Take slices of pork belly, marinate them in a mixture of Chinese spices, then cook them in the air-fryer for the most succulent and tender pork belly you have ever tasted! These Chinese-style air fryer pork belly bites will have you licking your fingers off!
This is my second Chinese recipe in a week! I can sense a theme emerging! In case you missed it, here's the previous recipe - yummy Kung pao prawns with cashews.
Sometimes I just get a craving for Chinese meals - I love the complex flavours of Chinese food. Hubby, on the other hand, is more of an Indian-flavour man and he prefers curries. I think this easy lamb curry has to be his favourite. But even he enjoyed these tasty pork belly bites.
I based the marinade for the pork belly bites on my Chinese-style pork spare ribs which are just as tasty, but these are baked in the oven and take a bit longer to tenderise.
And that's what I love about these pork belly bites cooked in the air-fryer. They take next to no time to cook to tender perfection. I have to say, I was a bit dubious about cooking pork belly in the air fryer - I thought the pork would be tough and chewy. But I was wrong - it was tender and succulent and packed with amazing flavours. It was absolutely on par with my twice-cooked pork belly with a sticky glaze which is just as tender, but takes much longer to make.
If you're a fan of Chinese cuisine, I think you're going to love this recipe. It takes no time at all to cook, and it will make the perfect addition to your Chinese buffet banquet. The marinade is flavoured with hoisin sauce, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, tomato and 5-spice powder which combine to give a perfect blend of salty, sweet, sour and spicy.
The marinade is mixed with a little cornflour (for thickening) and half a cup of chicken stock to make a thick glaze or sauce which is just sufficient to coat the pork pieces.
I served the pork bites with buttered corn and rice, but they will be just as good served with Chinese egg fried rice or even Chinese stir-fried noodles with beansprouts.
Let me show you how to make air fryer pork belly bites. It won't take long!
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Ingredients
I like to serve these pork belly bites as a starter and there will be more than sufficient for 4 people. If you add a dish of vegetable lo-mein there will be sufficient for 4 people as a well-balanced main meal.
- Pork belly slices - I like to buy the thick pork belly slices and remove any rind before using them in this recipe. You can leave the rind on if you prefer but due to the marinade it won't be very crispy.
- Hoisin sauce - this has a slightly sweet and tangy taste. You can substitute with barbeque sauce.
- Dark soy sauce - adds a slightly salty taste.
- Chinese 5-spice powder - this is a blend of spices, normally comprising cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves and ginger. Not all 5-spice blends are created equal - the one I prefer to use here in the UK is made by Schwartz as I find this provides a nicely balanced flavour.
- Honey - for a touch of sweetness.
- Tomato ketchup - adds more tang.
- Vinegar - for tartness and to balance out the sweetness of the honey. I like to use white rice wine vinegar.
- Ginger and garlic - you can use finely minced fresh ginger and garlic, or use ginger and garlic paste from a jar.
- Oil - just a small amount of sunflower oil. The pork will be cooked in the air fryer so you won't need much - just enough to stop the meat from drying out.
- You will also need some cornflour and chicken stock to form the gravy. You may know cornflour as white cornstarch. There isn't a lot of gravy in this recipe - just sufficient to glaze the pork bites.
- I like to garnish the pork belly bites with finely chopped spring onions or sesame seeds, but this is optional.
**You can find the exact ingredient quantities on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Instructions
Before cooking the pork belly, preheat the air fryer to 180C/350F for 5 minutes.
Step 1: Combine all the marinade ingredients except the cornflour and stock in a shallow dish. Using a sharp knife remove the rind from the meat and submerge the pork rashers in the marinade. Leave to stand for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Arrange the pork in a single layer in the air fryer basket of a preheated air fryer. Reserve the marinade to make the sauce.
Step 3: Set the air fryer to 180C and fry for 10 to 12 minutes per side.
Step 4: As soon as the pork is cool enough to handle, cut it into bite-sized pieces and place it in a silicone liner. Stir the cornflour and stock into the reserved marinade and pour it over the pork pieces.
Step 5: Cook at 180C for a further 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Taste and season with salt if necessary.
