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pork belly slices on a wooden board.
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4.72 from 14 votes

Pork Belly in the Slow Cooker

Pork belly in the slow cooker, juicy and tender piece of pork with the best crackling.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 hours
Total Time5 hours 10 minutes
Course: Beef, Pork and Lamb
Cuisine: Asian, American
Servings: 8
Calories: 523kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs pork belly Note 1
  • 1 ½ - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons dry rub Note 2
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Instructions

  • Rub: If necessary, cut the piece of meat into two even parts. Rub very well all over with the salt. Rub with the dry rub as well.
  • Prepare: Peel and quarter the onion, peel but leave the garlic cloves whole. Place them in the slow cooker. Add stock and soy sauce. Place the pork belly on top.
  • Cook on high for 4 ½ hours OR on low for about 7 hours. The cooking time depends on the thickness of the meat and on the slow cooker (Note 3). You should be able to pierce the meat with a fork easily.
  • Preheat oven: During the last half hour of the slow cooking time, preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius/ 430 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a roasting tin or baking tray with foil. Place a roasting rack on top.
  • Crisp in the oven: Lift the meat from the slow cooker and place it, skin side up, on the rack. Roast for 20-30 minutes until the crackling is golden and very crispy. Keep an eye on the meat and check every few minutes. The roasting time depends on the oven as well, the skin should not get too dark.

Notes

  1. Pork belly: I had a large piece, which I cut into two even parts.
  2. Dry rub: Your favorite brand or homemade mixture.
  3. The cooking time also depends on the machine you are using, so make sure to check its instruction manual. Newer slow cookers are faster, while the older version, which still has a ceramic pot (like mine does), needs a bit more time. For best results, make sure you know your gadget and how it works.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion from 8 | Calories: 523kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 803mg | Sugar: 1g