These pork belly strips are perfectly crispy, tender, and so flavorful. It’s one of my favorite cuts of pork and this method is quick and delicious. I love serving them with dinner, but they also make a great appetizer or side dish for breakfast.
Pork Belly Strips
These pork belly slices are seriously so good! They’re seasoned with a delicious blend of spices like garlic, onion, cumin, and paprika (which gives it a gorgeous color). Baking it at a high temperature helps render the fat, makes the exterior crispy, and leaves the interior perfectly chewy and tender.
I definitely recommend draining the grease when you flip the strips. That way they aren’t soaking in the grease as they cook, which allows the edges to crisp up.
These oven baked pork belly strips are rich, savory, melt-in-your-mouth pork with irresistibly crispy edges. I love enjoying the juicy, flavorful bites this recipe makes. Even though it’s made with simple ingredients, it has so much flavor and honestly tastes like you went out to a restaurant.
Ingredients
Pork Belly: When shopping for pork belly, look for a cut of meat with an even meat to fat ratio.
If you are buying pre-sliced strips, look for ones that are sliced to an even thickness.
Salt and Pepper: Salt enhances all of the other flavors in the dish, and the slight heat of pepper balances out the richness of the fat in the pork belly.
Onion and Garlic: Including these aromatics are a quick and easy way to add lots of flavor to the spice blend.
Cumin and Smoked Paprika: Cumin adds a warm and earthy flavor to the meat, while the smoked paprika adds a slight hint of smokiness.
Alternative Ingredients
Feel free to swap this homemade spice blend for your favorite seasoning blend. Something like Cajun seasoning would work really well here. Just double check that the seasoning blend you plan to use doesn’t have sugar in it, because it will probably burn during the broiling process.
How To Cook Pork Belly Strips
Prep: Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and set aside. Mix black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and kosher salt in a small bowl. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)
Season: Arrange pork belly slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle half the spice rub on one side, rub it in, then flip and repeat.
Bake: Place in the preheated oven and bake until golden brown and the fat is rendered, flipping halfway through and draining excess grease as needed.
Extra Crispy Option: For extra crispiness, drain the grease again and broil briefly until the edges blister and crisp
Finish: Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any remaining grease before serving. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
Pro Tips
- Use a Sharp Knife: Always use a sharp knife, especially when slicing meat into thinner pieces. It makes it so much easier to get a clean and even cut.
- Slice Evenly: Make sure the pork belly strips are cut to the same thickness so that they cook evenly.
- Don’t Overcrowd: It’s important to leave a little space between the strips so there’s room for the air to circulate.
- Watch While Broiling: When broiling your pork belly strips, keep a close eye on them because they can go from perfectly cooked to burnt quickly.
How To Slice Pork Belly Into Pork Belly Strips?
I find pork belly easiest to slice into strips when it’s a little bit firmer from freezing it for a short period of time. Place the slab in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before you’re ready to slice it. This stiffens it enough that it doesn’t wiggle around when you’re slicing it. It also makes the skin easier to grab a hold of while you’re peeling and cutting it away from the meat.
Are Pork Belly Strips Bacon?
No, pork belly and bacon are not the same thing. They are both cut from the same section of the pig though. Pork belly comes in a slab, whereas bacon is sliced from the pork belly and then cured.
What’s The Best Way To Cook Pork Belly?
When I am cooking slices of pork belly, I prefer to cook them in the oven. If I’m pressed for time, I like to cut them up into cubes and make air fryer pork belly.
How Do You Cook Pork Belly So It’s Not Tough?
It will only be tough if it was sliced too thick and didn’t have enough time for the fat to render, or if it was sliced too thin and they overcooked. If you slice the pork belly to 1/2 inch thickness, and follow the cooking times in the recipe, the pork belly should turn out perfectly.
Can You Overcook Pork Belly?
Yes, you can absolutely over cook pork belly, especially when it’s cut into slices. Overcooked pork belly strips will be tough, so it’s important to keep an eye on the cooking time. It will be more likely to overcook the pork belly while it’s under the broiler to crisp up, so keep a close eye on it then.
Can You Reheat Pork Belly Strips?
You can, but they are really best eaten fresh. I wouldn’t plan to keep leftovers in the fridge for more than a day because they get a bit tough.
What To Serve With Pork Belly Strips
Pork belly strips are such a versatile dish. You can enjoy them as an appetizer, for dinner, or even at breakfast. For dinner, I love to serve them with a green vegetable, like Crockpot green beans, and a comforting carb, like baked Velveeta mac and cheese or some Cajun rice. For breakfast, they taste amazing with some baked eggs and some copycat Popeye’s biscuits.
Keep In Touch
I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime
Pork Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our other pork recipes. Some reader favorites are:
- Air Fryer Pork Belly
- Country Style Pork Ribs Slow Cooker
- Pork Chop Pasta
- Instant Pot Pork Loin
- Pork Steaks
- Boneless Country Style Ribs in Oven
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
BEST Pork Belly Strips (Easy Oven Baked Pork Belly Slices Recipe)
Pork belly strips are perfectly crispy, tender, and so flavorful. It’s one of my favorite cuts of pork and this method is quick and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 pounds pork belly (skin removed, cut into 1/2” thick slices)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then set aside.
- To a small bowl, add the pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt. Mix together, and set aside.
- On the baking sheet, lay the pork belly down in a single layer. Sprinkle half the rub over the first side, gently rub in, then flip the slices over and repeat on the second side.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven, drain any grease, then flip the strips over, and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Once finished cooking, use tongs to transfer them from the baking pan to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb the excess grease.
- Extra Crispy Option: If you want crispier pork belly strips, discard the grease a second time, turn the broiler on, and broil the pork belly strips for 2-3 minutes, or until your desired crispiness is reached.
Notes
These are best eaten the day they’re prepared, or at most the following day. They can get a bit tough if you keep them in the fridge longer than that. I wouldn’t recommend freezing them.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 619Total Fat: 48.9gCarbohydrates: 1.3gFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.1gProtein: 40.6g
Nutrition information isn't always accurate.
These pork belly slices are an incredibly easy recipe, but they absolutely taste gourmet.
