Air Fryer Honey Glazed Pork Belly
I’m not even trying to be dramatic, but if there is only one air fryer recipe you need to try, it is my Air Fryer Honey Glazed Pork Belly. Inspired by Cha Shiu, or Chinese BBQ Pork, this pork belly recipe has a similar savory-sweet deliciousness, and is so easy to make at home. This Honey Glazed Pork Belly has been one of my go-to weeknight Air Fryer dinner recipes. Pro tip, make extra rice, because you’ll need it!
Quick Air Fryer BBQ Recipe Inspired By Char Siu
This Air Fryer Honey Glazed Pork Belly was inspired by one of my favorite Chinese BBQ dishes, Char Siu. However, one of the most critical ingredients for making Char Siu is Fermented red bean curds, which is what gives the glaze the beautiful red color. Fermented red bean curds can be hard to find, so I wanted to re-create a recipe with similar flavors but accessible ingredients you can re-create at home.
Similar to Char Siu, this air fryer pork comes out tender and slightly crispy on the outside. The sauce is a perfect balance between sweet and savory. In a pinch, it’s a great way to get that same Chinese BBQ flavor even when you don’t have the most authentic ingredients at home.
Air Fryer Honey Roasted Pork Belly Ingredients
- 1 lb pork belly cut into 3 inches lengthwise
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine optional
- 1.5 tsp five-spice powder
Pork Belly
To make this BBQ pork recipe we’re using some beautifully layered Pork Belly. It has all the right layers of fat to keep the pork moist in the Air Fryer, but the skin crisps up just the right amount as well. To save time, I like to use a fork to poke holes through all the pork belly. This helps the marinate soak through the meat, making it extra flavourful.
You can use pork tenderloin for this recipe, but keep in mind that you will have to adjust the Air Frying time. Tenderloins contain way less fat and can end up a little more dry using this exact recipe.
Honey Ginger Soy Marinade and Glaze
This honey ginger soy marinade is what makes this BBQ pork taste exactly like the Chinese Char Siu we all love. All you need to make Honey Glazed Pork Belly is oyster sauce, honey, grated ginger, soy sauce, and five-spice powder.
If you are allergic to shellfish, you can swap it with vegetarian oyster sauce. I recommend letting the pork belly marinate for at least 30 minutes. If you have time, overnight will work best.
PRO-TIP: don’t discard the marinade; simmer it in a pan on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Then, drizzle the sauce over the rice and pork belly.
How To Make Air Fryer Honey Glazed Pork
- Using a fork, poke holes through the pork belly; this will help the flavor soak through.
- Marinate the pork belly with oyster sauce, soy sauce, grated ginger, honey, Chinese cooking wine (optional), and five-spice powder for at least 30 minutes.
- Place the pork belly in the air fryer on the side and air fry at 380 F for 12 minutes on each side. If you like the pork belly skin to be crispy on top, air fry at 380 F for another 5 minutes, skin side facing up.
- Slice the pork belly into thin strips and enjoy!
- Optional: using the leftover marinade, simmer it in a pot on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Then, drizzle the sauce over the pork belly and rice when served.
Cooking Pork Belly with the Air Fryer
I am using an Air Fryer today since it saves time and is mess-free. I’m going being honest: I was a little skeptical about the hype when I first heard about air fryers. I didn’t realize how EASY it was to make delicious meals with them. As I incorporate air fryers more and more into my cooking arsenal, I realized how useful they are!
I did a blog post breaking down and comparing the top 4 selling air fryers on Amazon based on pricing, size, function. I even did a crispy chicken wings test! So if you are interested in buying an air fryer, check out the blog post!
Make It A Full Meal with These Family Style Dinner Dishes
Air Fryer Honey Glazed Pork Belly
By Tiffy Cooks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork belly cut into 3 inches lengthwise
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine optional
- 1.5 tsp five-spice powder
Instructions
- Using a fork, poke holes through the pork belly; this will help the flavor soak through.
- Marinate the pork belly with oyster sauce, soy sauce, grated ginger, honey, Chinese cooking wine (optional), and five-spice powder for at least 30 minutes.
- Place the pork belly in the air fryer on the side and air fry at 380 F for 12 minutes on each side. If you like the pork belly skin to be crispy on top, air fry at 380 F for another 5 minutes, skin side facing up.
