This Trader Joe’s Crispy Pork Belly is a tender and crispy recipe, which is made with a simple cayenne pepper and salt rub. It’s a restaurant-quality dish that’s surprisingly easy to make at home, perfect for a special dinner, ready in about 3 hours, plus overnight drying time.
Jump to RecipeTrader Joe’s Crispy Pork Belly Ingredients
A simple list for the ultimate crispy, melt-in-your-mouth pork belly.
- 1 (2-pound) piece boneless, skin-on pork belly (like the one from Trader Joe’s)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
How To Make Trader Joe’s Crispy Pork Belly
A step-by-step guide to achieving that perfect, bubbly crackling.
- Dry the Skin (Overnight): This is the most crucial step. Pat the skin of the pork belly completely dry with paper towels. Place it skin-side up on a plate and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight. This will dehydrate the skin, which is the secret to perfect crackling.
- Prep for Roasting: Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Pat the pork belly dry again, then rub the salt mixture all over the meat and skin.
- Slow-Roast the Pork: Place the pork belly skin-side up on a wire rack set inside a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Roast for about 2 hours, until the pork is tender and has shrunk in size.
- Crisp the Skin (Crackling): Increase the oven temperature to 450°F. Continue to roast for another 20 to 30 minutes, watching it closely, until the skin has puffed up and formed a deep golden-brown layer of crispy crackling on top.
- Rest and Slice: Transfer the pork belly to a clean cutting board, skin-side up, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Use a serrated knife or a heavy cleaver to slice through the crispy skin and tender meat.
Recipe Tips
For the most incredible crispy crackling every time.
- How to get the crispiest skin? The two secrets are a very dry skin and a final blast of high heat. Leaving the pork belly uncovered in the fridge overnight is the most effective way to dry out the rind. The final 20-30 minutes at 450°F is what renders the remaining fat and makes the skin puff up into a perfect, bubbly crackling.
- Do I have to dry the skin overnight? While it is highly recommended for the best results, if you are short on time, you can get a good result by patting the skin extremely dry with paper towels and rubbing it generously with salt, which helps to draw out moisture. Let it sit for at least an hour before roasting.
- Can I make this in an air fryer? Yes! An air fryer is fantastic for making crispy pork belly. You would typically cook it at a lower temperature (around 350°F) for about 45-60 minutes until tender, then increase the heat to 400°F for the final 15-20 minutes to crisp up the skin.
- What’s the best way to slice it? A heavy-duty serrated knife (like a bread knife) is the best tool for the job. It allows you to saw through the ultra-crispy crackling without squishing the tender meat underneath.
What To Serve With Crispy Pork Belly
Classic pairings to complement this rich and savory dish.
This rich and decadent pork belly is a fantastic centerpiece. It pairs wonderfully with:
- Creamy mashed potatoes or a simple rice pilaf
- Roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts or carrots
- As a filling for tacos with a tangy slaw
- Sliced and served in steamed bao buns with hoisin sauce and cucumber
How To Store Crispy Pork Belly
Keeping your delicious leftovers fresh.
- Refrigerate: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: For the best results and to re-crisp the skin, reheat the pork belly in a hot oven (400°F) or an air fryer for 5-10 minutes. The crackling will not be as crispy as when it was fresh, but it will still be delicious.
Trader Joe’s Crispy Pork Belly Nutrition Facts
An estimated guide per serving.
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Fat: 58 g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Pork belly is the same cut of meat that is used to make bacon. It’s a boneless, fatty cut from the underside of the pig. When cooked low and slow, the fat renders out, leaving the meat incredibly moist and tender, while the skin on top becomes super crispy.
A chewy skin is almost always due to one of two things: the skin was not dry enough before roasting, or the final high-heat blast was not long enough or hot enough to properly render the fat and puff up the skin.
No, for this specific “crispy crackling” result, you must use a skin-on pork belly. Other cuts of pork will not have the skin layer necessary to create this texture.
Try More Recipes:
- Trader Joe’s Overnight Oats Recipe
- Trader Joe’s Lobster Bisque Recipe
- Trader Joe’s Langostino Tails Recipe
Trader Joe’s Crispy Pork Belly Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes2
hours30
minutes650
kcalAn easy, foolproof method for making incredibly crispy and tender pork belly with a perfect, bubbly crackling skin, using a simple spice rub and a two-stage roasting process.
Ingredients
1 (2-pound) piece boneless, skin-on pork belly
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
- The night before: Pat the skin of the pork belly completely dry. Place it skin-side up on a plate, uncovered, in the refrigerator overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Combine the olive oil, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Rub this mixture all over the pork belly.
- Place the pork belly skin-side up on a wire rack set in a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Roast for 2 hours, until the meat is tender.
- Increase the oven temperature to 450°F and continue to roast for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the skin is puffed, crispy, and deep golden brown.
- Let the pork belly rest for 10 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife and serving.
Notes
- Drying the skin in the fridge overnight is the most crucial step for achieving perfect, crispy crackling.
- The low-and-slow initial roast is what makes the meat underneath meltingly tender.
- Watch the pork belly closely during the final high-heat blast to ensure the skin crisps up without burning.
- Leftovers are fantastic and can be re-crisped in a hot oven or air fryer.
