Crispy Pork Belly

Make crispy pork belly at home with Chef John's recipe for whole pork belly baked low and slow until melty and tender, then crisped in a hot pan.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 6 hr 5 mins
• Total Time: 6 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 87 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or to taste
• kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
• 0.5 pound whole pork belly, skin removed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).

Step 2

Season pork belly all over with smoked paprika, salt and black pepper.

Step 3

Wrap pork in parchment paper; wrap a second time in aluminum foil; wrap a third time in another sheet of aluminum foil.

Step 4

Place pork packet in a baking dish.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 6 hours. Let cool in wrappings to room temperature; place cooled packet in the refrigerator and chill for 8 hours to overnight.

Step 6

Unwrap chilled pork; reserve any rendered fat that falls away when unwrapping pork.

Step 7

Cut pork into 6 equal portions. Cut 1/8x1/8-inch slashes in the fat-side of pork. Season with salt.

Step 8

Heat 2 tablespoons reserved pork fat in a skillet over medium heat. Place pork belly, fat-side down, in hot fat; cook until browned on all sides and heated through, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 9

Transfer pork belly to a plate, drizzle with olive oil, and season with pepper.