The Best Sous Vide Pork Belly Recipe - Sous Vide Ways (2024)

Sous vide pork belly is an absolute game changer. The immersion circulator allows you to make perfectly juicy and tender belly, every single time. Time to say goodbye to the days of dry pork, and hello to pork cooked exactly how you want it.

The Best Sous Vide Pork Belly Recipe - Sous Vide Ways (1)

In this recipe, we will walk you through everything you need to know to make the best pork belly of your life. From determining how long to sous vide pork belly, to whether you can cook frozen pork belly, this recipe has it all.

Packaging

An essential part of cooking sous vide is putting ingredients in an air-tight bag or container. The two most common techniques to package your ingredients are vacuum sealing and using the water displacement method.

A vacuum sealer removes all the air and seals the contents of a plastic bag through a vacuum. This process ensures the food is airtight and properly sealed, and prevents the bag from floating which can result in uneven cooking. If you are in the market for a vacuum sealer, I'd recommend the Anova sealer.

The displacement methodis a technique where you first place your food and marinades in a sous vide bag, submerge the bag in a container of water, and allow the pressure to force all the air out of the bag.

Either method works for pork belly. Note that if you are adding a marinade in the bag, please make sure your vacuum sealer is capable of sealing liquids. If not, please use the displacement method.

The Best Sous Vide Pork Belly Recipe - Sous Vide Ways (2)

Time and Temperature

The time and temperature guide below is the product of years of extensive testing, and will take the guesswork out of cooking sous vide. Simply select a temperature based on your desired doneness, then determine the length of the cook based on your texture preference.

Pork Belly Sous Vide Time and Temp

DonenessTemperatureTime
Tender, steak-like texture154F / 68C24 hours
Perfectly tender and juicy165F / 74C10 hours
Succulent braise-like texture176F / 80C7 hours

Our personal favorite is cooking the pork belly at 74C/165F for 10 hours. Cooking the meat for this duration breaks down the connective tissue (collagen), which results in an extremely tender belly. Also, cooking it at a temperature of 165F is the sweet spot for juicy, delicious pork belly.

The Best Sous Vide Pork Belly Recipe - Sous Vide Ways (3)

Just make sure you have a reliable sous vide that accurately regulates the temperature of the bath or your results may vary (check out theAnovaorJoule).

Although this combination of time and temperature is our favorite, we recommend you explore different combinations to find your personal favorite. Our cooking guide can always help you find your perfect time and temperature.

Can You Sous Vide Frozen Pork Belly?

The quick answer is, absolutely! Cooking frozen foods sous vide is an ultra convenient, safe way to prepare your protein. Just take the food directly from the freezer, repackage it (unless you know the bag is sous vide safe) and let the sous vide work its magic.

Generally the only thing you’ll need to adjust is the cook time. However, since we are already cooking the pork belly sous vide for 10 or more hours there is no need to add on any additional time.

Recommended Searing Methods for Pork Belly

Searing is by far the most important step in cooking sous vide. If want your food to look like it is Michelin star quality, you need to get a rich sear on it. Failing to do so will make your dinner guests wonder why they let you cook again.

The Best Sous Vide Pork Belly Recipe - Sous Vide Ways (4)

If you want an amazing sear, you’ve got to:

1. Pat the meat completely dry with a paper towel.
2. Season generously with salt or seasoning of your choice
3. Sear at extremely high temperatures.

The first step is especially important with pork belly. Since the fat layer retains a lot of liquid during the sous vide process, make sure it is completely dry if you want it crispy.

Pro tip: salting the fat layer helps extract the moisture in the fat. Continue patting dry with paper towels to ensure majority of moisture is gone before seasoning.

At this point you want to determine the best searing method. For pork belly, we suggest pan searing, broiling or using a searing torch.

The trick is getting the pan, broiler and torch extremely hot, then searing fat side down (or up if using a broiler or torch) for a few minutes, until crispy. You could even make pork belly burnt ends this way.

This results in a quick, high-quality sear without drying out the belly.

Top Sous Vide Pork Belly Recipes

The Best Sous Vide Pork Belly Recipe - Sous Vide Ways (5)

  • Char Siu Pork Belly - This is one of our favorite (if not our favorite) recipes on this website, and a must try for anyone. The delectable char siu marinade goes masterfully with the pork belly to create an irresistible flavor profile.

