fruit. This classic pairing creates a perfect balance of flavors.
The slow roasting method ensures your pork belly becomes juicy on the inside while developing that coveted crispy crackling on top. The apples break down during cooking to create a natural sauce.
For this dish, you’ll need a good quality pork belly, fresh apples (Golden Delicious work well), and simple seasonings. Some recipes add hard cider for extra apple flavor.
Serve this impressive dish for special occasions. The combination is reminiscent of traditional feasts and works perfectly for fall and winter meals.
18. Korean Spicy Pork Belly
Korean Spicy Pork Belly, also known as Duru Chigi, offers a perfect balance of fatty, spicy, savory flavors. This dish features thinly sliced pork belly marinated in a flavorful gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) sauce.
You can prepare this dish in just over 30 minutes, including marination time. The marinade typically combines gochujang, soy sauce, and sugar, creating a spicy-sweet flavor profile similar to Korean pork bulgogi.
You can cook Korean Spicy Pork Belly multiple ways – stir-fried on the stovetop or baked in the oven for easier preparation. Either method results in sizzling hot, tender pork with incredible flavor that pairs perfectly with rice.
19. Pork Belly Porchetta
Porchetta is a moist, boneless pork roast where pork belly is stuffed with aromatic herbs and seasonings. This traditional Italian dish combines savory flavors with juicy, fatty meat.
To make porchetta, you’ll need a whole boneless pork belly with the skin on. The belly is seasoned with ingredients like black peppercorns, fennel seeds, and numerous garlic cloves.
Herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme, and parsley add depth to the flavor profile. After seasoning, you roll the pork belly tightly and slow-roast it until the fat renders and the skin becomes crispy.
The result is a decadent combination of tender meat and crunchy exterior that makes an impressive centerpiece for any meal.
20. BBQ Pork Belly Sliders
BBQ pork belly sliders offer a rich and decadent handheld treat perfect for gatherings. Unlike traditional pulled pork, these sliders feature neat slices of roasted pork belly.
Start by roasting pork belly with a sweet and spicy BBQ sauce glaze. Once cooked, slice it into portions that fit your slider buns.
For extra flavor, quickly sear the slices in a hot skillet for about 30 seconds per side until browned. This creates a delicious caramelized exterior.
Serve on small buns with homemade pickled vegetables or green onion mayonnaise for a perfect balance of flavors.
21. Pork Belly Ramen
Pork belly ramen combines crispy, flavorful pork with rich, savory broth for a satisfying meal. The depth of flavor comes from ingredients like soy sauce, sake, mirin, and aromatic additions like ginger and scallions.
You can use homemade or store-bought ramen noodles with your pork belly. For the best results, roast your pork belly in the oven until crispy, then slice it before adding to your ramen bowls.
Cooking the pork belly slowly at a lower temperature (around 275°F) helps develop its flavor and texture. Each serving typically includes two slices of pork belly, creating a hearty and delicious bowl of ramen.
Pork Belly Cooking Techniques
Proper cooking techniques transform pork belly from a tough cut into a delectable dish with crispy skin and tender meat. Different methods yield unique textures and flavors that can complement various recipes.
Oven Roasting
Oven roasting creates the perfect balance of crispy exterior and juicy interior.
Start by scoring the skin in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels – moisture is the enemy of crispy crackling.
Season the meat side with your preferred spices and rub salt into the scored skin. Place the belly on a rack in a roasting pan to allow air circulation.
For best results, use a two-temperature approach: begin at 450°F (230°C) for 30 minutes to start crisping the skin, then reduce to 325°F (165°C) for 1-1.5 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Let the pork belly rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
Slow Cooking
Slow cooking transforms pork belly into melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. This method breaks down tough collagen into gelatin, creating an incredibly succulent texture.
For braising, sear the pork belly on all sides in a hot pan first. This creates a flavor foundation through the Maillard reaction. Then place in a heavy pot with aromatics like garlic, ginger, and onions.
Add enough liquid (broth, wine, soy sauce) to cover the meat but not the skin. Cook at a low temperature (275°F/135°C) for 2-3 hours.
For even more convenience, use a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. The belly will become fork-tender but won’t have crispy skin. To fix this, you can quickly broil the top before serving.
Grilling Methods
Grilling pork belly adds a smoky dimension that complements its rich flavor profile. For best results, start with pre-cooked pork belly that’s been braised or slow-roasted.
Set up your grill for indirect heat, maintaining a temperature around 300°F (150°C). Place the pork belly skin-side up away from direct flame to prevent flare-ups from dripping fat.
Brush occasionally with a glaze of your choice – honey, maple syrup, or barbecue sauce work well. The sugar caramelizes, creating a delicious crust.
For sliced pork belly, direct grilling is an option. Cut into 1-inch strips and grill 2-3 minutes per side over medium-high heat until caramelized and crispy.
Let grilled pork belly rest 5 minutes before slicing to ensure the juices remain in the meat rather than on your cutting board.
Flavor Pairings For Pork Belly
Pork belly’s rich, fatty nature makes it ideal for pairing with contrasting flavors. The right ingredients can balance its decadence while enhancing its natural savoriness.
Sweet Ingredients
Sweet elements create a perfect counterbalance to pork belly’s richness.
Honey works wonderfully as a glaze, creating a caramelized exterior when cooked properly. Try brushing it on during the final cooking stage.
Maple syrup adds depth and complexity while complementing the meat’s natural flavors. You can use it in marinades or as a finishing glaze.
Apple products pair exceptionally well with pork belly. Consider:
- Apple cider in braising liquid
- Apple slaw as a side dish
- Applesauce for dipping
- Apple cider vinegar in dressings
Brown sugar creates excellent caramelization when included in dry rubs. Hoisin sauce, with its sweet and savory profile, makes an excellent glaze for Asian-inspired dishes.
Spicy Elements
Spicy components cut through pork belly’s fat, creating balanced bites.
Chili peppers in various forms work exceptionally well – try fresh, dried, or in sauces.
Habanero honey sauce delivers both heat and sweetness in one application. For Korean-inspired dishes, gochujang (fermented chili paste) provides complex heat with slight sweetness.
Coffee rubs surprisingly complement pork belly by adding bitterness that balances the fatty richness. The caffeine’s acidity helps tenderize while adding depth.
Horseradish brings sharp, sinus-clearing heat that stands up to pork belly’s powerful flavor. Try it in a creamy sauce served alongside.
Black pepper, especially freshly cracked, adds straightforward heat that enhances rather than overwhelms.
Herbs And Spices
The right herbs and spices elevate pork belly from good to exceptional. Use garlic in marinades, rubs, or roasted alongside the meat.
Fresh herbs that pair beautifully include:
- Rosemary (woody, aromatic)
- Thyme (earthy, subtle)
- Sage (slightly peppery)
Warming spices complement pork belly’s richness. Consider adding cinnamon, star anise, or cloves to braises and slow-cooked preparations.
Mustard works in multiple forms – use seeds in pickles, powder in dry rubs, or prepared mustard as a condiment. The tanginess cuts through fat perfectly.
Soy sauce adds umami depth and saltiness that enhances the meat’s natural flavors. Combine it with garlic, onion, and peppercorns for a complex marinade that improves with time.
