Crispy Ginger Pork Belly
Crispy ginger pork belly served over a fresh salad of cucumber, cabbage, spinach, herbs, and chilli with a bright lemongrass and lime dressing.
Equipment
- Meat thermometer
- Mixing bowl
- Paper towels
- Serving platter
- Tongs
- Whisk
Ingredients
- For the Pork
- 900 grams boneless pork belly rind scored
- 1 tablespoon sea salt flakes
- ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- Olive oil cooking spray
- For the Salad
- 1 English cucumber thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ medium Napa cabbage finely shredded
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 long red chillies seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- 1 medium lime cut into wedges
- For the Ginger Dressing
- 1 stalk lemongrass tender part finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely grated
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F) for 3 minutes.
- Pat the pork belly thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- Combine half of the sea salt with the Chinese five-spice powder.
- Rub the seasoning mixture evenly into the scored pork rind.
- Place the pork belly rind-side up in the air fryer basket.
- Lightly spray the rind with olive oil cooking spray.
- Air fry at 200°C (392°F) for 25 minutes until the rind begins to crackle.
- Reduce the temperature to 165°C (329°F).
- Continue air frying for approximately 30 minutes until the pork is tender.
- Cover the rind loosely with aluminium foil if it begins to brown too quickly.
- Check that the thickest part reaches at least 71°C (160°F).
- Whisk the lemongrass, ginger, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sugar together.
- Arrange the cucumber, red onion, Napa cabbage, basil, cilantro, spinach, and chillies on a serving platter.
- Remove the cooked pork belly from the air fryer.
- Let the pork belly rest uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Cut the pork belly into thick slices.
- Arrange the slices over the prepared salad.
- Scatter the green onion over the pork.
- Drizzle with the ginger dressing and serve with lime wedges.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serving Suggestions
Serve crispy ginger pork belly immediately so the crackling remains crisp. The fresh salad makes it a complete meal, but steamed jasmine rice or noodles can be added. Browse our salad recipes for additional side dishes.Recipe Notes
Ask the butcher to score the rind without cutting deeply into the meat. For better crackling, refrigerate the pork uncovered for 12–48 hours before cooking. Pat the rind dry again before seasoning. Explore our air fryer recipes for more cooking techniques.Variations
Replace the Napa cabbage with red cabbage or use mint instead of basil. Add grated carrot, bean sprouts, or sliced radishes to the salad. For extra heat, add chilli flakes to the dressing. Find more flavor ideas in our Spices & Seasoning recipes.Wine Advice
An off-dry Riesling balances the rich pork, chilli, ginger, and lime. A fresh Gewürztraminer also complements the aromatic dressing.Nutrition values
Calories: 890 kcal | Carbohydrates: 14 g | Protein: 29 g | Fat: 79 g | Saturated Fat: 28 g | Sodium: 920 mg | Sugar: 7 g