Easy Air Fryer & Carnivore Diet Recipes
A simple, ultra-rich crispy pork belly cooked in the air fryer — minimal ingredients, maximal flavour. Perfect for carnivore diet fans who want crackling skin, rendered fat, and tender meat with almost no fuss.
Ingredients
- 1.5 –2 lb 700–900 g pork belly, skin on
- 1 –2 tsp coarse salt or more to taste
- Optional relaxed carnivore: pinch of ground pepper
Instructions
- Dry & prep: Pat the pork belly skin dry thoroughly with paper towels. Score the skin in parallel lines about ¼ inch apart — be careful not to cut too deep into the fat or flesh.
- Optional dry-salt (for best crackle): Rub coarse salt liberally on the skin. Place the pork belly uncovered in the fridge for 2 hours (or overnight if time allows). This helps dry out the skin and draw out moisture for better crisping.
- Preheat air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 400 °F (≈ 200 °C).
- Initial high-heat cook: Place the pork belly, skin-side up, in the air fryer basket. Cook for 20–25 minutes. This begins to crisp the skin and render fat.
- Lower temp & finish cooking: Reduce the air fryer temperature to ~350 °F (≈ 175 °C). Continue cooking another 20–30 minutes—until the fat has rendered and the meat is tender. If you have a meat thermometer, aim for an internal temperature around 165–175 °F.
- Rest & serve: Remove from the air fryer and let rest for 8–10 minutes before slicing. Serve with a small spoon of warm rendered fat or a cup of bone broth on the side (if you include broth in your carnivore plan).
Notes
- Extra crisping: If the skin isn’t blistering evenly, give it a final 3–5 minute blast at 400 °F — but watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Save rendered fat: Use the fat you render during cooking to fry eggs or for other carnivore-friendly cooking — it’s a great source of flavour and fat.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Store in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Reheat in the air fryer at ~350 °F for 4–6 minutes to re-crisp.
- Serving variation (relaxed carnivore): Add a pinch of pepper, or rub a mix of salt and herbs under the skin before cooking (e.g. rosemary, garlic) — optional, depending on how strict you are.
- Portion control: Because pork belly is calorie-dense (rich in fat), consider portion size carefully — especially if tracking macros or calories.