Grilled Pork Belly Skewers Recipe (烤五花肉串)
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RATINGS
Not rated yet
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COOK TIME
Prep 20m • Cook 25m
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VIEWS
669
These pork belly skewers are my weekend guilty pleasure—no charcoal, no smoke alarm, just the air fryer humming away while I binge a show. In 25 minutes, the kitchen smells like a night-market barbecue stall. The trick? Pick belly with clear fat-lean layers. When roasted right, the edges crisp up, the center stays tender, and the rendered fat carries flavor—not grease. I used to blast it on high heat, only to get charred outsides and rubbery insides. Now I render slowly first, then glaze and crisp—big difference. And don’t skip soaking the skewers; I’ve had bamboo snap mid-roast, sending meat tumbling into the basket. Serve with lettuce or cucumber slices to cut richness. Every time friends drop by for drinks, they swear I ordered takeout.
Ingredients
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300g pork belly
look for even marbling; skin-on or skinless
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1 tbsp light soy sauce
1
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30g honey
or maple syrup
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5g green onion
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5g ginger
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2 tbsp barbecue powder
or mix: smoked paprika + garlic/onion powder + pepper
Can’t find it? Try this one. -
1 tsp cooking oil
for brushing
Instructions
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Step 1: Cut cubes evenly, no one likes half-charred, half-raw bites
Wash the pork belly and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into uniform 2cm×2cm cubes (ensure consistent size for even cooking, preventing some pieces from burning while others are undercooked). Wash the pickled chili peppers and slice into rings; cut green onions into sections and shred ginger, set aside. Soak bamboo skewers in warm water for 10 minutes in advance, then remove and drain.
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Step 2: Marinate long enough for flavor to sink in
Take a large bowl, add the cut pork belly cubes, green onion sections, shredded ginger, and pickled chili rings. Pour in 1 tbsp rice wine, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 15g oyster sauce, and 2 tbsp barbecue powder in sequence. Mix well with hands to ensure every piece of meat is evenly coated with seasonings. Finally, add 30g honey and mix again (honey adds flavor and meat gloss, preventing excessive saltiness). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes (don’t marinate too short—otherwise, seasonings won’t penetrate fully, affecting taste).
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Step 3: Thread Pork Belly onto Skewers, air needs to circulate
Remove the marinated pork belly cubes and drain excess marinade (to avoid too much moisture during roasting, which affects crispness). Take a soaked bamboo skewer and thread the pork belly cubes onto it one by one, 4-5 pieces per skewer (leave a small gap between pieces for air circulation and even roasting). Gently press the cubes to secure them tightly, preventing them from falling off during roasting.
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Step 4: First roast: low and slow to render fat
Preheat the air fryer to 180℃ (350℉) for about 3-5 minutes (to stabilize the temperature for even roasting). Line the bottom of the air fryer basket with aluminum foil (for easy cleaning later, preventing grease from dripping and being hard to clean). Place the threaded pork belly skewers into the basket and lightly brush a layer of cooking oil on the surface of the skewers. Close the basket and roast at 180℃ for 10 minutes (this step partially cooks the pork belly and starts rendering fat).
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Step 5: Flip, then baste with oyster glaze
Open the air fryer and use tongs to carefully flip the pork belly skewers (avoid burning hands, ensuring even heating on both sides). For richer umami, brush the surface of the skewers with the reserved 20g oyster sauce after flipping. Close the basket and continue roasting at 180℃ for 10 minutes (this step makes both sides of the skewers crispy, fully renders the fat, and enhances the crispy texture).
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Step 6: Rest on paper, serve with something green
Remove the roasted pork belly skewers and place them on a plate lined with oil-absorbing paper (to soak up excess oil for a lighter texture). Serve with fresh lettuce leaves, cucumber slices, or cherry tomatoes to refresh the palate. For extra flavor, sprinkle a little ground black pepper or fresh herb flakes (e.g., parsley flakes) according to preference. Enjoy while hot for the best taste—crispy exterior, tender interior, and rich barbecue aroma in every bite.
Chef’s Notes
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Pork Belly Selection & Prep: Prioritize pork belly with
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Roasting Temperature & Time Adjustment: Temperature varies between air fryer brands. If the surface of the skewers burns easily but the interior is undercooked, lower the temperature to 170℃ and extend roasting time by 2-3 minutes per side. For a crispier texture, increase the temperature to 200℃ for the last 5 minutes to quickly crisp the surface—monitor closely to avoid burning.
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Flavor & Ingredient Substitutions: For a Western barbecue twist, replace light soy sauce and oyster sauce with 2 tbsp barbecue sauce (e.g., tomato, smoky flavor) and honey with maple syrup for an exotic taste. Omit pickled chili peppers if you don’t like spice, or substitute with sweet pepper dice for a sweet taste. If no bamboo skewers are available, wrap pork belly cubes in aluminum foil into small rolls for roasting—they’re just as easy to eat when cut open. For dipping, prepare a small bowl of sour cream dip or ketchup to meet different taste preferences.