Slow-cooker pork belly with sticky glaze and crisp crackling
Melt-in-the-mouth slow-cooked pork belly finished under a hot grill for gloriously crisp crackling and sticky glaze.
This slow-cooker pork belly lets the low, gentle heat do the heavy lifting — fat renders away, meat becomes meltingly tender, and a quick blast under a hot grill gives you that much-missed crackle. It’s a tidy weeknight showstopper or a relaxed weekend centrepiece.
The trick is the divide-and-conquer method: keep the skin bone-dry during the long cook so you can crisp it perfectly at the end. The sticky reduction from the cooking liquid makes a lush glaze that keeps every bite interesting.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg pork belly — skin on, scored
- 20 g sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 60 ml light soy sauce
- 40 g honey
- 30 g light brown sugar
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 150 ml chicken stock — or water
- 4 garlic cloves — crushed
- 30 g fresh root ginger — peeled and grated
- 5 ml Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 star anise
- 2 bay leaf
- 2 spring onions — finely sliced, to garnish
- 10 g fresh coriander — leaves picked, to garnish
Equipment
- slow cooker
- baking tray
- small saucepan
- fine grater
- meat thermometer
Instructions
Pat the pork belly skin completely dry with kitchen paper. If the skin isn't already scored, use a very sharp knife to score through the skin only in parallel lines about 5 mm apart.
Mix the sea salt, black pepper and vegetable oil. Rub the mixture evenly into the skin and the underside of the pork. Push salt into the score lines on the skin.
In a medium bowl combine light soy sauce, honey, light brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, chicken stock, crushed garlic, grated ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, star anise and bay leaves. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Pour a little of the braising liquid into the base of the slow cooker so it just covers the bottom (about 50 ml). Place the pork belly in the slow cooker skin-side up on a small rack or folded foil, then pour the remaining liquid around the meat — do not pour over the skin.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for 4 hours) until the meat is very tender and a skewer meets little resistance.
Carefully lift the pork belly from the slow cooker onto a baking tray skin-side up and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid into a small saucepan and discard the bay leaves, star anise and any large solids.
Bring the strained liquid to a brisk simmer and reduce until syrupy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8–10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Preheat a very hot grill (or oven set to 240°C conventional / 220°C fan). Brush the reduced glaze over the meat, place the tray under the grill and watch closely for 8–12 minutes until the skin puffs and the crackling is blistered and crisp.
Remove from the grill and leave to rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle.
Slice the pork belly into thick slabs and scatter with spring onions and fresh coriander. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Score the skin with a very sharp knife and dry thoroughly; do this just before cooking for best results.
- Always keep the braising liquid away from the skin in the slow cooker — liquid on the skin ruins crackling.
- If you prefer neater slices, chill the cooked pork in the fridge for 30–60 minutes to firm the fat before slicing.
- Use a meat thermometer if unsure: the meat will be fall-apart tender at about 85°C internal, but finish under the grill only after the long cook.
- Leftovers reheat well: reheat under a hot grill or in a very hot oven to re-crisp the rind.
Substitutions
light soy sauce → tamari, same quantity (60 ml) for a gluten-free version
Stays closehoney → maple syrup, same quantity (40 g), will be slightly less floral
Stays closechicken stock → vegetable stock, same quantity (150 ml) — the dish will be less meaty but still tasty
Noticeably differentChinese five-spice powder → 1/2 tsp ground fennel + 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, similar aromatic profile
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 920
- Calories
- 30 g
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 78 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 14 g
- Sugar
- 850 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Why isn’t my crackling crisp after grilling?
Most likely the skin wasn’t dry enough or liquid touched the skin during cooking. Re-dry with kitchen paper, sprinkle with a little extra salt and grill again very briefly, watching constantly.
Can I cook the pork on high if I’m short on time?
Yes — cook on high for 4 hours instead of 8 on low. It will still be tender but low and slow gives a silkier texture.
How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat under a hot grill or in a hot oven to re-crisp the rind.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes — use tamari instead of light soy sauce and check labels on any stock to ensure it’s gluten-free.
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