- Slice the pork belly into thin strips and enjoy!
- Optional: using the leftover marinade, simmer it in a pot on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Drizzle the sauce over the pork belly and rice when served.
Video
Nutrition
Do you want more AIR FRYER recipes? Here are some of my go-to recipes that you will LOVE!
Hi Tiffy! Looks so yummy and recipe is perfectly simple, I have all the ingredients. Any thoughts on grilling it on the bbq? Wonder if too many flare ups from the fat 🤔. Thanks!
yes!! that would be super delicious!! sounds so yummy!
Wish we had the space for an air fryer! How would you adjust the recipe to work with an oven?
Hi 🙂
380F for 20 minutes on each side, make sure to pre-heat the oven first!!
I just made this pork belly dish for dinner tonight, and it was a winner. The sauce was delicious over the rice. Can’t wait to make it again!
i am soooo glad you like to Angela! Thank you for your review!!
This looks amazing!!! Would you parboil the pork belly before marinating or?
you don’t have to 🙂 if you choose to do that, I would reduce the cooking time for sure to prevent it from over cooking!
Thank you Tiffy for your delicious recipes. I have to try this very soon.
thank you so much Julia!!! i hope you like it 🙂
My pork belly came out really burned. Should I put it on lower temp and cook it for longer? I know the glaze will burn up a bit but mine was very burned
Hi Cindy, I’d recommend lowering the temperature a little and cooking it for longer, as the honey glaze can burn quickly at high heat. You can also try removing some of the excess glaze before cooking to prevent it from burning too much. 😊
Tiffy
Hi, I was wondering what kind of Chinese cooking wine you’re using for this recipe, would it be possible for you to link it please?
Did u leave the skin on?
Hi Melissa, yes the skin is left on!
Tiffy
Can I cook this in a pan?
Hi Carmela, Yes, you can! 😊 Cook the pork belly over medium heat, turning occasionally until cooked through and nicely caramelized. Just keep an eye on it, as the honey can burn easily. Enjoy!
Tiff
Hi Tiffy , this recipe was a breeze to make and absolutely delicious! The sauce over the meat and a bed of warm rice is the best idea !! Thank you for creating this day , awesome and delicious recipes! Love your creations !
Do you think it would still be good if I used tenderloin instead of pork belly?
Hi! Would pork loin instead work for this recipe and any adjustments I should make?:)
Hi Lim Na! Pork loin can work too! It’s much leaner than pork belly, so it’ll cook faster and can dry out more easily. I’d recommend adjusting the cooking time based on the thickness and checking for doneness to keep it juicy. Hope you enjoy it! 💛
Tiffy
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I just made this in my airfryer for dinner and it came out perfectly crispy and tastes delicious. Will make again. Made extra to have as meal prep for work too.
thanks for this recipe. I anticipated the goodness of it and made a bigger batch than usual. now I have leftovers. Any suggestion on pairing aside from rice?
Hi Teresa. This recipe is also pretty good inside a sandwich. You can slice up your pork belly and add your favorite sandwich toppings like pickled red onion, lettuce, tomatoes, or pickles.
Tiffy
Will try that! Thanks!
The pork belly skin didn’t crisp up. I followed the instructions. The skin was chewy. What did I do wrong? 😔
Hi Eleanor, sometimes, pork skin can retain a lot of moisture and can come out chewy. Try keeping the pork skin part as dry as possible. You can either also try letting the pork sit skin side up in the fridge to let the skin dry out a little, or drying it with paper towels before cooking. If you like the pork belly skin to be crispy on top, air fry at 380 F for another 5 minutes, skin side facing up.
Tiffy
Hi Tiffany, I am making this for dinner tonight, I have bought the already marinated soy and garlic belly pork slices. My 2 questions are….do I wipe the marinade off the skin part as I like it crispy? And my second question is, what veg would work well as a side aswell as the rice? Thank you ☺️
Hi Alexandra! ☺️ I’d recommend wiping off any marinade from the skin and patting it completely dry with paper towels before air frying, as moisture and the sugar in the marinade can stop it from crisping up. Bok choy or garlic green beans would go really well with the pork belly and rice! ❤️
Tiffy