Popcorn Pork Bites

Crispy, savory, and seasoned popcorn pork bites are perfect little morsels for when you want to indulge in some at home, game-day eats.

Pair them with the velvety cheese sauce for dipping, they’re a winning combination!

Easy Popcorn Pork Bites Recipe

These popcorn bites can be the main player at your event party feast, with other side players like my Buttery Ranch Corn Chips, and Slow Cooker Garlic Ranch Pretzels to serve alongside.

I especially love that they’re so inexpensive to make. The cut of pork we use is on the cheaper side, so when they’re homemade, these tasty appetizer bites come in at a fraction of the cost of other popcorn-bite snacks bought commercially.

Ingredient and Substitution List

The ingredients are pretty straightforward and easy to find at the grocery store. The recipe is super versatile as far as seasonings go, so feel free to experiment, add or subtract anything seasonings you wish.

• Pork Cutlets – I used tenderized pork cutlets. I like them because they’re usually quite inexpensive and perfect to use for these bites. But if you can’t find them specifically, you can also use pork steaks or pork chops. If you’re going to use a pork chop, go for a thicker chop as center-cut (boneless) chops tend to be leaner, and can dry out through the cooking process fairly quickly. The cutlets and pork steaks tend to have more fat, so they’ll stay juicier.
• Flour – All-purpose flour is what I use. I don’t recommend using any other flour (like whole wheat for instance) because the frying may not perform the same as with regular all-purpose.
• Eggs – This helps the flour coating stick to the pork.
• Garlic powder – I prefer to use garlic powder or granulated garlic. I don’t recommend using garlic salt if you’re also using the bouillon powder because that has plenty of salt in it as well.
• Smoked Paprika – I like the hints of smoky flavor this offers, but it’s not imperative to the recipe. Sweet/regular paprika works just fine.
• Onion powder – Same concept here as the garlic powder. Don’t use onion salt, only powder or granulated onion.
• Chicken Bouillon powder – In my opinion, this is a must for the seasoning. I love chicken bullion powder in a lot of different things (like my Seasoned Breadcrumbs Recipe). I like the extra depth of flavor it brings.
• Rosemary and Thyme – Use only dried herbs here. Fresh herbs aren’t as potent and the amount we use in the recipe won’t be detectable.
• Salt and Pepper – Feel free to leave the salt out until serving, that way people can add extra if the salt levels in the boiullion are not enough.
• Oil – For frying. Choose an oil with a high smoke point and something neutral in flavor. My usual choice is avocado oil, but vegetable or grapeseed oil are good choices as well. Do not use Olive oil because the flavors are too delicate and it has a low smoke point.

How To Make This Popcorn Pork Bites Recipe

Prep: Bring the pork cutlets up to room temperature. Leave them out of the fridge for 15 minutes before you begin the recipe because if the pork is cold when you go to fry it, it could burn on the outside before it comes up to temperature and cook through in the center.

Step 1 – Season the Pork. – Season the pork with a teaspoon of all the seasonings. Set aside while you prepare the coating. Get your oil heating in a deep frying pan (or deep fryer) to reach 350F.

Step 2 – Prepare the Coating. – Add the flour and seasonings together. I like to add them to a large ziplock bag because they’re easy to mix up, and it makes coating the pieces very easy.

Step 3 – Create the Seasoning Station. – Beat the eggs, and pour it into a shallow dish. Lay the flour mixture next to the beaten egg and place an empty plate next to the seasoned flour to hold the coated pieces of pork.

Step 4 – Coat the Pork. – Cut the pork into cubes. Drop the cubes into the floured mixture in batches. (I find 3-4 pieces at a time is perfect). Lightly shake the pork pieces in the bag.

Step 5 – Egg Wash. – Take the lightly coated pieces and dip them into the egg wash, then back into the seasoned flour for a second coating. Set on the tray to wait until you’ve done all the pieces.

Step 6 – Frying. – When all the pieces are done and the oil comes to temperature, slowly fry the pork pieces in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Also, adding too many pieces to the pan at once can bring down the temperature of the oil, making the fried pork bites greasy.

Remove the pork popcorn when the coating is golden brown and the inside has a temperature of 145F. Place them on paper towel lined trays to absorb any extra grease.

***All the exact ingredient amounts and detailed cooking instructions with notes are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post

Serving

Try serving these little golden nuggets of happiness with processed cheese (nacho-type cheese), honey mustard, or your favorite barbeque sauce for dipping.

If these are an appetizer, serve them just as with some napkins, or, make them into a fun pub meal by adding some french fries or onion rings. If you’d like to add some freshness to the mix, this Creamy Cucumber and Tomato Salad, Pickled Beets or Shredded Carrot, Raisin and Pineapple Salad would pair wonderfully with the fried pork bites.

To reheat any leftovers you might have, the microwave can make quick work of it, but they may not be as crispy as when freshly made. To re-crisp them, place them in a hot oven for a few minutes, or reheat in the air fryer.

I don’t recommend trying to freeze cooked pork bites. When they thaw the coating and texture of the bites could be offputting.

Have you made this Popcorn Pork Bites recipe? I’d love to hear what you thought about it, or if you switched it up in any way! Please leave me a comment and star rating in the recipe card or in the comment section below.

I really hope you have a fantastic day, and thank you so much for stopping by The Salty Pot. -Joanne

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Popcorn Pork Bites

Yield: 15 pieces

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Super easy and tasty appetizer. Excellent for game day!

Print

Ingredients

• 3 Tenderized pork cutlets
• 2 C Flour
• 2 Eggs, whisked
• 2 tsp Chicken bouillon
• 2 tsp Garlic powder, divided
• 2 tsp Thyme, divided
• 2 tsp Onion powder, divided
• 2 tsp Smoked Paprika, divided
• 2 tsp Seasoned salt, divided
• 2 tsp Pepper, divided
• 2 tsp Rosemary, divided

Instructions

1. Season the pork cutlets using 1 tsp of all seasonings and herbs listed above.
2. Preheat your deep fryer, OR, heat enough oil in a heavy skillet so that the oil is approximately 1 ½ “deep, to approximately 350.
3. As the oil is heating, place the flour in a plastic bag and add the remaining seasonings listed above. Mix well
4. Cube the cutlets into 1-inch pieces.
5. Working in small batches, shake pieces of the pork cubes in the seasoned flour.
6. Then dip them in the whisked egg, and put them back into the flour for a second coating.
7. Slowly, drop the pork pieces into the oil, again, working in small batches so as not to crowd the frying space.
8. Cook the pork until it is golden brown, approximately 8 minutes.
9. Place the pieces into a bowl lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
10. Serve with a processed cheese sauce, a ranch sauce, or any dipping sauce you might enjoy.

Notes

It's a good idea to bring the pork cutlets out of the fridge 15 minutes before starting to prep the recipe.
If you're concerned about salt intake, then leave the salt out of the recipe until serving time. The chicken bouillon has salt in it.
When frying the pork pieces, do not crowd the pan because it will lower the temperature of the oil, possibly making the end result greasy.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 15 Serving Size: 5
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 107Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 294mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 5g

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.

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