Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites

Air fryer pork belly bites are gloriously crispy on the outside, yet juicy and tender on the inside. Made with just a few simple ingredients, you’ll be hooked after your first bite.

When I was growing up, we had a variety of cuts of pork. And even though my mom didn’t call one of the dishes we were eating “pork belly,” I recognize it now for what it was. I hadn’t thought about it for such a long time, but a friend who lives in England brought it back in my life.

And boy, I’m so happy he reintroduced me to it.

Since I love my gadgets, I decided to make this an air fryer pork belly bites recipe. That also makes it supremely easy, with little mess or fuss, and the pork belly bites come out beautifully crispy. Add my combination of spices that gives this dish such outstanding flavor and you hit a grand slam!

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Helpful tips

• Buy organic pork bellies because they don’t contain antibiotics or hormones. The pork belly I buy is also humanely sourced and derived from free-range pigs.
• Pork belly is the underside of the hog; the cut that remains after the loin and spareribs are removed. Want to read more about this cut of meat? Click here.
• You can get pork belly from a butcher or in the meat section at your local grocery store.
• When you cut the pork belly in squares, some of your cubes will be all fat. Cook these pieces along with the meaty ones, because these crispy little morsels are delicious. I also feed a few to my dog as a treat.
• I bought pork belly with the skin still attached because I like to eat it. If you don’t want that skin, just trim it off.
• Even though I’ve yet to do this, pork belly can be cut into strips, smoked, and eaten like bacon.
• If you want your bites to be on the spicy side, double the amounts of chili powder and chipotle powder.
• I use maple syrup in this recipe but you can substitute brown sugar if you prefer.
• I am using a tray type of air fryer but even if you have a basket type, the timing and temperature are the same. The only difference is you need to shake the air fryer basket twice during the cooking time.
• Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to do this recipe in batches. My air fryer is 10 quarts, which is big, so I cook it in one batch.
• When you initially set the pork belly on the trays or in the basket, try not to let the pieces touch each other. That may mean you will need to cook them in batches.
• Try dipping some crispy pork belly bites in warm bbq and other sauces for even more flavor.
• Store any leftover bites in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

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How to make air fryer pork belly bites

Pre-step

Get out your air fryer, small mixing bowl, medium mixing bowl, rubber spatula, and paper towel.

Step one

Take the pork belly out of the package and pat dry with a paper towel. With a sharp knife, cut each piece of pork into 1 inch squares and set aside.

Step two

Gather the ingredients – pork belly pieces, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, ground black pepper, olive oil, and maple syrup.

Step three

In a small mixing bowl, add the spices and salt. Mix together with either a fork or a small whisk. (A)

Step four

Add the pork belly pieces to a medium bowl. (B)

Step five

Add the spices, (C) maple syrup, and oil (D) to the pork belly.

Step six

Take a rubber spatula and mix the ingredients together with the pork belly. (E)

Step seven

If you have a tray type of air fryer, remove the trays. Preheat the air fryer at 395 degrees Fahrenheit. Set the timer for 15 minutes of cooking time.

If you have the basket type, leave the basket in as the air fryer preheats.

Step eight

Line the air fryer trays with pieces of pork belly in an even layer. Make sure there is space between each square.

If you have the basket type of fryer, place the pork belly in it without having each piece touch each other. As they cook, they will begin to shrink a bit, which leaves even more room.

Step nine

Place in the fryer and after 7 minutes, switch the bottom tray to the top and the top tray to the bottom.

If you have the basket type of fryer, shake after each 5 minutes of cook time – so twice. At this point, you don’t have to worry about them not touching after you’ve shaken them. For one thing, they will have shrunk a bit and for another, they will have cooked enough not to stick together.

Step ten

After the 15 minutes are up, make sure the pork bellies match your preferred doneness. I love them really crispy.

Mmm. So crispy. I love these air fried pork belly bites.

One more shot of all that crispy goodness.

I hope you enjoyed this air fryer pork belly bites recipe.

Other air fryer recipes

• Pork chops
• Chicken wings
• Salmon
• French toast

And as always, may all your dishes be delish!

If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!