My favorite way to cook pork belly is to slice it (or buy it pre-sliced) and bake the strips. Crispy, fatty, and flavorful, these strips are perfect as a first course, an indulgent main course, or for breakfast instead of bacon.
Pork belly is one of the most indulgent meats you can enjoy. The combination of crispy fat and juicy meat is incredible. You can cook it whole, but I like to slice it before baking it in the oven. It's like baking bacon in the oven, but these strips need to cook longer because they are thicker than bacon.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.
Pork belly strips: I get them at Costco or Wild Fork Foods. They are about ½-inch thick. They will vary in shape and weight depending on where you get them, but they should be about the same thickness, ½ inch. Sometimes, I buy a whole pork belly at Whole Foods and slice it at home.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
Flavor Variations
Pork belly strips are delicious on their own, simply seasoned with salt and pepper. I like to add garlic powder because I love garlic and use it in most of my savory recipes. I also add smoked paprika for a delightful smoky flavor.
A nice variation is brushing the slices with a mixture of soy sauce or a gluten-free alternative (2 tablespoons), honey (1 tablespoon), and garlic powder (1 teaspoon) before baking for an Asian-style dish.
As shown in the photo below, a simpler variation is to season them with half a teaspoon of smoked salt and nothing else. I often do that, and it's delicious.
Instructions
Since they are thicker than bacon, you'll need to cook these strips in a 400°F oven for 40-50 minutes. In comparison, I cook bacon in the oven for around 20 minutes. The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Arrange the pork belly slices on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle them with the seasonings.
Bake until browned and crispy, for about 20 minutes on each side. Carefully drain the pan midway through baking.
Serve immediately. See how gorgeous they are in this close-up photo:
Oh my gosh, I just made these and they are so so good! I normally don't like pork belly and I wanted to try something new. I just roasted these in the oven as you said, 20 minutes each side, and then I put them on the top rack to broil a bit for the remaining 10 minutes. I just used salt and pepper. My mother in law who does not like pork asked me for the recipe!
Seri
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Recipe Tips
Slicing Pork Belly
As mentioned above, you can buy a whole pork belly and slice it yourself, as shown in the photo below.
If you get a skin-on belly, you'll need to remove the skin first. That's a bit more challenging, but I've done that and used the skin to make pork rinds.
To remove the skin, place the pork belly on a sturdy cutting board. Pull back the skin at the edge, slide a sharp knife between the meat and the skin, and patiently slice the skin away from the meat until all the skin is removed. The image below demonstrates the process:
Adjusting the Baking Time
If the strips are not browned enough after baking on the second side, flip them again and continue baking until they are browned and crispy, 5-10 more minutes. Bake thinner strips, cut like thick-cut bacon, at 400°F for 10 minutes. Drain the fat, flip, and bake for 5-7 more minutes, until crispy.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these strips as an appetizer or a main course. Here's a photo of them served as a first course on an appetizer plate:
When I serve them as a main course, I add a light side dish like arugula salad, steamed asparagus, microwave broccoli (as shown in the photo below), or sautéed spinach.
These strips are also perfect for breakfast or brunch. I serve them with fried or scrambled eggs, fresh berries, and keto biscuits. Here's a photo of a recent breakfast of pork belly slices and fried eggs. The plate is garnished with red pepper flakes and dried parsley.
Storing and Using the Leftovers
Pork belly strips are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven, but you can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power or uncovered on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350°F oven.
My favorite way to use the leftovers is to chop them and add them to a salad or a bowl. Take a look at this gorgeous bowl I made for lunch the other day: on a bed of cauliflower rice (sautéed in olive oil and seasoned with garlic powder and smoked paprika), I arranged chopped pork belly, a fried egg topped with chile crunch, steamed broccoli, and kimchi.
Recipe Card
Oven-Baked Pork Belly Strips
Video
Ingredients
- 1.5 pound pork belly strips - skinless, ½-inch thick
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper.
- Place the pork belly strips in the pan in a single layer. Sprinkle them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Or simply season them with half a teaspoon of smoked salt.
- Roast the strips for 20 minutes. Carefully drain the pan and flip the strips to the other side.
- Continue baking on the second side until the strips are browned and crispy, for about 20 more minutes. If they are not browned and crisp, flip them again and bake until browned, for 5-10 more minutes. See the notes below for the suggested cooking time for thinner strips.
