Recipe video above. This is a pork belly that's slow-roasted so the fat renders and cooks the belly confit-style in its own fat. The result? Ridiculously juicy, impossibly tender yet still-sliceable meat, crowned with the most amazing crispy crackling of your life. It comes down to three simple, game-changing techniques: 1. Do NOT score the skin; 2. Low heat followed by high heat; 3. Keep the pork level using balls of foil.Perfect meat, perfect crackling ... Every. Single. Time! (Read the post for all the details on how to do it right!)Bonus: Excellent for make ahead, reheats 99% perfectly the next day. See notes.
1 tsp salt (, cooking/kosher salt (or 7/8 tsp table salt), divided)
1/4 tsp black pepper
Apple Sauce ()
Vermouth Jus ()
Cauliflower Puree (, (Note 2))
See in post for more Sauce options
Categories
Main
Cuisine
Western
Steps
Dry skin overnight: Place pork belly on a plate. Pat skin dry with paper towels. Leave uncovered in fridge overnight to dry out the skin. (If you don't have time, pat the skin dry as best you can).
Preheat oven to 140°C/285°F (120°C fan).
Season flesh: Drizzle flesh (only) with 1 tsp oil. Sprinkle over 1/2 tsp salt, the pepper and fennel powder. Rub all over the flesh, including on the sides, being sure you get right into all the cracks and crevices.
Wrap in foil: Place 2 pieces of foil on a work surface. Put the belly in middle of foil, skin side up. Fold the sides in to enclose the belly, forming an open box, pinching corners to seal tightly and make it as snug as possible. Place meat on a tray.
Season skin: Pat skin dry with paper towels. Rub with 1/2 tsp oil then sprinkle remaining 1/2 tsp salt evenly all over the skin surface, from edge to edge.
Slow roast 2 1/2 hours: Place in the oven and roast for 2 1/2 hours. After 1 1/2 hours, remove and tighten the foil (pork will have shrunk), and continue cooking. This keeps the pork fat level up as high as possible, and the flesh protected so it stays moist.
Increase heat: Remove pork from oven, then increase heat to 240°C/465°F (all oven types).
Level pork: Remove pork from foil and place on a rack set over a tray (using rack is best, but optional). Use scrunched up balls of foil stuffed under pork to prop up so the skin surface is as level and horizontal as possible (see photos in post).
30 minutes on high heat! Place the pork back in the oven for 30 minutes, rotating after 15 minutes as needed, until the crackling is deep golden, puffy and crispy all over. If some patches are browning faster, protect with foil patches. ⚠️ Open oven with care as it will be smokey - open your windows!
Rest 10 minutes: Remove pork from oven. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Serving: Slice into 2cm / ⅘"-thick slices using a serrated knife. Pictured in post with Apple Sauce and Vermouth Jus, with a side of Cauliflower Puree (Note 2)! See directions in post for how to plate it up as pictured (fine dining style!), as well as a list of more sauce options.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 1313 kcal
Carbohydrates: 1 g
Protein: 23 g
Fat: 135 g
Saturated Fat: 49 g
Cholesterol: 180 mg
Sodium: 661 mg
Reviews
FranW on 2026-04-16 (5 stars): My first time cooking pork belly -- and it was a resounding success. I reckon my oven is whacked, because it didn't take 30 minutes to crackle the skin. Ten minutes in and it was burning! Fifteen minutes and it was ready. Rave reviews, and I'll definitely make this again. Nagi for the win, as always.
Donna Williamson on 2026-04-01 (5 stars): I have made the slow-roasted crispy pork belly several times now and each time it does not disappoint. It turns out perfectly each and every time.
Thanks for this great recipe
Sharyn Lilley on 2026-03-22 (5 stars): I have never once failed with this recipe, it's absolutely the best way to cook pork belly. The final half hour for the crackling is perfect for cooking the Yorkshire puds at the same time.
