How to make Thịt Heo Quay (Roasted Pork Belly)

Air Fryer Thịt Heo Quay (Crispy Pork Belly): A Delicious and Easy Recipe

If you’re a meat lover, you’ll love this easy and delicious air fryer crispy pork belly recipe. This dish is the perfect combination of crispy and juicy, with a flavorful and savory taste that’s sure to satisfy your cravings.

Growing up, you could only get this dish at Chinese Restaurants/Deli’s. But in growing up in Minnesota, there wasn’t always a lot of options. So we would always have to drive to the next city over for some and bwoy, they never disappointed!

I wanted to share my parent’s version of the recipe. They’ve been making for awhile and have tested batches after batches until they finally got it down….and shared the recipe with me, and now you! I love how theirs is made in the air-fryer for convenience but don’t fret if you don’t have one, this works just as fine in the oven too!

Tips:

  • If your pork belly is not skin-on, you can still use this recipe but the skin won’t be crispy.
  • For an extra crispy skin, pat the pork belly dry with paper towels before scoring and seasoning.
  • Serve the pork belly with your favorite dipping sauce, such as hoisin sauce or soy sauce.

Air fryer crispy pork belly is a delicious and easy recipe that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just want a satisfying meal for yourself, this dish is always the go to. I like to serve this with rice, veggies and even bao buns! The possibilities are endless.

How to make Thịt Heo Quay (Crispy Pork Belly)
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How to make Thịt Heo Quay (Crispy Pork Belly)

Recipe by Jen H. DaoCourse: Pork, RecipesCuisine: vietnamese, chinese, asianDifficulty: Medium
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pork belly, skin on

  • 1 tablespoon salt (for scoring the skin)

  • 1 teaspoon salt (for seasoning)

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon five-spice powder

  • 1 tsp chicken bouillon

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar

Directions

  • Prepare the Pork Belly:
    Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and leave overnight in the fridge, uncovered, skin side up.

    Remove from fridge. Flip the pork belly so the meat side is facing up. Score the skin lightly with a sharp knife in a crisscross pattern, making sure not to cut into the meat.
  • Season the Meat:
    Rub the meat side of the pork belly with 1 teaspoon of salt, sugar, chicken bouillon, black pepper, five-spice powder. Be generous on the meat side but avoid getting seasoning on the skin.
  • Prep the Skin:
    Flip the pork belly back to skin side up. Brush the skin with rice vinegar or white vinegar, and then rub 1 tablespoon of salt all over the skin. For extra crispiness, you can also rub the skin with baking powder (this helps dry out the skin even more). Wrap in aluminum foil boat with skin side open.
  • Air Fry the Pork Belly:
    Preheat your air fryer to 325°F (200°C). Place the pork belly skin side up in the air fryer basket. Cook for 40-50 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and golden brown. Broil for the last 5-7 minutes, keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
  • Rest and Slice:
    Let the pork belly rest for 10 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute. Then, slice into bite-sized pieces and get ready to dig in!

Recipe Video

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