Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites are flavorful, seasoned pieces of pork belly that are cooked crispy in an air fryer with less oil and mess compared to deep-frying. Try my Bacon Chicken Bites for another bite-sized appetizer packed with flavor.
Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites
Air-fried foods are lower in fat than deep-fried foods, which is one good reason to give it a try with a recipe like this. But, just because it saves on some fat and calories doesn’t mean it is light on flavor. These pork belly bites still turn out crispy and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I dare you to eat just one!
What is Pork Belly?
Pork belly is like a huge slab of bacon, but uncured, unsliced, and unsmoked. Both pork belly and bacon come from the flesh from the underside, or belly, of a pig. You could buy pork belly and make your own bacon. However, once you try this pork belly recipe, you may want to stick with pork belly over bacon.
Pork belly can be up to 12 pounds. I went with 1 1/2 pounds for this recipe. You can find it at most large grocery stores. If you buy it from a butcher, he or she can cut the amount you want. Or, you can freeze any extra pork belly for up to six months to use later.
How to Make Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites
The first thing you want to do to get these pork belly bites made is pat dry the pork belly and cut it up. There is no need to score it. I cut it into about 1-inch cubes.
A helpful hint for easier cutting is to let the pork belly chill in the refrigerator for a while to harden it up a bit. If you try to cut the pork belly after it thaws to room temperature, it is a bit trickier. Once the meat is cut, it’s easy to get this delicious appetizer made.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Next, add the pork belly pieces to the oil mixture to coat each piece.
- Then, in a single layer, place the pork belly cubes in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.
- Cook the pork belly bites for 20 minutes, shaking and flipping them a couple of times throughout the air-frying time. You can always cook them longer if you want them crispier or more done.
- Remove the bites from the air fryer and serve warm.
There is no need to add any more seasoning or dip into a sauce; these are perfect as-is!
What is the Best Air Fryer?
I have tested 3 brands in my home and I recommend the Ninja Air Fryer. (affiliate link) You can go up a size if needed, but it is superior in achieving consistent results and also ease of use. I’ve been very happy with this Air Fryer!
More Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds pork belly, patted dry
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Pat dry the pork belly and cut it into 1-inch pieces. (If the pork belly has thawed to room temperature, put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to harden it up a bit for easier cutting.)
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Add the pork belly pieces to the oil mixture, covering each piece.
- Lay the pork belly pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket. (I was able to fit all of the pieces in the basket, but you may need to split them up into two or three batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.)
- Air fry the pork belly cubes for 18-20 minutes, shaking and flipping them a couple of times throughout the cooking time. Please note: air frying times will depend on the size of your pork belly pieces and the size of your air fryer.
- Remove from the air fryer and serve warm.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
Went to comments to see if anyone else had said this was salty and then realised that I had added a tablespoon of salt instead of a teaspoon. Looking to try this again but with less salt next time!
Oh no! 🙁 So sorry that happened. Hope its amazing next time!
This is my first time using my new air fryer. I have made oven crispy pork belly before, but this was super easy, delicious and much faster. Thanks !
I don’t have an air fryer so can it be done in the oven and at what temp?
If you have a convection oven it will work well. Use the same temp last the recipe.
If you don’t have a convection oven, turn the temp 25 degrees higher than this recipe and plan to cook a little longer.
Either way, ask your grocery store butcher for just a pound in case it doesn’t turn out great.
I follow the instructions exactly and cooked half the batch in the air fryer first. They tasted good but they were not browned and sticky like I wanted them to be. So in the second half of the batch that I already had everything on it like the recipe said I added about a quarter cup of brown sugar and drizzled with soy sauce before I put them in the air fryer. Delicious!
And they got a beautiful brown color
Once cooked can you then freeze these? I wanted to do a large batch and then if I can freeze, how would I re-heat from thawed state?
Horribly salty, I used pork belly from Costco. If I make it again I will not add any salt.
It is only 1 teaspoon of salt for 1 1/2 pounds of pork… so I can’t fathom how you got “horribly salty”.
I also used the pork belly from Costco and it came out to be extremely salty as well, it may have just been the way they packed it and nothing to do with the recipe!
Absolutely delicious!! These are definitely in my top 5 tastiest meat treats
I have made this recipe many times now. Sometimes with the sugar, others adding pepper flakes to give them a kick. It’s always so good and so easy. I highly recommend this recipe!!!
Made it! Love it!! Added some soy sauce and made sure to toss while cooking. Cooked on the balcony so the smell doesn’t last in condo. TY 🙂
Anyone have recommendations for replacing the canola oil? I typically avoid such oils in my diet, and I was hoping for any advice for this recipe
Be careful with the time. My 1st batch was charcoal at 20 minutes. I’m using a Ninja air fryer
I am see olive oil. Avocado oil would be good as well.
Use avocado oil
Absolutely delicious!! I doubled the condiments, used avocado oil and sugar free brown sugar…
SO I am making a twist on your Recipe, I am using 1/2 the brown sugar and instead of the Oil I am using real New Hampshire Maple syrup,
How did it work out for you?
Lovely with a bit of chilli flakes to make them nice and spicy.
Lovely as main dish for dinner.
Any suggestions for side dish to serve?
EGGs and Small silver dollar pancakes
I’ve just served them up as a meal with onions, sliced roasted carrots and chopped roast sweet potatoes. I cooked the meat for 25 minutes. Remove from dish. Roasting the veg for 15 minutes and then readding the meat for a further 10 minutes. All gone!
This was so easy and turned out great.
So glad!
This looks so good! I don’t have an air fryer.. if I do this in a normal over, would it be as good? How long would it take? Thank you!
Id like to know also
Looks good and delicious..
Your meatloaf recipe. Please. Thank you
Loved the pork bellys bites so good .
I LOVE COOKING !
THANK YOU FOR THE RECIPES !