Secret to making perfectly crisp pork crackling in an air fryer

You can now make super crispy, succulent pork belly in your air fryer with only five minutes of preparation. Find out how.

You often hear taste.com.au rave on about how much we love our air fryer: air fryer scones, air fryer pavlova, air fryer cob loaf dip. But, we think this roast pork recipe is our newest wow-factor air-fried creation — for very good reason.

Think golden crackling, an ASMR-worthy crunch, juicy, tender meat; it’s all possible with just three ingredients and your air fryer.

This method is one of Taste’s food director Michelle Southan’s absolute favourites. She was blown away by how crunchy the crackle went in such a short time – but the meat was still juicy, tender and delicious.

How to make the perfect pork crackling in your air fryer

There are a few tricks to it. First of all, the pork skin HAS to be scored. If you don’t have a knife sharp enough, just ask the butcher to do it for you (or make sure you buy a piece that’s been scored from the supermarket).

The second important trick is to make sure the skin is dry. Don’t skip the part where you dry it with paper towel. The salt you sprinkle on the skin will dry it out further and give it extra flavour.

Thirdly, it’s crucial to start on a high temperature and then lower it. If you don’t preheat your air fryer, the skin will never go crispy – and if you don’t cook it on a low heat, the meat itself will be tough.

FULL RECIPE

Air fryer roast pork belly.

Top tips for ultimate pork crackling

Michelle says if you have time, she recommends placing your raw pork uncovered in the fridge for up to two days before cooking. This will really dry the rind out and guarantee the best crackling of your life.

Sometimes pork belly can over-brown during cooking. If you’re worried it’s going to burn, simply cover with foil while it’s cooking.

Can you put foil in the air fryer?

Yes, you can but we suggest you do it with caution. We’ve covered it all before, where Michelle talks about all the dos and don’t of air frying foil.

How long does it take to cook a pork roast in the air fryer?

The cooking time depends on the weight of the pork belly. A 1.3kg cut of pork belly typically takes 35-40 minutes in the air fryer at 200C, and a 1.8kg cut usually takes 45-55 minutes.

If you find that the pork starts to brown quickly, cover it with foil.

For more recipe ideas, go to taste.com.au or check out the Taste Test Kitchen now.

Originally published as Secret to making perfectly crisp pork crackling in an air fryer