These Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites Are an Easy Gourmet Appetizer.
I often see pictures of crispy pork belly that show large pieces of meat covered in bubbles and a crispy coating. It’s tempting and intimidating: Cooking large cuts of meat for the first time can lead to questions and uncertainty, such as, “Where can I buy pork belly that size?” to “If I screw up, I’ll lose all this meat.”
As we celebrate another Air Friday Day, I would like to challenge you to make crispy pork belly with less stakes that any beginner can do. Treat your taste buds with some air fryer pork belly slices.
Difference between pork belly and bacon
Pork belly is cut from the belly of a pig, and if it reminds you of bacon, there’s a good reason for that: bacon is pork belly that’s smoked, cured, and cut into strips. A cut of pork belly is usually unsmoked and unsmoked, but you’ll still get those rich streaks of fat and meat that we all appreciate in cut bacon.
Fatty pork does especially well in the convection conditions of the fryer. The fan blows hot air around the fryer basket, and the intense heat causes the pork fat to melt and crisp. Cutting the belly into 1-inch pieces increases the surface area for flavor and browning, speeds up cooking time, and even makes it more casual to eat. Plus, you only need an eight- to 10-ounce piece of pork belly to make two servings of the appetizer, and it’s much easier to find at your local grocery stores than more stately cuts.
How to Cook Pork Belly in an Air Fryer
You can simply cut up the pork belly and place it in the air fryer. There is enough fat in the meat that it can take care of itself. But when a taste opportunity arises, I prefer to take it. So, here’s what you can do to get the most out of your belly meat.
1. Cut the meat
If the pork belly has tough skin (or crust) on the fatty edge, trim it off. Cut the pork crosswise into one-inch thick pieces so that each piece contains all the veins of meat and fat. If the slab was wide, then you can cut the pieces in half. I ended up with one inch wide and long and two inches tall.
2. Season the pork
Add the meat to the bowl and season it. I used a little fish sauce, pepper and sugar, but you can experiment with other ingredients such as Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce. For a crispy crust, I added a teaspoon of cornstarch and oil. Toss everything together until the meat is coated.
3. Air fry the pieces.
Set the air fryer temperature to 375°F on the air fry setting and cook the meat for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the pieces about every 5 minutes. When the fat begins to bubble and the edges become crispy, the pork belly is done.
The fat forms a tender crust, and the light seasoning boasts incredible umami. You can toss these crunchy bits into a pita with pickled veggies, toss them into noodle soup, or walk around with a full bowl and casually toss them back while you go about your day. (My favorite way to eat pork belly pieces is to cook them with a bunch of steamed jasmine rice and drizzle with soy sauce.)
They are best eaten the same day, but can be refrigerated for up to five days. To reheat, simply throw them back into the fryer for about three minutes.
Air Fried Pork Belly Chunks Recipe
Ingredients:
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10 ounces pork belly
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1 tablespoon fish sauce
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1 teaspoon sugar
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4 or 5 ground black pepper
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½ tablespoon cornstarch
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1 teaspoon neutral oil
1. If there is any tough skin left on the fatty edge of the meat, remove it. Cut the meat into pieces about one inch wide and long and two inches high. Make sure each piece has all the striped layers.
2. Place meat in a bowl, add fish sauce, sugar, pepper, cornstarch and oil. Mix thoroughly until all pieces are coated with a thin layer of mixture.
3. Preheat air fryer to 375°F on air fry setting. Add the pork pieces to the basket and cook the meat for 15-20 minutes, shaking the pieces about every 5 minutes. The pork belly is done when the fat begins to bubble and the edges are crispy. Refrigerate briefly before enjoying.