Oven-Baked Pork Belly "Bacon" Strips

This recipe for Oven-Baked Pork Belly "bacon" strips emulates the flavor and texture of crispy bacon, without any smoking or curing (nitrates). 

What is bacon?

Western-style bacon is a cut made from pork belly and is typically seasoned, smoked (with hickory or applewood) and cured (with nitrates).

It has a deep savory flavor with a crispy texture and is widely used in breakfast dishes, sandwiches, or any dish that needs extra flavor with its rich, smoky and salty taste.

What is the difference between Western bacon and Chinese bacon?

Chinese-style bacon (lap yuk) is a traditional preserved meat, cured with seasonings such as salt, sugar, soy sauce, similar to Chinese lap cheong sausages.

Unlike Western bacon, which is served as a standalone dish, Chinese bacon is typically cooked with other components as a dish (such as Hakka-style pork belly with taro).

Why you'll love this recipe

Healthier alternative: this recipe is a great alternative to traditional store-bought bacon, which consists of various nitrates to help cure and preserve the bacon.

Flavorful: while not technically "bacon" as it is not cured, this recipe is a delicious imitation, using sliced pork belly.

Easy to make: it is seasoned with minimal ingredients that you may already have in your pantry, and takes less than 30 minutes.

Adaptable: change up the flavors to suit your taste.

Ingredients you'll need

• pork belly: cut into thin slices or strips; you can find it in Asian grocery stores, typically used for hot pot or Korean barbecue (also used in Korean Spicy Pork Bulgogi (Jeyuk Bokkeum)
• seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, habanero powder (if you like it spicy)
• liquid smoke: for that smoky flavor, optional 

How to make pork belly "bacon"

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Season the pork belly slices and bake for 10 minutes.

Flip the slices, add more seasoning, and bake for another 10-15 minutes until crispy.

Cool on a paper towel-lined plate to crisp further, then use in sandwiches, salads, or as a snack.

How to serve

Use the crispy oven-baked "bacon" pork belly slices in sandwiches.

They'd be great in a croissant sandwich, or swap out the breakfast sausage in breakfast egg sandwiches.

Try it crumbled up in salads, add it into cheddar jalapeno biscuits or serve alongside fried eggs, pancakes and waffles.

Use the bacon in the classic brunch dish of Eggs Benedict, or wrap them around hot dogs.

How to store & reheat

Store the cooked bacon slices in an airtight container lined with paper towel in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can store the cooked bacon in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat, you can reheat the bacon strips in the oven, air fryer, or over the stovetop on a frying pan.

Other flavors

Experiment and change up the flavor of the bacon strips. 

Brush maple syrup or honey on top of the pork belly slices for a mild sweet flavor.

If you're feeling adventurous, try Chinese five-spice powder or add Korean gochujang for some heat.

Expert tips

If you can't find hot-pot style pork belly, you can use a slab of pork belly and freeze it for about 1 hour, until firm but not completely frozen.

Use a very sharp knife to make the thin slices, about ⅛ inch thickness.

If you have a meat slicer, you can also use that to make even thinner cuts.

Store the extra seasoning in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. 

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