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These crispy air fryer salt and pepper pork bites are the perfect weeknight recipe. Made with pantry staples, these pork bites come together in just 30 minutes!
This simple but delicious recipe is courtesy of my wonderful husband and my need to stock up the freezer. While we were trying to clear out the freezer before our move, he was doing an inventory of the deep freezer and pulled out a bunch of pork butt/shoulder that I had purchased on sale. He ended up making this salt and pepper crispy pork multiple times, as it was so easy to whip up, and the air fryer makes cleaning up a breeze.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It uses pantry staples. It only uses a handful of ingredients to make this air fryer recipe! You really only need 5 ingredients. You’ll be shocked at how flavorful it is, despite the short ingredient list.
- It’s extremely easy to make with the air fryer. Simply coat the pork with salt, pepper, and cornstarch, then let the air fryer work its magic! It’ll crisp them right up. It’s perfect for a busy weeknight meal!
- It reheats well in the fridge, making for an easy meal prep as well!
Ingredients You’ll Need
pork — you’ll need boneless pork butt or shoulder. Ideally, you have a cut with decent marbling, as you want the fat to crisp up in the air fryer.
salt and pepper — you can’t have salt and pepper pork without salt and pepper! You’ll want to season the pork with salt and pepper and then finish off with more.
cornstarch — some cornstarch on the pork pieces will give the pork an extra crispy bite.
oil spray — I use an oil spray to help the pork crisp up instead of coating the pork in oil.
How to Make Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Pork Bites
- Cut the pork into 2-inch long pieces that are approximately half an inch thick. It doesn’t have to be perfect!
- Generously season with salt and pepper (1 teaspoon salt and pepper). Add the cornstarch and toss until coated.
- Add the pork into the air fryer basket in a single layer and spray with oil. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you’ll have to do this in two batches.
- Air fry at 400F for 10 minutes. Give the basket a shake, spray a little more oil, and air fry for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the pork is crispy.
- While still hot, season with additional salt and pepper (the leftover ½ teaspoon salt and pepper).
- Repeat until you’ve air fried all the pork.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- For an extra flavorful crunch, top the pork with some fried garlic or shallots when you serve it!
- I usually serve this with a side of ssamjang and jasmine rice. It also goes well with soy sauce noodles!
- If the pork has moisture on it, pat it dry with a paper towel before seasoning and coating it in cornstarch. Doing this will help the seasoning and cornstarch stick better to the pork.
- If you don’t have cornstarch, you can also use potato starch. I’ve used both and they come out perfect with either!
- Don’t skip shaking the basket and the second spray of oil! This really helps the pork crisp up delightfully.
Make Ahead Tips
- Meal prep: once cooled, store the pork in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat: you can reheat the pork in a microwave or air fryer until warmed through.
- Freezer: allow the salt and pepper pork bites to cool before transferring them into an airtight container before storing them in the freezer. Store for up to 3 months. You can reheat from frozen or thawed, it’ll just take longer if frozen.
Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Pork Bites Recipe
These crispy air fryer salt and pepper pork bites are the perfect weeknight recipe. Made with pantry staples, these pork bites come together in just 30 minutes!
Servings: 5 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork butt or shoulder
- 1½ teaspoon salt, divided into 1 and ½ teaspoons
- 1½ teaspoon pepper, divided into 1 and ½ teaspoons
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- oil spray
Instructions
-
Cut the pork into 2-inch long pieces that are approximately half an inch thick. It doesn’t have to be perfect but try to have them as close to size as possible.
-
Generously season with salt and pepper (1 teaspoon salt and pepper). Add the cornstarch and toss until coated.
-
Add the pork into the air fryer basket in a single layer and spray with oil. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you’ll have to do this in two batches.
-
Air fry at 400°F for 10 minutes. Give the basket a shake, spray a little more oil, and air fry for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the pork is crispy.
-
While still hot, season with additional salt and pepper (the leftover ½ teaspoon salt and pepper). Repeat until you’ve air fried all the pork.
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 816mg | Potassium: 623mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.004g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg
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