  • Pork Belly Adobo - In this dish, it’s all about the adobo sauce. The combination of vinegar and soy sauce are like yin and yang, and unite harmoniously into a delicious sauce. Pair this with juicy sous vide pork belly and you'll be in heaven.

  • Japanese Pork Belly Chashu- This sous vide pork belly chashu is absolutely perfect for your homemade ramen. The Japanese inspired marinade pairs with the tender, juicy pork belly and is the ramen topping of your dreams.

Special Equipment

Sous Vide Machine– This one is obvious. To cook sous vide, you’re going to need a device to precisely regulate the temperature of the bath water. The two best sous vide machines in the game right now are theAnova Precision Cookerand theBreville Joule.

The main difference between the two is that with the Anova you can control the device both manually and with a mobile device, and with the Joule you can only control the device by using your mobile device. Either way, both sous vide machines are top class and you can’t go wrong with either choice.

12-quart Container– Although you can use a basic stockpot for your sous vide cooking needs, I highly recommend buying a large plastic container. They are inexpensive and spacious, so you won’t have to worry about cooking a big roast in a small pot. I recommend a12 quart Rubbermaid container, as it is BPA free, sturdy, and large enough for just about anything you will be cooking.

Container Lid– If you are going to buy a plastic container, I highly suggest buying a compatiblelid for it. When you sous vide for a long duration, the heat of the water causes evaporation. With a lid, it eliminates a majority of the evaporation so you can cook for hours care-free.

Cast Iron Skillet – Want to take your searing game to the next level? We recommend investing in a cast iron skillet. By using a cast iron in this recipe, you’ll achieve a deep sear on the protein. Cast irons are also extremely handy for searing just about any and all sous vide meat. Lodgeoffers the best quality and price, which is why it is our favorite cast iron brand.

Next Level Sous Vide –Looking to take your sous vide skills to the next level? The Next Level Sous Vide eCookbook will push your culinary boundaries with 65 delicious recipes that are equally approachable and tasty. With pro tips and a detailed explanation of the sous vide process, you will be on your way to maximize your sous vide skills.

Check out our full list of recommended gearhere.

The Best Sous Vide Pork Belly Recipe - Sous Vide Ways (6)

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The Best Sous Vide Pork Belly Recipe

CourseMain Course

CuisineAmerican

Keywordbest, pork, pork belly, sous vide

Prep Time 5 minutes

Hands-On Cook Time 5 minutes

Sous Vide Time 10 hours

Total Time 10 hours 10 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 -2lbspork belly, skin removed
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

Preparation

  1. Set sous vide machine to 74C/165F.

  2. Generously season pork belly with salt.Place pork in freezer bag, and remove the air through a vacuum sealer or the displacement method. Drop the bag in the bath for 10 hours.

Finishing

  1. Remove bag from bath. Take pork belly out of the bag, pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper (or seasoning) to taste.

  2. Heat up large skillet on high and add oil. Sear pork belly fat side down for 2 to 3 minutes, or until crispy. Flip and sear each side for one minute. Remove from pan, and place on a plate to rest for 5 minutes. Once rested, slice, serve and enjoy!

The Best Sous Vide Pork Belly Recipe - Sous Vide Ways (2024)

FAQs

How long should I sous vide my pork belly? ›

Transfer to sous vide cooker and cook until completely tender, about 10 hours. Remove bag from cooker and chill thoroughly. Pork belly can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks after cooking if the bag remains sealed. When ready to serve, open sous vide bag and remove pork belly.

What temp does pork belly get tender? ›

What temp do you cook pork belly to? You want to smoke the meat a bit beyond the safe internal temperature of 145°F so that the pork belly internal temp reaches 190-195°F. Pork belly smoked to this temperature should fall off the bone and melt in your mouth!

