When roasting pork belly, achieving that perfectly salted, crunchy crackling is often an important goal. Though it seems intimidating, it’s actually simple to achieve. Half an hour ahead of cooking, score the pork belly using a very sharp knife, then rub generously with flaky salt. Leave at room temperature for around 20 minutes so that the salt pulls the excess moisture out of the pork. Dry well with kitchen paper, then brush the skin liberally with oil and season with salt; this ensures that as the pork is roasted, the fat renders out of the skin and begins to blister. To create crackling, the initial cooking temperature should be lower, around 160°C fan, then turned up for 20 minutes at the end of cooking to around 210-225°C fan to crisp up the crackling. 

Cooking pork belly in the air fryer is a simple, hands-off method. Take the pork belly out of the fridge and score the skin using a sharp knife and rub generously with flaky salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes to come to room temperature, and to let the salt draw out the excess moisture. When ready, pat the skin dry with kitchen paper then brush generously with olive oil. Sprinkle over the flaky salt. Wrap the meat in aluminium foil, so that the top is open but the sides are covered, and place the meat onto a baking tray. Preheat the air fryer at 160°C, then place the pork belly in the basket and cook for 40 minutes. Increase the heat to 200·C then air fry for another 10 minutes until the skin is crispy and bubbling. The internal temperature should be over 74°C. 

To pan fry pork belly, simply slice into strips then blanch them in boiling water for around 5-10 minutes. Discard the water and pat dry the slices with a paper towel. Season well with salt and any other ground spices you desire, then heat a skillet over medium. Once hot, add a splash of vegetable oil to the pan then place the pork belly strips on their side and cook for around 5 minutes. Repeat on the other sides then turn them skin side down. Use a pair of tongs to balance the skin if it is not flat. Once the skin is golden brown, remove from the pan and slice into smaller pieces. Try adding some teriyaki sauce and honey to the pan just ahead of removing the pork to create a sweet but savoury glaze. 

Leftover cooked pork belly should be stored below 5°C in the fridge. It can be left for up to 2 days there, and once frozen remains good for up to 4 months at -18°C. It should always be stored in an airtight container and if freezing, a freezer safe container. 

When reheating leftover pork belly the simplest way is to place it in the oven or an air fryer and cook for around 15-20 minutes at 180°C. The internal temperature should reach 74°C. If reheating from frozen, make sure that the meat is fully defrosted ahead of reheating as above. Try to avoid using a microwave to reheat cooked pork belly, as this can cause a slightly toughened texture. 

Take a look through our incredible collection of pork belly recipes, including Graham Cambell’s moreish confit belly of pork, or if you’re looking for something combining sweetness and spice, try Tom Aikens’ roast pork belly. Pork belly is a delicious, fatty cut of meat, perfect for slow cooking and adapts to a range of aromatics and flavours - check out Dan Kenny’s beer and soy glazed pork belly, or Shu Han Lee’s miso and ginger braised pork belly.