These hearty and quick pork belly bites are addictive: sticky, sweet, and so much quicker to make than regular pork belly recipes.
Making sticky pork belly bites in the pan is probably the fastest way of cooking this cut of pork. Unlike a regular crispy pork belly piece that needs to spend a long time in the oven, today's small pieces have a shorter cooking time; they will be ready in about 15-20 minutes. That's right! Only 15 minutes for super delicious food.
Try more: Marinated Pork Belly, Pork Belly Mac and Cheese, and Pork Belly Fried Rice.
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๐ฅWhy will you love this recipe?
- Flavor: This cut of meat has a rich and savory taste that many people love. When cooked as bites, they become crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, creating a delightful contrast in textures.
- Easy and quick: The bites are fast to cook, taking about 15-20 minutes, which makes them convenient for a speedy meal.
- Good for parties: They're great for gatherings because they're small, easy to eat, and flavorful.
- Versatile: The best part is that you can try different flavors and seasonings to match what you like best and serve the meat with your favorite dipping sauces.
- Affordable: Pork belly is usually inexpensive, so it's a budget-friendly choice for cooking. And it is readily available at any local grocery store.
๐Simple ingredients
Pork belly: It comes from the pig's underside, the belly of the pig, and it's a cut that consists of layers of fat and meat. Choose a piece of pork belly that has as much meat as possible. You can also buy already cut pork belly slices, remove the rind, and cut the slices into strips about as thick as your finger.
- It is more or less the same cut as bacon, but unlike bacon, it's uncured and unsmoked, and the slices are thicker.
- The amount of fat it has keeps the meat moist during cooking; it makes it incredibly rich and delicious but very high in calories. That's why the portions are always relatively small when serving this cut of the pig.
- This recipe (1 lb meat) serves four as an entrรฉe and eight as an appetizer. The portion size might seem small, but it will be enough.
Sauce ingredients: Fresh garlic and ginger, light and dark soy sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, red chili flakes (or cayenne pepper).
๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ณHow to cook pork belly bites in the pan?
Remove the skin. Cut the pork into pieces using a sharp knife. Aim for cubes about 1 ยฝ inches (3 ยฝ cm) in size.
Make the sauce while the meat is cooking.
- Season the meat well with salt and pepper. Rub it well to make sure it is seasoned all over.
- Make the sauce while the meat is cooking. Place the grated ginger and garlic in a small bowl. Add honey, both soy sauce sorts, vinegar, and chili. Use chili to taste. You can also replace it with cayenne pepper. However, cayenne pepper is even hotter; use it carefully. Stir well to combine.
Fry the seasoned cubes for 5 minutes on one side. Flip and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon. Then, carefully discard the fat accumulated in the pan. Caution: the pan is HOT AND HEAVY!
- If the meat gets too brown, reduce the heat to medium and start moving the pieces in the pan lightly.
Return the pieces to the pan and mix them with the sauce.
Stir continuously for 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat until the sauce has reduced and the meat pieces are glossy, sticky, and coated.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion, and serve immediately.
๐ฅVariations
- Use your favorite sauce to coat the cubes.
- Barbecue style: Use a homemade or store-bought BBQ sauce or dry rub to coat the pork belly bites. Add a bit of smoked paprika or liquid smoke for a smoky flavor.
- Korean-inspired: Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and gochujang (Korean chili paste) for a sweet, savory, slightly spicy marinade. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions after cooking.
- Crispy garlic and pepper: Season the pork belly bites with garlic powder, black pepper, and a touch of sea salt or kosher salt for a simple yet flavorful taste.
- Tandori: Use a tandoori spice blend, including cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and yogurt, to season the meat cubes. Serve with cucumber raita.
- Cajun seasoning: Rub these succulent pork belly bites with a homemade or store-bought Cajun spice blend. Or use any other spice rub you like.
Try this Chinese Salted Chicken, too.
โ๏ธExpert Tips
Cut the pork into regular pieces so that they can cook evenly. However, please don't cut them too small; they will shrink as they render their fat.
