For oven-roasted pork belly, cook at 180°C (350°F) for approximately 45 minutes per 500g (1lb), plus an additional 20-30 minutes for crispy crackling. A 1kg pork belly joint typically takes 2 to 2.5 hours. For extra crispy crackling, start at 220°C (425°F) for 20-30 minutes, then reduce to 180°C for the remaining time. Always rest the meat for 10-15 minutes before carving.

The safe minimum internal temperature for pork belly is 71°C (160°F) according to UK and US food safety guidelines. However, pork belly is best when cooked to higher temperatures for tenderness: 75-80°C (167-176°F) for sliceable meat, 85-90°C (185-194°F) for pull-apart tender meat, and 90-95°C (194-203°F) for falling-off-the-bone tenderness. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part, avoiding the bone if present.

Pork belly in a slow cooker takes 6-8 hours on LOW setting or 4-5 hours on HIGH setting for a 1-1.5kg joint. The low and slow method breaks down the fat and connective tissue, resulting in incredibly tender meat. For best results, score the skin, rub with salt and spices, and place the pork belly fat-side up on a bed of vegetables. Note that slow cooker pork belly won’t have crispy crackling — finish under a hot grill for 5-10 minutes if you want crispy skin.

For perfect crispy crackling: 1) Score the skin deeply with a sharp knife, cutting through the fat but not the meat. 2) Dry the skin thoroughly with kitchen paper — moisture is the enemy of crispiness. 3) Rub generously with coarse salt (flaky sea salt works best) and a little oil. 4) Start cooking at high heat (220-240°C/425-475°F) for 20-30 minutes to blister the skin. 5) Reduce heat to 180°C (350°F) to cook the meat through. 6) Don’t cover the pork while cooking — steam softens the crackling. If crackling isn’t crispy enough, finish under a hot grill for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.

Sous vide pork belly is cooked in a vacuum-sealed bag in a precisely controlled water bath. Cooking times vary by temperature and desired texture: 65-70°C (149-158°F) for 12-24 hours gives tender but sliceable meat; 75-80°C (167-176°F) for 12-24 hours gives very tender, pull-apart texture; 85°C (185°F) for 10-12 hours gives falling-off-the-bone tenderness. After sous vide cooking, chill the pork belly in ice water for 10 minutes, then crisp the skin under a hot grill or in a 240°C (475°F) oven for 10-15 minutes.

Pork belly should rest for 10-15 minutes after roasting, or 20-30 minutes for larger joints (2kg+). Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, preventing them from running out when you carve. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm, but don’t seal tightly as this will steam the crackling and make it soft. For slow cooker or sous vide pork belly, rest for 5-10 minutes. The internal temperature will rise 2-3°C during resting, so factor this into your target temperature.

For air fryer pork belly: 1) Cut the pork belly into portions that fit your air fryer basket (usually 500g-1kg). 2) Score the skin and rub with salt and oil. 3) Cook at 200°C (400°F) for 25-35 minutes for 500g, or 35-45 minutes for 1kg. 4) Check halfway through and rotate if needed for even cooking. 5) The air fryer’s circulating hot air creates excellent crackling. 6) Check internal temperature reaches 71°C (160°F) minimum. Air fryer pork belly cooks faster than oven roasting and produces very crispy skin due to the concentrated hot air circulation.

Do not cover pork belly when roasting if you want crispy crackling. Covering creates steam which softens the skin. However, if the crackling is browning too quickly but the meat isn’t cooked, you can loosely tent foil over just the crackling area for the final 20-30 minutes of cooking. Some recipes start with the pork covered for the first hour to keep the meat moist, then uncover for the final hour to crisp the skin — this works but produces less crispy crackling than cooking uncovered throughout. For best results, cook uncovered at high heat initially, then reduce temperature.