- Drain on paper towels and serve.
Notes
- The nutrition info is approximate. It was taken from the USDA database for cooked bacon and adjusted for less sodium. When I use skinless strips from Wild Fork Foods, a 1.5-pound package of raw strips makes about 12 ounces of cooked strips (a lot of fat is rendered out during cooking, especially if you like them browned and crisp).
- Bake thinner strips, cut like thick-cut bacon, at 400°F for 10 minutes. Drain the fat, flip, and bake for 5-7 more minutes, until crispy.
- If the slices are not browned enough after baking them on the second side, flip them again and continue baking until browned and crispy, for 5-10 more minutes.
- Wear long oven mitts when removing the pan from the oven.
- These strips are best when fresh out of the oven. But if you have leftovers, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power or uncovered on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350°F oven.
Nutrition per Serving
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Elizabeth says
Can I pre marinate the meat and freeze it for an easy freezer meal?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Elizabeth,
Perhaps I misunderstood your question, but this recipe doesn't require marinating the pork belly. You could season the slices and freeze them, but that wouldn't really save you that much time, and some of the seasoning would get lost during the freezing process.
You could, however, cook the strips, cool them completely, and freeze them in freezer bags. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven.
Cristine says
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Bought a pack of slice pork belly at Sam's Club and didn't know an easy way to cook it. I followed exactly the recipe instruction and it turn out delicious. Definitely going to make it again for my picky eaters.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad this was a success, Cristine! Thanks for the comment.
Karla Marks says
My daughter asked me to make pork belly and mimic a recipe she had at a restaurant, glazed with a bbq/marionberry mixture. I'm trying it today and will let you know how it turned out. It seems like the possibilities are endless..
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Karla,
Sounds amazing! Please do come back and let us know how it turned out.
Stephen Roden says
My wife and I want to try the recipe, but we are concerned about the amount of fat, that is on the meat.
Does this drain off during the cooking?
Thanks!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Stephen,
Part of the fat drains off. However, pork belly is extremely fatty even when cooked, so if you prefer to avoid very high-fat foods, it's probably not the next choice for you.
Cochran Patti says
First batch cooked today didn’t last past lunch and dinner. Then my mom asked me to buy some for her to make! The cooked fat is so delicious!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad this was such a huge hit, Patti!
JanEt Murch says
My mom use to make this when I was a kid, we called it side pork. We like it with the rind. She would slice it and slit the rind so it wouldn’t curl. We love it hot or left over cold. What a snack. My son loves it.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Janet,
Glad you like it! I agree that cold leftovers are delicious.
Carol Hegwer says
What do you put on the strips to make them sweet while baking?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Carol,
You can brush the slices with a mixture of soy sauce or a gluten-free alternative (2 tablespoons), honey or maple syrup (1-2 tablespoons), and garlic powder (1 teaspoon) before baking.
Jenny Clarke says
I don't like pork belly or strips but I made this for my husband tonight and he thoroughly enjoyed it, so it looks like I'll be cooking it again! Very easy too which is always a bonus.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad your husband enjoyed this recipe, Jenny! Thank you for taking the time to write a review.
Carol says
Can't wait to try this!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I hope you like it, Carol! Please come back and share your experience.
Cathy Anshutz says
what if you don't have any smoke seasoning like the smoked paprika or the smoked salt it should be okay without it right
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Cathy,
Yes! These pork belly strips are delicious even without the smoky flavor, although the smoky seasonings enhance them. But you can use just salt and pepper with great results.
Malcolm McLaren says
Super recipe! I added a tiny sprinkle of smoked ghost pepper powder after cooking, which enhanced the smokiness and adds a kick. I had a lonely hotdog bun and popped a slice in with some mustard and ketchup. I'm so pleased I had a leftover bun, it was awesome.
Vered DeLeeuw says
It does sound awesome, Malcolm!
L Lowman says
I used thicker pieces of pork belly, and I lined the pan with aluminum foil sprayed with nonstick spray (since I didn’t want the parchment paper to burn). I sprinkled them with just a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, and a little paprika. I baked them about 15-20 minutes longer, pouring off the grease to get them extra crispy. They were delicious! Definitely a keeper and will be making them again.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad this recipe was a success for you!