Fat: Don't add any vegetable oil to the pan; as mentioned above, the pork will render the fat fast, and you will have plenty of fat in the pan. Ensure to discard this fat once the bites are cooked; otherwise, the dish will be unbearably fatty.
Caution: Work carefully when discarding the fat. A cast-iron pan will get very hot (including the handle), and it's very heavy. Ensure you protect your hands and don't accidentally burn yourself with the hot fat.
Use a splatter screen when frying the pork bites. Notice how clean my stovetop was in picture 1 and how fatty it is in image 2. I did use a splatter screen, but I had to remove it to take the pictures; it was enough time for the fat to splatter all over the stovetop.
Don't overcrowd the pan; the pork belly cubes should lie in a single layer. If necessary, cook the meat pieces in two batches.
โRecipe FAQs
Start by patting the meat dry with a paper towel, and then cook it at high heat. This helps to render the fat and make the outside crisp.
Yes. Although they are at their best served immediately, there is a way around that. Cook them partially, then refrigerate or freeze them. Finish cooking or reheat them before serving to maintain their texture and flavor.
Trimming the excess fat before cooking can reduce its overall fattiness. Additionally, cooking at higher temperatures helps render some of the fat, resulting in less greasy meat pieces.
Refrigerate leftover pork belly in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezing: Arrange cooled meat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or container. They stay good for 2-3 months in the freezer.
Reheat in the preheated oven (350ยฐF/175ยฐC) on a baking sheet for about 5 minutes until warmed and crispy.
Pan-Frying: Heat in a non-stick pan with a bit of oil until heated through and crispy.
Air Fryer: Cook at 370ยฐF/185ยฐC for a few minutes, shaking halfway through for even heating.
๐How to serve?
As an appetizer: Stick a skewer into each cube and arrange them all on a large platter. Add some pickles if desired. Or some fresh mango cubes; I love the combination. Arrange a few cubes of pork belly on a small portion of coleslaw or another (colorful) crisp salad on individual small plates.
As an entrรฉe: For a more substantial meal, serve them with Asian noodles or rice and a crisp vegetable salad.
- Potato wedges, mashed potatoes, and baked potatoes are all great on the side.
- My favorite choice is always coleslaw without mayo. Broccoli, beet apple salad, or cauliflower salad is a good match as well.
- How about air-fryer asparagus, pan-fried, or roasted asparagus?
- Roasted vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, peppers, carrots, etc. Or a mix of several roasted vegetables.
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๐ Recipe
Quick Pork Belly Bites
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork belly
- ยผ - ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher
- โ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger grated
- 2 large garlic cloves grated
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes to taste
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Season: Remove the skin. Cut the pork belly into cubes. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and rub to season all over.1 lb pork belly + ยผ - ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt + โ teaspoon black pepper
- Cook: Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan on high heat (Note 1). Fry the pork cubes for 5 minutes on each side. When flipping, reduce the heat to medium-high. If the meat gets too brown, reduce heat to medium (Note 2). Remove the cubes with a slotted spoon. Then, carefully discard the fat accumulated in the pan. (Be careful: a cast-iron pan is very hot and very heavy).
- Sauce: While the meat cooks, make the sauce. Grate the ginger and the garlic. Place them in a small bowl. Add honey, soy sauce, cider vinegar, and chili. Stir well to combine.1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger + 2 large garlic cloves + 2 tablespoons honey + 3 tablespoons light soy sauce + 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce + 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar + 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- Mix: Return the pork belly bites to the pan. Pour the sauce over them. Stir continuously for 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat until the pieces are glossy and coated and the sauce reduces.
- Garnish: Serve immediately, sprinkled with green onions.1 green onion
Notes
- Please don't add any oil to the pan; the pork will render its fat.
- Use a splatter screen.
Jude says
Very quick and easy to make. Tastes just as good and other versions that take much more time.
Adina says
Thank you, Jude, I am so glad you liked the recipe.