This Air Fryer Rolled Belly Pork Joint recipe makes cooking these beautiful pieces of pork belly incredibly easy. The air fryer is a wonderful way to ensure that the skin crisps into perfect crackling the whole way round. As a bonus, I’ve included instructions to make a simple gravy using the pork drippings.
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There is no way I won’t happily eat belly pork. But these rolled pork belly joints are a really great way to pack a really good sized hunk of pork into the air fryer and get lots of really crispy crackling. The layers of fat within the meat render as the pork cooks and the whole thing bastes itself from the inside. So you end up with the most succulent sliced of pork.
Some people may be more familiar with this cut as Italian porchetta. Often flavoured or stuffed with garlic and fennel seeds, porchetta was traditionally cooked on a spit over a wood fire. But is now just as commonly roasted in the oven and can be found all over the world.
Not being a fan of fennel, I am personally a fan of porchetta cooked without fennel! In this recipe I’ve simply seasoned with sea salt but you can add any other flavourings that your heart desires.
How to Serve
Rolled roast pork belly is a very versatile cut of meat. It’s as at home served with a classic British roast dinner as it is atop a bowl of rice, with a Latin American bean stew or stuffed into a fresh ciabatta.
Try some of these serving ideas:
- Make a light and summery meal with the roast pork, thick asparagus spears and whole baby potatoes. Add a dash of cream and a spritz of lemon to the gravy for extra luxuriousness.
- Drizzle the pork with hot honey garlic sauce and serve with sliced avocado on a bowl of sticky rice or garlic coriander rice.
- Make homemade paxo stuffing and smooth cranberry sauce then stuff them into fresh buttered bread rolls along with the belly pork. Dunk in the gravy and keep plenty of napkins nearby, you’ll need them.
Don’t forget this classic sauce!
Homemade British Apple Sauce Recipe (For Pork)
Ingredients
Belly Pork
The pork may be sold as either a rolled belly pork joint or porchetta depending where you’re buying it from. Rolled belly pork will be most common in British supermarkets and butchers.
Unless you are experienced (or wanting to learn), I would suggest buying a piece of pork that is ready rolled and tied with string. They can be a little hard to wrestle into submission, especially when dealing with smaller pieces of pork.
When selecting the piece of meat, look for something that has a full covering of rind all the way over the top and sides of the meat. This will both protect the meat while it is cooking and give you maximum crackling.
Do be cautious about what will fit into your air fryer. I fitted a 1.3kg/3lb rolled pork belly in the basket of my 4.7litre air fryer. A 1.8kg/4lb joint would fit in my air fryer without issue but any bigger than that and I would have a problem. If you have to take your air fryer basket to the shop then just do it. I’ve certainly been known to.
Oil
I always say that it feels counterintuitive to add more fat to an already fatty cut of meat. But it is essential to help the browning and crackling process to start. It also gives the seasoning something to adhere to.
I usually just use a neutral vegetable oil. You can use something else like olive oil if you prefer. Just make sure that any oil with a distinct flavour will work with your chosen seasonings and whatever you’re intending to serve your pork with.
Seasoning
I’ve just used Maldon sea salt flakes for this simple recipe. Maldon is light in flavour and has nice soft flakes.
Salt is essential to having a good crackling so don’t skimp on it. However if you are using a free flowing salt rather than flakes, reduce the amount in the recipe by around half as it is much stronger when measured by volume.
Allergen Information
This recipe is free from egg, dairy, gluten and nuts.
Please note that this recipe may contain other allergens not referred to above and any variations suggested have not been tested unless otherwise stated. For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to my Nutritional Disclaimer.
How Long to Air Fry Rolled Belly Pork Joint
A god hunk of rolled belly pork requires a fair amount of cooking to make sure that it is lovely and tender the whole way through. So the 1.3kg/3lb piece of pork that I cooked took a total of 90 minutes to air fry. It then needs at least 15 minutes of resting time before being carve and served. This is an ideal time to make the gravy.
I suggest cooking the pork in 3 stages. Firstly skin side up for 45 minutes. Then skin side down for 30 minutes and then a final 15 minutes right side up again. This ensures that the skin crackles to start with then the underside gets the full force of the heat and the internal juices have chance to redistribute. And then that final air fry ensures the crackling is fully crisp before serving.
