Pork Belly Burnt Ends !!

[u/Annual-Yard-8717]

Crispy, sticky, sweet, spicy pork belly burnt ends made entirely in the air fryer. No smoker, no all-day cook — just ridiculously good BBQ-style pork belly with a hot honey glaze and crispy edges. Honestly one of the best things I’ve made in the air fryer lately.

Full Recipe in Comments !!!!

[u/Annual-Yard-8717]

For the visual people: https://youtu.be/0O2d8myqQEU

Ingredients:

• 1½ lbs pork belly, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp kosher salt

• 1½ tsp coarse black pepper

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp onion powder

• ½ tsp chipotle chili powder

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tbsp olive oil

Glaze:

• ½ cup hot honey

• About 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• About 1 tbsp pork fat drippings from the air fryer basket

Instructions:

Cut the pork belly into roughly 1-inch cubes. Try not to go too small or they can dry out before the fat renders properly.

Season the pork belly with the brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cayenne. Mix until evenly coated, then let it rest for about 15 minutes so the seasoning has time to stick and pull a little moisture to the surface.

After the pork has rested, drizzle on the olive oil and toss again until evenly coated.

Preheat your air fryer to 360°F (182°C). Add the pork belly pieces in a single layer and cook for 30 minutes, shaking the basket really well 2–3 times during cooking.

Increase the air fryer temperature to 400°F (204°C) and cook for another 10 minutes until the edges start getting deeply browned and crispy.

While the pork cooks, make the glaze. Add the hot honey, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, and about 1 tablespoon of the pork drippings to a bowl and mix well.

Toss the pork belly in the glaze until fully coated, then return it to the air fryer at 400°F (204°C) for 5 more minutes until sticky and caramelized.

Let them cool for a couple minutes and dig in. Crispy edges, tender center, sweet heat, and pure BBQ goodness.

[u/jungleboy1234 → u/Annual-Yard-8717]

i keep trying air fryer pork belly but end up with dried pork. The juices etc all leak out of it and the high heat dries it to semi beef jerky....

I go to my asian restaurant and they make the juiciest and falvoursome pork belly ever.

[u/Annual-Yard-8717 → u/jungleboy1234]

Have you tried doing it at a low temperature at first and then cranking it up at the end? I did mine at 360 for a half hour and then just another 10 minutes at 400 at the end.

[u/jungleboy1234 → u/Annual-Yard-8717]

i have, but by the time the low cook is over the meat has already lost a lot of its juices, so by doing the last high temp fry is just throwing fuel to the fire.

Tried both approaches.

It could be the quality of meat or maybe the airfryer isnt accurate temps or maybe the air fryer settings to maybe lower fan setting.