Pre-Summer Cookout Secret: Only 3 ingredients needed. I pop this in the oven when I want to spend more time on the patio and zero time hovering over a hot stove.

When the weather starts to warm up and the peonies along the fence line are just thinking about blooming, I like to keep my time in the kitchen short and my time on the patio long. These 3-ingredient oven pork belly slices give you that glistening, caramelized, almost candy-like strip of protein without a lot of fuss or standing over a hot stove. It reminds me of the way my mother used to slow-roast pork in the oven on Sunday afternoons, letting the heat do the work while she visited with neighbors. This is the same spirit: simple, hearty Midwestern cooking, with a sticky amber glaze that looks like you fussed all day, when really you just slipped a pan in the oven and went outside to enjoy the breeze.

Serve these sticky caramelized pork belly slices straight from the pan while they’re still sizzling, with simple sides that don’t ask much of you: a bowl of crunchy coleslaw, a platter of sliced garden tomatoes, or a pan of baked beans you can cook right alongside the pork. They’re wonderful tucked into soft buns with pickles, or sliced over a big green salad if you’re trying to keep things lighter. A cold glass of iced tea or lemonade on the patio and a bowl of potato salad on the table turn this into a pre-summer cookout without ever firing up the grill.

Servings: 4

2 pounds pork belly, skinless, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed metal baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, shiny side up, for easier cleanup and better caramelization. Lightly grease the foil with a bit of oil or nonstick spray if you like.

In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce and brown sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved and you have a thick, syrupy mixture. It won’t be perfectly smooth, and that’s just fine—the remaining sugar will help form that sticky amber glaze in the oven.

Pat the pork belly slices dry with paper towels so they’ll brown instead of steam. Lay them in a single layer in the bowl with the soy-sugar mixture, turning each slice to coat both sides thoroughly. Let them sit in the bowl for 5–10 minutes while the oven finishes heating; this short rest helps the flavor soak in a bit.

Arrange the coated pork belly slices in a single layer on the foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart so hot air can move around them. Pour any extra soy-sugar mixture from the bowl evenly over the slices on the pan.

Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully pull the pan out and use tongs to flip each slice over. Spoon some of the bubbling pan juices over the top of the slices to help build that shiny, sticky coating.

Return the pan to the oven and bake another 15–20 minutes, flipping once more if you’d like an even thicker glaze. The pork belly is done when the fat is rendered and the edges are deeply browned and caramelized, with a glossy, amber-colored coating. Watch closely during the last 5 minutes; the sugar can go from perfectly sticky to burnt if left too long.

If you want extra char and shine, turn the oven to broil on high for 1–3 minutes at the end, keeping the pan on the middle rack. Do not walk away—stand nearby and watch through the oven door until the strips are bubbling, slightly blistered, and glistening.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the pork belly rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. The hot glaze will thicken and cling as it cools slightly, giving you those succulent, sticky, glistening strips you see on the pan. Serve warm, straight from the foil-lined tray, spooning any extra pan glaze over the top.

For a little heat, stir 1–2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne into the soy sauce and brown sugar mixture (this technically adds a fourth ingredient, but you can treat it as optional seasoning). You can also swap part of the soy sauce for Worcestershire sauce for a deeper, more old-fashioned roast flavor while still keeping the main three ingredients the same. If you’d like a smokier, more cookout-style taste without lighting the grill, add a few drops of liquid smoke to the glaze mixture, or serve the finished slices with a side of your favorite barbecue sauce for dipping. To make smaller bites for a patio appetizer, cut the pork belly into 1-inch wide strips before baking; they’ll cook a bit faster, so start checking them about 5 minutes earlier. For easier cleanup, let the pan cool completely before peeling off the foil—most of the sticky glaze will come off with it. Food safety tips: Keep the raw pork belly refrigerated until you’re ready to bake, and don’t let it sit out at room temperature for more than 1–2 hours total. Use separate utensils and plates for raw and cooked pork to avoid cross-contamination. Pork belly should be cooked until it reaches at least 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part; many home cooks prefer it closer to 165°F (74°C) for a more traditional texture and fully rendered fat. Always let it rest a few minutes after baking so the hot sugar doesn’t burn your mouth when you take that first bite.