Fried Pork Chunks

This is my take on Cuban-style fried pork chunks aka masitas de puerco. These are not traditional but they sure are tasty.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Cuban

Keyword fried pork

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 20

Marinate the pork 1

Total Time 2

Servings

Calories 346kcal

2 pounds Pork Loin cut into 1-2 inch pieces
2 teaspoons Salt plus a pinch or two for the flour and a pinch for the cooked pork chunks
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
¼ teaspoon Cumin
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper plus a pinch for the flour
Juice of 1 Lime plus lime wedges for serving (optional)
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 cup Milk
Oil for frying, enough to cover the bottom of a skillet by ½ inch – we used 2 cups (use a neutral/flavorless oil with a high smoke point, we use canola oil)
Hot Sauce for serving, optional

Add the pork loin pieces to a large bowl. Season with 2 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Then, squeeze the juice of one lime over it. Stir well until the meat is coated with the seasoning.
Cover with a lid or wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, a few hours, up to overnight.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add the flour to a shallow pan or a plate. Season with 1 or 2 pinches of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Stir with a fork.
Next, add the milk to a medium pan or bowl.
Work with 2-4 pieces of pork at a time. Add them to the flour and coat them lightly. Shake off excess.
Then, dip them into the milk. Make sure the entire piece is moist.
Next, place the pork back in the flour, ensure the piece is completely coated, shake off excess. Set on the parchment paper lined pan. Repeat with the rest of the pork.

Pour enough oil in a large, heavy skillet to cover the entire bottom by about a ½ inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Make sure the oil is hot before adding in the pork. Use a test piece to make sure the oil is hot enough. If the oil starts bubbling and makes a gentle sizzle sound, it’s ready to go. The oil should be around 300-325°F.
Also, watch that the oil is not too hot. The coating will brown too quickly, and the pork will not get cooked all the way through.
Add enough pieces to the skillet so they fit comfortably without overlapping or touching. Don’t overcrowd the pan, fry in batches.
Fry the pork for about 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally to brown on all sides. Use tongs to turn the pork so the coating doesn’t flake off.
Remove one of the larger pieces from the oil and place it on a plate or pan. Use an instant read thermometer to take the internal temperature. Make sure it is at least 160°F.
Remove the fried pork chunks and place on a plate or pan. Season them with a small pinch of salt.
Fry the remaining pork chunks. It may be necessary to lower the heat a bit after the first batch.
Serve the fried pork chunks as an appetizer with plenty of lime and hot sauce, or with white rice and black beans, if desired.

For the best results, use parchment paper to prevent sticking. If you lay the flour coated meat directly on a plate or pan the coating could stick.
Discard any leftover flour and milk.
Fry in batches, as a reference we did 3 batches.