Gail on 2026-03-21 (5 stars): This was already the best way to roast a pork belly, but I decided to sort of combine this with the porchetta recipe (because I can't be bothered to tie it up) by cutting cross slashes into the meat side and rubbing in a mixture of toasted ground fennel seeds and pepper, red chili flakes, garlic, chopped fresh rosemary, and a little salt. Roasted as directed. It's ridiculously good and the leftovers make truly amazing sandwiches.
Scarlett on 2026-03-16 (5 stars): Absolutely the best pork I’ve ever had. This recipe is on point. Instead of fennel, because I didn’t have any, I generously seasoned it with cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. I followed the rest of the recipe exactly as listed. It turned out absolutely phenomenal, and very juicy!
Peter Broad on 2026-03-15 (5 stars): This recipe goes against everything I’ve ever learnt…and it’s brilliant! The only thing missing is whether to adjust cooking time for larger joints. Please let me know!
And thank you
Jeff on 2026-03-12 (5 stars): Great recipe
Ellie on 2026-03-10 (5 stars): Love love love this recipe❤️
My first successful pork belly. Crispy skin - out of this world 😍
Many thanks for this outstanding method 🙏🏼
Megan Y on 2026-03-08 (5 stars): First time pork belly cook with a crappy oven and I nailed it. This recipe worked a treat. Thank you!! Will definitely do this again
Sandee Blair on 2026-03-07 (5 stars): Perfect AND easy to do. I’m no chef and have tried many pork belly recipes but none compare with how simple this was and how deliciously it turned out. Better than some restaurants!!
Elizabeth Keeney on 2026-03-06 (5 stars): So, every few days I scroll the internet looking for recipe inspiration. I rarely actually follow them - I'm just looking at what pairings might be fun given my current stock of ingredients at home.
Every time I end up on your site, I copy your recipes to the T. Ever since some number of years ago, I discovered your Char Sui Pork and I didn't understand the process enough to be confident to change anything lol. This recipe was no different than your others, absolutely phenomenal. Easy to understand, educational and wonderful results.
You have a spectacular understanding of good food. I rarely ever leave comments and even more rarely love recipes as written.
It's my third stop on your blog this month, so I just wanted to share that with you.
Dear reader, I see you. Scrolling the comments to see what to adjust (no judgement - I do it too). Just favorite her home page and give this one a whirl as is. It's worth it.
Suzanne Doheny on 2026-03-02 (5 stars): This was my first time to make pork belly. What a fabulous recipe. Read it 3 times before I started and followed it exactly as Nagi advised and it turned out dam good. Bubbly crispy crackling. I also made the apple sauce. Absolutely delicious 😋
Elizabeth Henderson on 2026-02-24 (5 stars): wow. Double wow. This recipe is awesome and I can say that the crackling is to die for. This was my first go at pork belly and I have since made it again, but with smaller pieces that were in a freezer bulk meat pack. Cooked 4 pieces in the air fryer for 60 mins (checked after 50), then put in oven for 20 mins on high. So they would stand up on the rack I put a metal skewer through them. Will never ever score the rind again
Danny on 2026-02-24 (5 stars): This recipe is FIRE, Nagi. I always struggled with getting skin crispness as well as juicy meat. I use frozen pork belly, and use large grain sea salt to dry out the skin overnight, and follow the rest of the recipe for GREAT, consistent result!
Janis on 2026-02-24 (5 stars): This was so incredibly moist and crisp. By far one of the best recipes I have ever tried. We will be making this again!
Sorcha on 2026-02-19 (5 stars): I made crackling/scratchings by patting the fat dry, dousing in salt and putting in the air fryer for 40 minutes (200°), turning every ten minutes.
June Tuffin on 2026-02-15 (5 stars): Followed your recipe to a “T” and it was the best pork belly I have ever eaten, so tender but so crunchy on top. The cold leftovers were just as juicy and delicious but I cut them into pieces and made a sweet and sour sauce……so good! Thank you Nagi!
Nancy Taylor on 2026-02-13 (5 stars): I have never made pork belly before but will certainly be making it again. It took time to cook but was easy to make and came out AMAZING! I paired it with the apple sauce recipe which is also so good. Thank you for such great instructions.
