Crispy Marinated Pork Belly
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This crispy pork belly recipe makes an Asian pork dinner that is tender, full of flavor, and deliciously unique! The pork belly marinade comes together quickly, making this meal great for a weeknight dinner or holiday meal.
Why This Recipe is a Favorite
There are plenty of ways to enjoy pork! From smothered pork chops and tenderloin kabobs to the crispy bacon and pork belly.
Pork belly is one of the most flavorful cuts of pork. The highly-sought after cut is where bacon and pancetta come from. Where there is fat, there is also flavor, making a marinated pork belly next-level delicious!
The rich flavor of the meat pairs beautifully with the sweet and savory honey-soy marinade, plus just a little kick of heat!
👉 Why marinate pork belly? The elements of the marinade (fat, acid, and flavor enhancers) work together to tenderize the pork belly while infusing flavor and imparting moisture.
Like my recipe for Maple Mustard Pork Loin, this recipe is an easy way to infuse flavors without a bunch of extra time or work. Enjoy it on a busy weeknight or when entertaining!
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are some important mom-tested cooking tips for making this pork belly recipe! I’ve made it countless times to save you from a failed attempt.
- Scoring the fat on the pork belly is SUPER important to imparting flavor into the meat and making sure every bite has crispy pieces of fat, so don’t skip this step!
- Use a digital cooking thermometer to test for doneness. It’s important to be sure that the baked pork belly is safe to eat. Per USDA guidelines, the internal temperature of pork products (after a few minutes of rest time) should be 145°F. (63°C.)
- Never reuse marinades that have been used on raw meat! The bacteria left behind from the raw meat will not cook out of the marinade.
- For the juiciest results, let the meat rest for 10 minutes, then cut slices against the grain of the meat. Cutting against the grain means cutting across the muscle fibers. This shortens them, so they are more tender and easier to digest.
If you love exploring Asian flavors, try this Gochujang Chicken, or my stir fry recipe for Ground Beef and Broccoli!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make this crispy pork belly recipe:
If your local grocery store sells pork belly, it will be in the meat department near the other cuts of pork. If you have trouble finding it, ask the store manager or butcher to help you.
Not all stores stock it, so you may need to go to a local butcher shop, or purchase it online. I order mine from Porter Road!
Pork Belly Marinade
The marinade is really simple to make, and it works on meats other than pork, too! The earthy and slightly sweet flavors work really well with my recipes for grilled chicken and baked salmon in foil, too.
- honey – Honey will work best for this, but you can also substitute agave.
- soy sauce – If you’re avoiding soy or want to make this recipe gluten-free, substitute coconut aminos for the soy sauce.
- sesame oil – This oil is best for Asian dishes, but if you don’t have it, go ahead and use avocado oil or olive oil.
- rice vinegar – You can substitute rice vinegar with apple cider vinegar
- garlic – whole cloves mince or use pre-minced garlic
- sriracha sauce – The sriracha is optional! If you like a little kick, I definitely recommend including it. Feel free to substitute it with any other hot sauce you enjoy.
- spices – You’ll need some smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper
Making the Pork Belly Marinade
- Prepare the marinade. Combine the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, vinegar, sriracha, minced garlic, and seasonings together in a bowl. Whisk the marinade together until it’s mixed fully.
👉 If the thick, gooey honey makes it difficult to whisk together, microwave the mixture for 10-15 seconds, then try mixing again.
Scoring the Pork Belly
- Prepare the pork. Use a sharp knife to carefully score just through the fat both horizontally and vertically to create a grid pattern.
Next, set the pork belly in a baking dish. Pour the marinade over the pork belly and use your hands to turn the pork, working the marinade into the scored pieces of fat.
- Cover the dish and refrigerate to marinate for at least an hour, or up to 18 hours.
How to Bake a Perfectly Crispy Pork Belly
- Cook the marinated pork belly. Remove the pork from the marinade and transfer it to a shallow baking dish. Or, if you want to use the same dish you marinated the pork in, simply drain the marinade from it. Discard the used marinade.
- Bake the pork belly uncovered for the first part of the cook time. Then, reduce the temperature of the oven, cover the baking dish and continue cooking it nice and slow!
- Rest, slice, and serve. Remove from the oven and allow the pork to rest for about 10 minutes, then slice into individual servings and dig it!
Pork Belly Recipe FAQ
I recommend marinating pork belly for at least an hour, or up to 18 hours. Be sure to marinate it in the fridge, not at room temperature.
I recommend using 1/3 to 1/2 cup of marinade per pound of pork belly.
If you make this recipe, please give it a star rating and leave a comment below to let me know how it went!
Crispy Baked Pork Belly
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. pork belly
Asian Marinade
- 1/3 cup soy sauce or substitute coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or substitute apple cider vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic about 2 Tablespoons minced
- 1 tablespoon sriracha or substitute any other hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Video
Instructions
- Measure the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, vinegar, sriracha, garlic, and seasonings in a mixing bowl. Whisk the marinade ingredients together until fully combined.
- Use a sharp knife to score just through the fat both horizontally and vertically to create a grid pattern. Set the pork belly in a baking dish. Pour the marinade over the pork belly and use your hands to turn the pork, working the marinade into the scored pieces of fat.
- Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least an hour, or up to 18 hours. Drain and discard the excess marinade after. Do not reuse!
- Bake the pork belly uncovered at 400°F (204°C) for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and lower the temperature to 275°F (135°C).
- Lightly cover or tent the dish with a piece of foil. Cook for another 20-25 minutes, until the internal temperature is 145°F (63°C).
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the pork to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing into individual servings.
Notes
- Do not reuse marinade! Discard the marinade once it’s been used.
- Pork is cooked once it reaches 145°F (63°C), per USDA.
- I recommend the high-quality pork belly from Porter Road!
Nutrition
2025 Update: This recipe is still a family favorite and has been updated to simplify the cooking instructions and add extra cooking tips for our readers. We hope you love it as much as we do!
Serving Suggestions
This crispy pork belly recipe pairs well with sides like roasted broccoli and jasmine rice. If you want different veggies, it also tastes great with roasted parsnips and carrots, too.
There is no way that this serving of 2 oz of pork belly is 1303 calories. 1 oz of pork belly without the sauces is like 83 calories, and those sauces are not high enough in calories to add to that, so I’m assuming these calculations are incorrect.
Hey Aux! You’re absolutely right—thank you so much for catching that! The nutrition calculation is definitely off and I’ll get that corrected right away. I really appreciate you pointing it out!
I felt it needed longer to cook. Would have preferred if the pork was falling apart.
Thank you for your comment, Karen! Next time I’d recommend cooking your pork belly to about 165 or 170º if you want it to be falling apart.