This staged cooking process also gives you opportunity to drain any collected cooking juices from the air fryer basket. As belly pork can render quite a lot of fat as it cooks, I prefer to remove it rather than have it just boil away in the bottom of the basket. These drippings then get used to make the delicious gravy.
How to Air Fry Rolled Belly Pork Joints From Frozen
I do not recommend doing this at all. It is incredibly difficult to make sure that the inside of the meat is perfectly cooked before the outside is dried out and nasty. So I do highly suggest making sure that your meat is thoroughly defrosted before starting to cook it.
Leftovers – Storage & Reheating
Leftover belly pork is the gift that keep giving. You can store it in the fridge for several days or freeze it. If freezing I would suggest slicing it first and freezing in smaller portions. This way it will defrost quickly and you can grab just the amount that you need.
Talking of slicing the leftovers, if you want very thin slices then it is a good idea to thoroughly chill then pork before slicing. You can use a large sharp knife, or even better, a meat slicing machine. I’m a bit in love with mine actually. Either way, it is a good idea to remove the cracking and cut that separately or it can make things tricky.
To reheat the pork, you can simply microwave it. This keeps the pork extra juicy. If you would rather air fry it, try loosely wrapping the pork in foil, adding a drop of water and then air frying until piping hot. This will effectively steam it and again keep things very juicy. Any leftover crackling can be simply air fried as normal until hot and crispy again.
Common Air Fryer Questions – A Brief Guide to Air Frying
- What exactly is an air fryer?
- What are the benefits of using an air fryer?
- Are all air fryers the same?
- Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
- Do air fryers need to be pre-heated?
- What is the best temperature to air fry at?
- What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
- Can food be cooked from frozen in an air fryer?
- Can I reheat food in an air fryer?
- Are air fryer liners a good idea?
The Air Fried Feast Community
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What Exactly is an Air Fryer?
Very simply, an air fryer is a small convection (fan) oven. The benefit is that the hot air is circulated all around the food being cooked which speeds up the cooking time and cooks the food more evenly.
What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
Size, time and energy usage. Air fryers are ideal for cooking smaller quantities. Heating up a space that the food just fits into requires less energy and means that the heat source is much closer to the food. Combining these two things can speed up the cooking time.
Are all air fryers the same?
Nope! The term air fryer is now used very broadly. I consider there to be 4 main types:
Basket Air Fryers
These are what I would consider to be the most common, especially in the UK. A boxy type unit has a pull out drawer/basket. Food isn’t usually visible whilst cooking.
Some larger models have two drawers so different items can be cooked at different temperatures or for different times.
This is the type that you’ll see in the images in this recipe. I mostly use a Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) with a 3.8 litre capacity. The square(ish) shaped basket is 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. It isn’t an overly expensive or fancy model.
I’ve also recommended to several friends and family the model with a slightly larger basket. This is the Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501) with a 4.7 litre basket. The unit is no larger than the 3.8 litre model on the outside but does have a larger internal basket capacity. I’ve since bought this version to use for some recipes where my smaller model was just too small. I’ll always note this in the recipe.
Rotary Air Fryers
Round air fryers with a paddle in the centre that rotates to move the food. This is the type I used for years – the most common is a Tefal Actifry.
Rotary types are not usually good for recipes where the food is breaded, glazed, likely to break up or in a tray/container. They do however make the best chips and roasted veg.
My 2 in 1 version like the one I’ve linked also has a rotating tray for things that could be broken up by a paddle, but the height clearance with the lid isn’t deep enough to use it to cook some items like sausage rolls. I’ve now actually retired by Actifry in favour of having my two basket type fryers.
Mini Oven Air Fryers
These usually have a glass door, shelves and overall are really quite large. You can cook quite a decent quantity of food in them so are best if regularly cooking for multiple people. They often come with extra features like a rotisserie spit or kebab skewers.
Multicookers with Air Fryer Functions
Some like Ninja 11 in 1 and some of the earlier versions with a few less functions, have an air fryer option. They mostly operate the same as a basket fryer but the basket drops in the top rather than sliding in like a drawer.
Some electric pressure cookers like Instant Pots can also air fry when used with a specific lid.
