Step 1

Mix together the brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes in a medium-sized bowl.

Step 2

Cut the bacon strips in half for a proper pork jowl size to better fit in the air fryer.

Step 3

Then lay the bacon out on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 4

Generously drizzle the maple syrup over the bacon strips.

Step 5

Next, spread a generous amount of the brown sugar seasoning on the bacon.

Step 6

Transfer the bacon to your air fryer basket or air fryer tray.

Step 7

Air fry at 350 degrees F for 8-9 minutes (8 minutes for soft bacon and 9 minutes for crunchy bacon).

Step 8

Place the cooked pork jowls on a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet to cool for about 5 minutes. The bacon will continue to get crispy as it cools.

Step 9

Repeat the above steps until all the bacon is air-fried, as it’s not likely that it will all fit in the air fryer in one batch.

Step 10

Serve Black folks pork jowls with cornbread, collard greens, and black-eyed peas or Hopin John, and enjoy!