Agave-Glazed Pork Belly with Grilled Pineapple

Succulent pork belly slow-cooked with three types of chiles and glazed with agave nectar, served alongside charred fresh pineapple. This sweet and spicy dish combines tender meat with tropical flavors for an impressive main course.

6 servings

20 hr 35 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 piece pork belly
•4 teaspoons kosher salt
•2 teaspoons black pepper
•6 whole poblano chiles
•3 whole habanero chiles
•3 whole serrano chiles
•1 cup agave syrup
•2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
•1 whole pineapple
•¼ cup apple cider vinegar
•ingredient note
•ingredient note
•ingredient note

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 250°F. Season pork belly all over with 4 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper.
5 min
2.
Place chiles in a large roasting pan. Place pork belly, skin side down, on top of chiles; drizzle with 1/2 cup agave. Pour remaining 1/2 cup agave and 2 cups water into pan. Cover pan tightly with lid or two layers of foil.
10 min
3.
Transfer to oven and cook pork for 3 hours, basting with pan juices every hour. Turn pork over. Cook until very tender, about 4 more hours.
420 min
4.
Transfer pork to another roasting pan (if bone-in, remove and discard bones). Strain liquid from first roasting pan into a saucepan (there should be about 5 1/2 cups); reserve chiles. Gently boil juices until reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 45-50 minutes; add reserved chiles. Remove pan from heat. Let glaze cool; chill.
50 min
5.
Meanwhile, cover pork with parchment or waxed paper. Top with a large plate. Place weights, such as large canned goods, on top. Chill overnight.
720 min
6.
Reheat glaze. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill pineapple until nicely charred, 2-3 minutes per side; place on plates.
15 min
7.
Let grill cool to medium heat. Slice pork belly into 1"-thick pieces. Grill until warmed and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Brush pork with some of the glaze from chile sauce.
10 min
8.
To serve, place 2 or 3 pineapple slices on each plate; spoon glaze over, then top with pork belly. Drizzle with vinegar.
5 min

Ingredients

•1 piece pork belly

•4 teaspoons kosher salt

•2 teaspoons black pepper

•6 whole poblano chiles

•3 whole habanero chiles

•3 whole serrano chiles

•1 cup agave syrup

•2 tablespoons Vegetable oil

•1 whole pineapple

•¼ cup apple cider vinegar

•ingredient note

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 250°F. Season pork belly all over with 4 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper.

5 min

Place chiles in a large roasting pan. Place pork belly, skin side down, on top of chiles; drizzle with 1/2 cup agave. Pour remaining 1/2 cup agave and 2 cups water into pan. Cover pan tightly with lid or two layers of foil.

10 min

Transfer to oven and cook pork for 3 hours, basting with pan juices every hour. Turn pork over. Cook until very tender, about 4 more hours.

420 min

Transfer pork to another roasting pan (if bone-in, remove and discard bones). Strain liquid from first roasting pan into a saucepan (there should be about 5 1/2 cups); reserve chiles. Gently boil juices until reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 45-50 minutes; add reserved chiles. Remove pan from heat. Let glaze cool; chill.

50 min

Meanwhile, cover pork with parchment or waxed paper. Top with a large plate. Place weights, such as large canned goods, on top. Chill overnight.

720 min

Reheat glaze. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill pineapple until nicely charred, 2-3 minutes per side; place on plates.

15 min

Let grill cool to medium heat. Slice pork belly into 1"-thick pieces. Grill until warmed and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Brush pork with some of the glaze from chile sauce.

10 min

To serve, place 2 or 3 pineapple slices on each plate; spoon glaze over, then top with pork belly. Drizzle with vinegar.

5 min