Is an air fryer always better to use than an oven?
As much as I do love air frying, the honest answer to this is no. And the more detailed answer is that it will always depend on what you’re cooking, how much of it you’re cooking and what type and size of air fryer you have.
Once you need to cook in more than 2 batches, it often makes more sense to use an oven. If you already have the oven on to cook other items, it may make more sense to throw one more item in rather than using an additional appliance.
I don’t think either method is often necessarily better than the other. The important point to note is that there is absolutely no difference in the finished product.
Do Air Fryers Need to Be Pre-Heated?
The answer to this is rather annoying – it depends. It depends entirely on your model and type of air fryer. The best advice I can offer is to check your manual and follow their guidance. My Cosori models have a preheat function. I press a button and it heats at 205c/400f for 4 minutes.
It’s also worth noting that regardless of whether you are supposed to pre-heat or not, if you are cooking in batches, it is quite likely that anything after the first batch will cook a little quicker because of the retained heat. It is best to check on them before the cooking time is completed.
What is the best temperature to Air Fry at?
It will always depend on what you are cooking and from what state. All of my air fryer recipes don’t use temperatures above 200c/390f because many of the most common fryers in the UK don’t go above this. Mine goes to 230c/450f and I use this temperature a lot but it is no help for me to share recipes which many people can’t use.
What setting is best to use? Air fry, bake, dehydrate, etc…
Not all air fryers have different settings like this. When they do it usually relates to the fan speed. The default setting to use will always be “air fry” so unless something else is specifically stated in the recipe, always use the air fry option.
There are other air fryers that have an additional heating element which cooks from underneath rather than just the top. Just as with the other settings, unless you are using a recipe which states to use a second heating element, stick with just using the top down air fry option.
Of course if and when you become more confident with air frying, using recipes and the settings of your air fryer, you can start adapting them to suit.
Can Food Be Cooked From Frozen In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! To cook from frozen you usually will need to reduce the cooking temperature and increase the time to make sure your food is cooked right through to the middle.
It is best to check my individual recipes for cooking from frozen advice as some items are a little different. And there are occasionally exceptions to the rule.
Can I Reheat Food In An Air Fryer?
Yes. As a general rule I reheat food for roughly 1/3 of the original cooking time at the same temperature. Or at 10 degrees lower for half the time for larger items.
Are Air Fryer Liners a Good Idea?
Unless otherwise stated, I do not use liners when air frying. Basket and rotary type air fryers are designed to be used without liners. Mini oven types will generally require some kind of tray like with a regular large oven although most come with crisper racks to use.
There are many air fryer liners available including quite thick silicone ones. These will affect the cooking times and possibly temperatures of your cooking/baking. I also don’t like how cooking juices are prevented from dripping through the basket rack. This can stop food from crisping all the way around.
When I do want to collect the juices, I mostly use some foil, or occasionally a foil tray which can be washed and reused.
If you do prefer to use them, once you have got a feel for how they affect your cooking and baking, you may need to make adjustments to the recipe accordingly.
More Air Fryer Recipes
All my recipes with instructions for how to cook or bake them in the air fryer can be found in my Air Fryer Recipe Index.
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you try making this recipe – I want to know what you think and if you made any substitutions, how did it turn out?
Still Have Questions?
Simple! Just contact me and I will do my best to help as quickly as I am able. Head over to my Contact Me page, any of my social media channels or post a comment at the bottom of this page and I’ll see what I can do.
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The Recipe
Air Fryer Rolled Belly Pork Joint Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.3 kg Rolled Pork Belly Joint - with skin for crackling
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 tbsp Sea Salt Flakes
For the gravy
- 400 ml Water
- 3 tbsp Cornflour (Cornstarch)
- 3 tbsp Water
- Sea Salt Flakes
Instructions
Things to Consider
- Make sure that the joint has plenty of clearance in the air fryer with the drawer shut/lid on/door closed. The joints have a tendency of expanding as they start to cook so bear this in mind. If you think there might be an issue, remove any string from the joint and unroll it as much as possible. You can also consider removing the crisper rack.