Serve hot with rice or noodles.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your pork belly bites turn out perfectly every time:
- I would recommend cutting the rind off the pork as the rind can become chewy after being in the marinade. Simply use a sharp knife and cut the thin layer of rind away, leaving the layer of underlying fat on the meat.
- Allow the meat to marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking. You can leave it up to overnight in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- The actual cooking time will depend on the thickness of your pork rashers. My rashers were about half an inch thick and I cooked each side for 10 minutes - thicker rashers will take one or two minutes longer.
- When adding the cornflour and stock to the marinade stir well to remove any lumps of cornflour, then stir it into the pork pieces to coat them.
- Do remember to stir the pork pieces halfway through the final cooking time so that the marinade can thicken properly. If you don't stir it, the cornflour may sink to the bottom of the dish and turn lumpy.
- I find the sauces that are used in the marinade add sufficient seasoning. Depending on the brands you use you may find you need to add a little salt to the finished dish.
Variations
If you would like a more spicy version, add a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes to the marinade.
This dish can also be made using whole chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs. If you use chicken to make this recipe you should reduce the cooking time to 8 minutes per side and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into pieces.
The internal temperature of cooked chicken is 165F or 74C.
Equipment
I used a Cosori air fryer with a removable basket to cook these pork belly bites. You could use an air fryer oven instead but then you would have to place the pork and marinade in a suitable container for the final step.
Storage
Pork belly bites can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow them to come to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container.
To use, let them defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat them in a silicone liner in the air fryer at 180C for 5 minutes. You can also reheat them in a frying pan on the stove on moderate heat, stirring often so they don't stick, until piping hot.
You can store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat as above.
FAQ
While pork belly is well used in Chinese cuisine, pork belly bites aren't a traditional dish on their own. However, this dish is inspired by classic Chinese flavours such as hoisin, soy sauce, and 5-spice powder.
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📋The recipe
Air fryer pork belly bites - Chinese style
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
- Bowl to marinate
Ingredients
- 1 pound / 450 grams pork belly slices approximately 4 slices
Marinade / sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste finely minced
- ½ teaspoon ginger paste
- 2 teaspoons sunflower or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- ½ cup / 120 ml cold chicken stock make it with a stock cube
- Salt optional and to your own taste
Instructions
- Combine all the marinade ingredients except the salt, cornflour and stock in a shallow dish.2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon garlic paste, ½ teaspoon ginger paste, 2 teaspoons sunflower or vegetable oil
- Using a sharp knife remove the rind from the meat and submerge the pork rashers in the marinade. Leave to stand for 30 minutes.1 pound / 450 grams pork belly slices
- Preheat the air fryer and once hot, arrange the pork in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Reserve the marinade to make the sauce.
- Step 3: Set the air fryer to 180°C / 355°F and fry for 10 to 12 minutes per side.
- As soon as the pork is cool enough to handle, cut it into bite-sized pieces and place it in a silicone air fryer liner.
- Stir the cornflour and stock into the reserved marinade and pour it over the pork pieces.2 teaspoons cornflour, ½ cup / 120 ml cold chicken stock
- Cook at 180C for a further 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Taste and season with salt if necessary.Salt
- Serve hot with rice or noodles. For a more substantial meal (to serve as a main) add a dish of stir-fried vegetables.
Notes
- I would recommend cutting the rind off the pork as the rind can become chewy after being in the marinade. Simply use a sharp knife and cut the thin layer of rind away, leaving the layer of underlying fat on the meat.
- Allow the meat to marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking. You can leave it up to overnight in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- The actual cooking time will depend on the thickness of your pork rashers. My rashers were about half an inch thick and I cooked each side for 10 minutes - thicker rashers will take one or two minutes longer.
- When adding the cornflour and stock to the marinade stir well to remove any lumps of cornflour, then stir it into the pork pieces to coat them.
- Do remember to stir the pork pieces halfway through the final cooking time so that the marinade can thicken properly. If you don't stir it, the cornflour may sink to the bottom of the dish and turn lumpy.
- I find the sauces in the marinade add sufficient seasoning. Depending on the brands you use you may find you need to add a little salt to the finished dish.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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VJ
This recipe delivers the most succulent and juicy pork with amazing Chinese flavours.