Crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites
These Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites are the best ever appetizer or snack! The pork belly is marinated in a sweet and savory honey-bbq marinade, then the pieces are air fried until tender and crispy. Each bite just gets better and better!
Why We Love It
These crispy Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites are absolutely incredible! Made with simple ingredients and jam-packed with delicious flavor, this is one appetizer you’ll make time and time again.
Pork Belly is the fatty cut of pork used to make bacon and pancetta. When you marinade it, it takes on even more flavor. And when it’s air fried, it gets beautifully crispy and tender.
- It’s so delicious! The honey-bbq marinade infuses tons of flavor so every bite is sweet and savory.
- Finger food is always a hit. Like my Pork Belly Potato Bites, these are perfect for a holiday appetizer, game day party, and any get-together!
- It’s super easy to make. This recipe has simple steps and is incredibly forgiving even to those new to the air fryer!
- There’s only a little to clean up! Imagine zero grease splatters on your countertops and no messy pans to deal with! That’s what you’ll get. And when you’re done cooking, simply discard the cooled grease and throw the air fryer parts in the dishwasher!
If you love pork belly, be sure to try my Honey-Soy Baked Pork Belly next!
Ingredients
Ingredients Notes:
- Use whatever BBQ sauce brand you enjoy or my homemade sugar-free BBQ sauce recipe.
- Look for pork belly in a slab and not pre-sliced since they can often be sliced too thin for this recipe. I order it with my monthly meat order from Porter Road (discount code cookathome10).
- You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic.
- To make this recipe low carb friendly, use Keto bbq sauce and omit the honey.
Step by Step Process
Step 1: Make the honey bbq marinade.
Add the bbq sauce, honey, minced garlic, oil, vinegar, and spices to a bowl.
Mix the sauce until fully combined. Set it aside.
Step 2: Prep the pork belly.
Learn how to cook anything in your air fryer with our free cook time chart!
Use a sharp knife to cut the pork belly into 1.5-inch wide strips, then again into square pieces.
Transfer the pork pieces to a bowl, then pour the marinade over the pork. Mix until each piece is fully coated on all sides. Cover the bowl and set it in the refrigerator.
👉 Allow the pork to marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 18 hours.
Step 3: Air fry the pork belly.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Spray the basket lightly with oil to keep the pieces from sticking.
Transfer the pork belly pieces to the basket. It’s totally okay if they touch each other because as they cook and the fat renders, they’ll shrink in size and there’ll be room between the pieces.
Cook for 18-22 minutes, stopping every 5 minutes to flip the pieces with a plastic-tipped spatula. This helps the pieces to cook evenly.
Once the pork belly pieces are crispy on all sides, carefully transfer them to a plate. Serve right away with more bbq sauce for dipping!
Expert Tips & Info
- Place a piece of bread in the bottom of the air fryer basket. It will absorb a lot of the rendered fat and decrease the chance of the oil smoking as the pork cooks.
- You can prep and marinate the pork belly pieces up to 18 hours in advance. Then cook it up quickly when your guests arrive or right before the big game starts!
- During cooking, stop every 5 minutes to flip the pork belly pieces inside the air fryer basket. This will help ensure the pieces are cooked evenly and crispy on all sides.
- Repurpose the grease! Pour the rendered fat over vegetables before roasting for the most delicious honey bbq roasted vegetables!
More Air Fryer Recipes
Appetizers, game day treats and side dishes are some of our favorite ways to use our air fryer. You can use it for frozen shrimp, burger bites or air fryer potato skins.
But don’t forget the basics like air fryer eggs, juicy pork chops, and classic meatloaf!
👉 Get my printable air fryer Cook Times Chart!
I’d love to hear about your experience making this recipe!
Please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom.
Air Fryer Honey-BBQ Pork Belly Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb. pork belly
- 1/3 cup bbq sauce
- 2.5 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Video
Instructions
- Add the bbq sauce, honey, minced garlic, oil, vinegar, and spices to a small bowl. Mix the marinade until fully combined. Set it aside.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the pork belly into 1.5-inch wide strips, then again into square pieces. Transfer the pork pieces to a bowl, then pour the marinade over the pork, mixing to fully coat each piece. Cover the bowl and set it in the refrigerator. Allow the pork to marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 18 hours.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Spray the basket lightly with oil to keep the pieces from sticking. Cook for 18-22 minutes, stopping every 5 minutes to flip the pieces with a plastic-tipped spatula. This helps the pieces to cook evenly. Once the pork belly pieces are crispy on all sides, carefully transfer them to a plate. Serve right away with more bbq sauce for dipping!
Notes
- To absorb some of the rendered fat grease and decrease the chance of smoking, place a piece of bread in the bottom of the air fryer basket before cooking.
- You can prep and marinate the pork belly pieces up to 18 hours in advance.
- During cooking, stop every 5 minutes to flip the pork belly pieces inside the air fryer basket. This will help ensure the pieces are cooked evenly and crispy on all sides.
- You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in the marinade.
- This recipe was created using a 6 qt. air fryer. Work in batches if you’re cooking with a smaller air fryer or cooking larger quantities of pork belly.
