Pork Belly Chicharrón

At a Glance

Chicharrόns is crispy fried pork belly popular in many regions, like Mexico, Dominican Republic, Latin America, Spain, and the Philippines. It has a crunchy texture and bold, savoury flavour. Often served as a shareable appetizer or snack, chicharrόns is a popular dish of choice for entertaining or large gatherings.

Pork Belly Chicharrόns

Pork belly chicharrόns usually require a very labour-intensive process and lots of time. To get that crispy, crackly pork skin, the pork belly is often simmered low and slow to properly render the fat before being deep-fried in hot oil. For this chicharrόns recipe, we use the air fryer to cut down on the time and work so you can enjoy this shareable appetizer that much faster! Serve it with guacamole, lime wedges, fresh salsa, and tortillas for a flavourful party!

Chicharrόns vs. Pork Rinds

Chicharrόns (sometimes spelled “chicharrones”) are often mistaken for pork rinds. The crunchy, greasy North American fast food is usually just pork skin, fried until extra crunchy and bubbly. Latin American chicharrόns, on the other hand, have more meat on them. That makes them a hardier appetizer or shareable dish versus the classic road trip snack. The marinating, seasoning, and cooking style of chicharrόns makes all the difference when it comes to flavour.

How to Get Crispy Pork Skin

Rather than boiling or simmering for a lengthy period of time before taking a dip in the deep fryer, we use an air fryer for our pork belly to get that crispy skin. Unlike a deep fryer, air-frying uses no oil, meaning that you can still enjoy crispy pork belly without the added grease (and mess).

To achieve the desired crispy skin, cut your pork belly into one-inch-thick slices. Score them one inch apart on the meaty side, without cutting through the skin. This creates a more even cook and keeps every bite nice and crispy.

Season your pork belly on all sides and place it skin-side-up in the air fryer basket. (Make sure the pieces don’t touch to allow for even cooking.) The pork belly then cooks for 35 minutes – a substantial amount of time when using an air fryer. Shake the basket throughout the cooking time to ensure that the pork bell is golden and crunchy. When the pork belly is done, remove it to a wire rack and allow to rest slightly before serving.

Cooking Pork Belly Chicharrόns with Air Fryer

Unlike deep frying, using an air fryer doesn’t require added oil, which makes it more convenient, faster, and with less of a mess to clean up. You can spray your basket with oil before air-frying if you wish, but it’s not necessary.

For flavourful, crispy pork belly skin, season generously. Then, lay the pork belly pieces in a single layer, not allowing them to touch. You can flip the pork belly halfway through the cooking time or shake the basket every 10 minutes to prevent the pieces from sticking. Once golden, crisp, and cooked through, transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

Tips for the Best Pork Belly Chicharrόns

Season liberally. We’ve kept things simple with just salt and pepper for this crispy pork belly recipe. However, you can add other spices and seasonings to your taste. Oregano, garlic, onion, and even some fresh lime juice can add extra oomph to this dish.

Line underneath your air fryer basket. Skip the messy cleanup that comes with traditional chicharrόns by lining underneath the basket of your air fryer. The combination of seasonings, juices, and rendered fat can create a huge mess. Use tinfoil or parchment paper underneath your air fryer basket (not in the basket itself) to make cleanup a breeze.

Make the skin crispier. For an added hit of extra crispy skin, flip your pork belly so that it’s skin-side up for the last few minutes in the air fryer. This will give an added crunch that makes pork belly chicharrόns so addictive.

Dry your pork belly skin. For a seriously crispy texture, make sure your pork belly is dry to the touch. Pat it with a paper towel before adding your seasonings. You can also rub the pork belly with baking soda before air frying. Baking soda helps to dehydrate the skin and break down the proteins in the meat. The end result is crispy, crackly pork belly that maintains a tender bite.

Cook in batches. While it’s tempting to cook your chicharrόns all in one go, don’t. Laying the meat on top of each other will prevent them from crisping. Make sure that your pork belly is cooking in one layer, without touching or resting on top of each other. Cook it in batches if needed for the best result.

What to Serve with Pork Belly Chicharrόns

As part of a family-style spread, we served our crispy pork belly chicharrόns as part of a taco table. Yellow corn tortillas, guacamole, salsa, and fresh lime wedges are the perfect accompaniments for this shareable dish. Some equally delicious sides are:

Rice and beans: An easy, classic side dish for this pork belly is rice and beans. We love chicharrόns as an appetizer, but serving them alongside fragrant rice and beans elevates this recipe to main course status. Use our Organic Black Beans or Organic Kidney Beans for a side that’s packed with fibre and plant-based protein.

Tostones: A classic dish in Latin American and Caribbean cuisines, tostones are fried green plantains. Green plantains are preferred for tostones, as their dense, starchy texture holds up well to frying. They have a flavour similar to that of potatoes, with just a hint of banana. Serve chicharrόns and tostones with a tasty dipping sauce, like a lime-accented garlic sauce or chimichurri, or something fresh to cut through the fried flavours, like our Pineapple Salsa.

Yucca fries: Regular French fries are good and all, but have you tried yucca fries? Crafted from the yucca plant (also known as cassava), they’re just as crispy as the traditional kind with a fresh twist. Serve them alongside our Chipotle Mayonnaise for a spicy dip.

More Pork Recipes from Farm Boy

Looking for more dishes featuring pork? Check out any of the recipes below!

Cuban Style Pulled Pork

Thai Basil Pork Stir Fry

Spicy Peri Peri Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Maple BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Pork Carnitas

Grilled Pork Chops

BBQ Glazed Pork Back Ribs