Filipino Lechon Kawali or Air Fryer Pork Belly

This is cooking that needs some planning ahead. But the endresult is very tasty and not much work.

I bought a piece of pork belly and did not know what to do with it. I stood in front of the meatsection of my local butcher and looked for something that would inspire me to cook. The only thing that cought my eye was the pork belly. 

Filipino food, especially Adobo is one of my favourite kinds of cooking methods. Vinegar, garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves are easy to find at home and the base of many of this dishes. Use chicken, beef or anything else you like.  

Start the evening before your meal. Peel 5 cloves of garlic, take 3 bay leaves, 1 tbsp black peppercorns and 2 tbsp rice vinegar and enough water to cover the pork belly. Bring it to a boil and cook for 1 hour. Take it out and cool it down.

Pat the skin dry and rub salt in it. Put uncovered in the fridge over night.

The next day, brush the salt off and score the skin criss cross with a sharp knife. Season the whole piece and brush some oil on the top. Wrap around in aluminium foil and keep the top open. 

Put in the air fryer at 200 C for 20 min, reduce the heat to 190 C for an other 10 min. Take it out and let it rest 5 min.

This was the crispiest skin I have ever achieved.

Ingredients  

450 g pork belly

5 garlic cloves, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 3 bay leaves, water

Salt, 

Seasoning, salt, oil

I ate it with a vegetable salad.