Crackling is a drying project, not a cooking one, and the air fryer is a drying machine. Salt the skin, leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight, and the basket does the rest: gentle heat to render, brutal heat to blister. This is the one recipe in this section where the overnight step genuinely can't be skipped.
Everything you need
- 800 g pork belly, skin on, in one piece
- 1 tbsp (17 g) fine salt (for the skin)
- 1 tsp fine salt (for the meat)
- 2 tsp five spice powder
- 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
- 1 tbsp (15 g) white vinegar
Single layer, always. Crowding the basket steams food instead of crisping it. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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The night before: dry the skin hard with paper towel, prick it all over with a skewer or a jaccard, going into fat but not meat. Rub the meat sides (not the skin) with the teaspoon of salt, the five spice and garlic powder.
For this step
- 1 tbsp (17 g) fine salt (for the skin)
- 1 tsp fine salt (for the meat)
- 2 tsp five spice powder
- 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
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Sit the belly skin up on a plate, rub the vinegar into the skin, then pack the tablespoon of salt over the skin in a crust. Fridge, uncovered, overnight.
For this step
- 800 g pork belly
- 1 tbsp (17 g) fine salt (for the skin)
- 1 tsp fine salt (for the meat)
- 1 tbsp (15 g) white vinegar
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Next day, scrape and brush every grain of the salt crust off and wipe the skin dry. It should feel like parchment.
For this step
- 1 tbsp (17 g) fine salt (for the skin)
- 1 tsp fine salt (for the meat)
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Preheat the air fryer to 160°C / 320°F. Sit the belly skin up in the basket and cook for 30 minutes to render and cook the meat.
For this step
- 800 g pork belly
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Turn the heat to 200°C / 400°F and cook another 15 to 20 minutes, watching from 10, until the skin has puffed and blistered into glass across the whole surface.
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Rest for 10 minutes, then turn it skin down on the board and cut through the meat side. Cutting from the skin side shatters the crackling.
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Air fryer notes
- Cook at 200°C / 400°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
- Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
- Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.
Cook's tips
- The pricking is the whole game. Hundreds of shallow holes let fat escape and blister the skin. Ten lazy stabs give you ten blisters.
- If a corner of skin refuses to puff, shield the done parts with foil and give it 5 more minutes.
Make it your own
- Skip the five spice and use fennel seed and black pepper on the meat for an Italian porchetta lean.
- Cube leftovers and re-crisp at 200°C for 5 minutes for pork belly bites with dipping sauce.
Storing & reheating
Fridge for 3 days. The crackling softens overnight but comes back at 200°C for 5 minutes, skin up. Don't cover it while it's still warm.
Frequently asked
Why is my pork belly crackling not crispy?
Moisture. The skin must be dried overnight uncovered, every trace of the salt crust removed, and the final blast run hot. Wet or salty skin goes leathery instead of glassy.
How long does pork belly take in an air fryer?
About 50 minutes for an 800 g piece: 30 minutes at 160°C to cook and render, then 15 to 20 at 200°C to blister the skin.
Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.
More air fryer recipes
A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.