- I suggest cooking this joint crackling side up, then down, then up again. This is for good reason. If you start with the skin down, I find it then never crackles at all so it needs the initial shock and crisp with the skin facing the heating element. But if you only cook it right side up, the joint doesn't cook through properly. The final blast with the skin up is essential for it to be fully crisp and crackled when serving. It is good to drain the juices/fat several times during the cooking process so I'd be stopping at each of these points to do that during the cooking process anyway.
Air Fry The Pork
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, start this setting now.
- Thoroughly dry a 1.3kg Rolled Pork Belly Joint.
- Use your sharpest knife to score lines in the fat if it isn't pre-scored or the cuts aren't very deep. Make sure to go all the way round to the edges. (The butcher cut some of mine a little too deep!
- Drizzle with roughly 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil and rub all over the joint including the underneath and ends.
- Season well with roughly 1 tbsp Sea Salt Flakes. Again, don't miss all the sides and underneath.
- Place the pork into the air fryer basket with the skin up. If it is a preheated basket, use 2 forks to lower the pork in so you don't touch the hot metal with your hands.
- Air fry for 45 minutes at 180℃/350℉.
- Secure the pork with a fork and carefully pour out any juices into a heatproof bowl. Remove the joint entirely to do this if you prefer.
- Turn the pork so it is skin side down and air fry for a further 30 minutes at 180℃/350℉.
- Repeat the process of removing the pork and draining all the fat/juices released into bowl with the previous lot.
- Turn the pork once again so it is skin side up and air fry for a further 15 minutes at 180℃/350℉.
- Check the pork is cooked through, you can see this by making a cut and checking that the meat is nearly white in the centre of the thickest part. I do this on the underneath.
- If you need to cook for longer, do so at the higher temperature. If the crackling is already fully crackled, turn the pork upside down to do this.
- Pour out the remaining juices and fat from the basket.
- Allow the pork to rest for at least 15 minutes. You can either leave the pork in the air fryer turned off or wrap it in foil and cover with a towel. Use this time to make the gravy.
- Don't forget to add any juices from the resting period to the reserved juices/fat or gravy if it's already made.
- Carve into thick or thin slices as preferred and serve. You may find it easier to remove the crackling in one piece and slice this separately. Otherwise carving upside down is the easiest way to get through the crackling without squashing the pork.
To Make The Pork Gravy
- Tip all of the drained pork fat and juices into small saucepan and start heating over a high heat.
- Add 400ml Water to the pan. Freshly boiled from the kettle will speed up the process.
- Mix 3 tbsp Cornflour with roughly 3 tbsp Water until all the cornflour has dissolved.
- Once the juices and water have come to the boil, add the cornflour slurry with one hand while whisking with the other.
- Continue to boil until the gravy is thickened. If after a few minutes, it is not thick enough for your liking, make up and add more cornflour slurry – add a little at a time. If it is thicker than you would like, add a little water at a time.
- Taste the gravy and add Sea Salt Flakes a little at a time until the gravy is flavoursome. Don't be shy, salt is your friend with gravy.
- Serve with the sliced pork.
Notes
- The air fryer version of this recipe is tested in a 4.7 litre capacity Cosori 4.7L (CAF-L501). I cannot fit a pork shoulder this size in my Cosori Lite 3.8L (CAF-LI401S) which has a square(ish) shaped basket of 21cm x 21cm and 24cm on the diagonal. The depth of the basket is more of an important consideration in this case.
- Not all models advise preheating is required. Please follow the recommended instructions for your model. Mine has a specific preheat setting which is 4 minutes at 205c.
- For this recipe, I could easily fit up to a 1.3kg/3lb rolled pork belly in the basket. A 1.8kg/4lb joint would fit in my air fryer without issue.
- As all air fryer models are a little different, you may find that you can fit more or less in at a time.
- Required cooking times and temperatures can also vary between models and brands. If you know that your air fryer runs a little hotter than most recipes suggest, use a lower temperature. And vice versa. Equally if you find that food cooks more quickly in your machine than instructions usually state, reduce the cooking time (or check it earlier) and vice versa.
Dave says
I’ve never had better belly pork, the crackling was incredible.
Lesley says
I followed your instructions exactly and was rewarded with perfectly cooked crispy crackling. The meat was lovely and soft too, not at all dry.