What is the best temperature to sous vide pork? ›

Temperature and Timing for Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin
Recommended Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin Temperatures
130°F/54°C for 1 to 4 hoursMedium-rare
140°F/60°C for 1 to 4 hoursMedium
150°F/66°C for 1 to 4 hoursMedium-well
160°F/71°C for 1 to 4 hoursWell-done
1 more row

How to get crackling on sous vide pork belly? ›

Use a bladed meat tenderizer or needle to puncture skin. Add vinegar to skin to help dry out the skin a little more. Also add some salt on skin side at this point and wipe off moisture that forms on the skin.

Is it better to cook pork belly fast or slow? ›

Pork belly needs a combination of slow, gentle heat to tenderise the meat, plus a shorter blast at a higher heat to crisp up the skin. Cook at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 2 hrs 15 mins, then turn up the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for a further 35 minutes to crisp the crackling.

What temperature does pork belly stall? ›

The stall, the plateau, or the zone occurs when smoking or cooking larger cuts of meat at low temperatures for extended periods of time. It is when the interior temperature of that meat reaches about 150°F to 170°F and stops going up. This state can last for hours.

Why won t my pork belly get crispy? ›

The skin wasn't dry enough. Make sure to pat the pork completely dry before rubbing in the salt and oil as excess moisture will stop it from crisping up. It's important to score the skin if you want it really crisp. You'll need a sharp knife for this, or ask your butcher to do it for you.

What temp is pork the most tender? ›

Cook pork, roasts, and chops to 145 ºF as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source, with a three-minute rest time before carving or consuming. This will result in a product that is both safe and at its best quality—juicy and tender.

How do you keep pork belly crispy? ›

It is a fact of life that dry skin crisps better than moist skin. Scotese's trick to crispy pork belly is to rub equal parts baking soda and salt into the skin—the combo of baking soda and salt will draw out moisture and set you up for success.

Can you sous vide in a Ziploc bag? ›

Ziplock and Glad brand bags are made from polyethylene plastic, and are free of BPAs and dioxins. A good rule of thumb is that when a bag is rated as microwave safe (which requires FDA approval) you can use it for sous vide. Even Dr. Schaffner agrees.

Can you leave meat in sous vide too long? ›

Longer is not always better You don't always get better results by keeping food in the sous vide machine for longer. For example, many chefs recommend that sous vide steak should not be cooked for longer than four hours because the connective tissue begins to break down and the steak can become mushy.

How long does pork belly take in sous vide? ›

Set the pork belly aside on a kitchen towel until the water has finished heating. Cook for 12 hours. Cover the pot with foil or plastic wrap to slow evaporation and add more water if the water level becomes low. When cooking time ends, remove from the water and turn off the circulator.

Should you brine pork belly before sous vide? ›

Low temperatures and long cooking times are essential to prevent the meat from drying out and losing flavour. Pork belly is therefore perfectly suited to being cooked sous vide as this method allows you to maintain consistently low temperatures over long periods. To ensure even seasoning, brine the pork before cooking.

What is the secret of pork crackling? ›

Preheat oven to 230°C, 210°C fan or Gas Mark 8. Put the joint in a roasting tin on the top shelf for 20 minutes. This sudden blast of heat is the key to crispy crackling. Reduce the temperature to 180-190°C, 160-170°C fan or Gas Mark 4-5 and follow the cooking times below to ensure the joint is cooked through.

Can you sous vide pork too long? ›

While many will tell you that it's impossible to overcook with sous vide (and this isn't far from the truth), do bear in mind though that if you leave the food in the water bath for an extended period of time it won't 'overcook', but it could start to take on a mushy texture, so don't forget about it!

How long must pork belly be cooked? ›

Cook approximately 1.5 hours, though a lot will depend on the size of your pork belly. You want to cook until the internal temperature is 160-165°F. Remove meat from oven and remove salt crust. It should come off in pieces.

Can you sous vide pork for 24 hours? ›

Allow to cook for 18 to 24 hours. After this stage, pork can be refrigerated for up to 1 week before continuing. To Finish in the Oven: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 300°F. Remove pork from sous vide bag and carefully blot dry with paper towels.

Does pork belly get softer the longer you cook it? ›

This is a tough muscle, so it needs a longer cooking time at low heat to breakdown the tough tissue." So, to serve up good roast pork, budget for at least 3-4 hours in the kitchen. If done correctly, a piece of roast pork should be so tender you can pierce its flesh with a fork.

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