Cheesy Pork Figones are small beer-battered rolls of ground pork, bacon, and cheddar, deep-fried until the outside is crisp and the cheese inside has melted. They make 20 pieces from a single cup of ground pork, which means they stretch well as a shared starter or a protein-forward snack that actually fills people up. If you need something hot, handheld, and ready in under an hour, this is a solid option.
Why this recipe works
Two things drive the result here. First, wrapping the ground pork in bacon before battering locks in moisture — the bacon fat bastes the pork from the outside as it fries, so the interior stays juicy rather than dense and dry. Second, the batter rests for 30 minutes before use. That rest lets the gluten relax and the baking powder activate properly, which produces a lighter, crisper shell instead of a thick, doughy one. Skipping the rest is the single most common reason home cooks end up with a heavy coating that slides off.
If something goes sideways
- The rolls unravel in the oil: The toothpick is doing real structural work here. If a roll still loosens, let it sit seam-side down for a minute before battering — the pork will start to bind the bacon in place.
- Batter slides off the roll: The surface needs to be dry before dipping. Pat each roll with a paper towel first. Wet bacon fat repels batter.
- Oil temperature drops and the figones turn greasy: Frying more than 3–4 at a time cools the oil too fast. Keep batches small and give the oil 60–90 seconds to recover between batches.
- Cheese leaks out entirely during frying: The cheese strip should be narrower than the pork layer — if it reaches the edges of the roll, it escapes before the batter sets. Trim it shorter than the bacon strip.
- Pork is still pink at the center: Ground pork must reach 160°F (71°C) internally. If the outside is golden but the center is underdone, lower the oil heat slightly and fry a little longer rather than turning up the heat and burning the batter.
About the ingredients
- Beer in the batter: Any lager works. The carbonation helps the batter puff slightly as it hits the hot oil. A flat beer will give you a denser result. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish.
- Turmeric: It is purely for color, giving the batter a golden tone. The quantity is small enough that you will not taste it. Leave it out if you don’t have it; the flavor won’t change.
- Ground pork: Standard supermarket ground pork (around 20% fat) works well. Very lean pork will produce a drier center. If you want more flavor without changing the recipe structure, a 50/50 mix of ground pork and ground chorizo is a practical upgrade.
- Cheddar: Sharp cheddar melts cleanly and holds its flavor against the bacon. Monterey Jack is a reasonable swap if you want a milder melt. Avoid pre-shredded cheese here — the anti-caking coating interferes with how it melts.
Leftovers and meal prep
Figones are best eaten immediately after frying, but leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Reheat them in an oven or air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes — this brings the batter back to something close to crisp. A microwave will make the coating soft and the cheese rubbery, so avoid it. For meal prep, you can assemble and toothpick the raw rolls up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate them uncovered on a plate; mix the batter fresh on the day you fry. Freeze the raw assembled rolls (before battering) for up to 6 weeks, then thaw fully in the fridge overnight before battering and frying. Pair them with a simple green salad or roasted vegetables and you have a complete meal from a 20-piece batch for 3–4 people.
Cheesy Pork Figones: Crispy Beer-Battered Pork Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
Roll Ingredients
10 slices bacon - cut in half crosswise to make 20 half-strips
1 cup ground pork - minced pork, about 8 oz / 225g
5 slices cheddar cheese - each cut into 4 strips to make 20 strips
Frying Batter Ingredients
2¾ cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK) - about 350g
¼ cup beer - 60ml, lager or pale ale
1 teaspoon olive oil - for batter- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric - for colour- 2 cups olive oil - 475ml, or enough for 2 inches depth, for deep-frying
Instructions
Frying Batter Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, beer, 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt, baking powder, and turmeric. Whisk until smooth with no flour lumps. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. The final consistency should be similar to pancake batter — if it is too thick, add beer or water 1 tablespoon at a time until it coats the back of a spoon.2¾ cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK), 1/4 cup beer, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Rolls Instructions
- Cut each bacon slice in half crosswise to make 20 half-strips. Cut each cheddar slice into 4 equal strips to make 20 cheese strips. Set aside.10 slices bacon, 5 slices cheddar cheese
- Take about 1 tablespoon of ground pork and flatten it slightly. Place a cheese strip on top, then lay a bacon half-strip over the cheese.1 cup ground pork, 10 slices bacon, 5 slices cheddar cheese
- Roll everything up tightly, starting from one short end, and secure each roll with a wooden toothpick pushed through the centre. Repeat to make 20 rolls.
Frying Instructions
- Pour the olive oil into a deep heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat to 350°F / 180°C over medium heat. Use an instant-read thermometer to monitor — the oil should shimmer but must not smoke.2 cups olive oil
- Place the bowl with the batter close to the pan and coat the rolls in batter, one by one, then dip them in the oil.
- Fry the figones in batches of not more than 3 to 4 until golden and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, take them out to a plate covered in kitchen paper to eliminate some of the oil and serve immediately while the coating is crispy and the cheese is melted.
Notes
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I bake these instead of frying them?
Baking will not give you the same result — the batter needs hot oil to set into a crisp shell, and an oven produces a soft, pale coating instead. If you want to reduce oil, an air fryer at 390°F (200°C) for 12–14 minutes gets closer to the fried texture, though the batter won’t be quite as even.
How do I know the pork is cooked through when I can’t see inside?
Use an instant-read thermometer inserted through the end of the roll — ground pork needs to hit 160°F (71°C) at the center. If you don’t have a thermometer, cut one roll open from the first batch to check; there should be no pink and the juices should run clear.
Can I make these ahead for a party?
Assemble the raw rolls the day before and refrigerate them, then fry to order on the day. Fully fried figones can be kept warm on a wire rack in a 250°F (120°C) oven for up to 20 minutes without losing too much crispness, which gives you a workable window when cooking for a crowd.
What to cook next
- Sweet Savory Scotch Eggs
- Crispy Pork Dumpling Delight
- Savory Beef Sausage Rolls
- Golden Colombian Beef Empanadas
