How To Air Fry Pork Belly Bites

I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting things to cook in my air fryer, and when I spotted a recipe for pork belly bites, I knew I had to try it! The end result was delicious - crispy pork belly with a crazy good sweet and sticky glaze. This pork belly air fryer recipe makes for the perfect appetizer or party snack!

Pork belly is one of those ingredients that is either loved or hated. There is no in-between. You either can't get enough of the rich, fatty taste or you can't stand it. I fall into the former category and pork belly is one of my all-time favorite foods. So, when I found out that you could make pork belly bites in an air fryer, I was ecstatic.

The air fryer pork belly bites come out crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth tender on the inside. They are absolutely delicious and definitely worth a try, even if you're not a pork belly fan. Trust me, they might just convert you.

Pork belly is one of the most delicious and indulgent foods you can eat. It's rich, fatty, and full of flavor, making it a real treat. However, pork belly can also be quite tricky to cook. If you don't have a lot of experience with it, you just might end up with tough, dry, or even burnt pork belly.

But there's no need to worry - an air fryer can help you cook pork belly perfectly every time. Air fryers work by circulating hot air around food, cooking it evenly and quickly. This means that your pork belly will come out crisp on the outside and meltingly tender on the inside.

So if you're looking for a delicious and easy way to cook pork belly, give air frying a try. You won't be disappointed.

Beats and Eats (music to pair with pork belly bites)

The Ohio Players (my favorite band!) made the perfect song for these bad boys - "Sweet Sticky Thing!" Enough said...

What is Pork Belly?

Pork belly is a cut of pork that comes from the belly of the pig. It's a fatty, boneless cut of meat with tons of flavor that is often used in slow-cooked dishes like pork braises or roasted pork which many consider the best way to cook pork belly. Pork belly is the cut that is used to make bacon via a curing cooking process. Today we're gonna be a lil adventurous and cook pork belly in an air fryer. Air fried pork belly is crispy on the outside and meltingly tender on the inside.

Ingredients Needed To Make This Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites Recipe

• Fresh Pork Belly Slices
• Sour Orange
• Lime
• Sesame Oil
• Hot Sauce
• Guava Jelly - the purpose of adding a jelly is primarily for the sweetness. Brown sugar can be a substitute as can other more mainstream jellies like chutney.
• Dried Thyme
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper

How To Make Pork Belly Bites (Step by Step)

Marinate the Pork Belly

Use a sharp knife to cut the pork belly into smaller pork belly cubes.

In a medium mixing bowl add the juice from the lime and sour orange. Add in the sesame oil, guava jelly, kosher salt, black pepper, and hot sauce. Mix well.

Place the pieces of pork belly in a large ziplock bag or airtight container and add the oil mixture. Marinade the pork at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.

Air Fry The Pork Belly

Pre-heat the air fryer to 400 degrees.

Remove the pork belly from the bag. Set aside the marinade.

Place pork belly pieces in a single layer in your preheated air fryer basket. Cook for 14 minutes, shaking the bites around halfway through cooking. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket you may need to cook in batches.

Make The Glaze

Pre-heat a heavy bottom skillet on medium-high heat. Add the reserved marinade to the skillet and cook down for 4-5 minutes. The marinade should reduce down to a more concentrated thicker sauce consistency. Remove from heat.

Finish The Pork Belly

Toss the cooked pork belly in a large mixing bowl with the glaze until all parts are well-coated. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips and Considerations For Frying Pork Belly in Air Fryer

The key to perfect air fryer pork belly is to start with a good quality pork belly. I like to use pork belly that has a nice layer of fat on it. This helps to render down and create that crispy skin that we all love so you get the pork belly bites are juicy and flavourful.

Pork belly on its own has a lot of flavor. However, you can really elevate these bites by adding a tasty glaze. The citrus has enough natural sugars to not need any sweeteners. Cooking the sauce down concentrates the sugar and leave you with incredible sweetness balance with the hot sauce heat.

I prefer a Caribbean-style hot sauce. I like the flavor and prefer the thicker consistency.

Trim away any excess pork belly fat but not too much because you want that crispy pork belly skin.

Cut the pork belly into even little bite-sized morsels (as evenly as you can cut them but don't go crazy trying to be perfect). The more even you cut them the more evenly they will cook in the air fryer. Note: It's much easier to cut semi-frozen meat.

Season the pork belly bites generously before cooking. I also add a nice dry seasoning mix to finish the recipe which includes salt, pepper, allspice, and smoked paprika.

Cook the pork belly bites in batches if necessary, depending on the size of your air fryer. You don't want to overcrowd the air fryer or the pork belly won't cook evenly.

Serve the pork belly bites immediately after cooking, while they're still hot and crispy.

Try a small piece of pork belly for quality control.

To keep things to a quick recipe forego the sauce recipe and just use your favorite bbq sauce.

Top with fresh cilantro, green onions, or parsley. I added some of the Caribbean to this delicious recipe by topping it with Haitian pikliz hot sauce or just pair with a nice dipping sauce.

These are a great appetizer to chicken fried pork steaks.

These pork belly bites are starter bites. Follow them up with side dishes like white rice, grilled sweet potato wedges, smashed cucumber salad, and Brazilian collard greens couve.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites

Where can I buy Pork Belly?

Pork belly can often be bought in most grocery stores. Usually it is packed with pork belly strips and cut sections. Sometimes you can find pork belly with bare skin. Since pork belly recipes are common in Asian cooking you can always find it in Asian markets.

If there is no packaged item in a grocery store, your local butcher will definitely have it available. They will sell you a whole slab of pork belly or can normally cut them from a slab into smaller pieces. It can be customized just for you. They could cut it into any size pieces you prefer

What temperature do you cook pork in an air fryer?

For real deal crispy pork belly air fry the pork on high at 400 degrees F. Afterwards, you'll just have the skin as crispy as you like! It is highly recommended to test the results during the cooking period. Cooked at high temps you get pork belly skin that resembles crispy crackling.

How can I store leftover pork belly?

Wait until it cools and then store it in airtight containers in the refrigerator. If kept properly, pork belly can be kept for four days.

How long to cook pork belly in the air fryer?

Place pork into the air fryer basket. Set a time of 14-20 minutes depending on the size of the pork belly pieces. Air fry it until pork is very tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Cook times will vary depending on thickness. Once finished, for best results, check the internal temperature via a meat thermometer to test for doneness.

How to cook frozen pork belly in the air fryer?

To cook frozen pork belly in the air fryer, simply preheat the machine to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, place the pork belly in the basket and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, flip the pork belly and cook for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.

More Air Fryer Recipes and Appetizers:

Nigerian Beef Suya Skewers

Spicy Coconut Shrimp

Air Fryer Fish Tacos

BBQ Shrimp

Air Fryer Buffalo Wings

Brazilian Fried Chicken Wings

Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Air Fryer Pork Ribs

Instant Pot Country-Syle Pork Ribs

Smoked Pork Belly

Air Fryer Corn on the Cob

make this pork belly recipe

If you’re looking for an easy appetizer or finger food idea that's absolutely delicious, look no further than these crispy air fryer pork belly bites. The recipe is simple to follow and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. Plus, the pork belly bites are sure to be a hit with your guests!

If you make these crispy little morsels in your air fryer or any other recipe please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.

You can also keep up with my food exploits as well as original recipes! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated monthly playlists. 

Lastly, go to my YouTube channel and subscribe to be notified when new weekly videos are uploaded.

Sharing is caring!