Embark on a culinary adventure to the bustling streets of China with our tantalizing recipe for low-carb crispy Chinese pork belly paired with spicy cabbage. This dish is a celebration of bold flavors and textures, with succulent pork belly coated in a crispy, caramelized exterior infused with the warm spices of five-spice powder and tangy rice vinegar.
Complementing this is a side of spicy cabbage, featuring tender green cabbage sautéed to perfection with garlic, rice vinegar, and fiery chili paste. Together, these elements create a harmonious symphony of taste that will transport your taste buds to the heart of Asia.
As you sink your teeth into the tender yet crispy pork belly, you’ll be greeted by layers of flavor that dance on your palate — smoky, sweet, and tangy all at once. Paired with the fiery kick of the spicy cabbage, this dish offers a tantalizing contrast of textures and tastes that is as satisfying as it is memorable. Whether you’re a fan of Asian cuisine or simply looking to add a bit of excitement to your dinner table, our crispy pork belly with spicy cabbage is sure to pack a punch!
Yields 6 servings of Chinese Keto Pork Belly with Spicy Cabbage
The Preparation
Pork Belly
- 28 ounce pork belly
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup coarse salt
Spicy Cabbage
- 20 ounce green cabbage
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sambal olek, or any chili garlic paste
- salt and pepper, to taste
The Execution
1. Gather and prep all ingredients. Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels.
2. Place the pork belly skin-side up on a cutting board. Score the skin using a sharp paring or chef’s knife. Try your best to cut through the skin, leaving the fat and meat untouched. Make cuts 1/4 – 1/2 inch apart, as this will create crispy crackling.
3. Flip the pork belly so that the meat is facing up. Brush with vinegar, then season with spices and salt (leaving a big portion of salt for the skin).
4. Wrap a baking dish or tray in aluminum foil, then place the pork belly skin-side up. Fold the foil around the edges of the pork, covering the sides completely. Place the baking dish or tray in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. This will help dry the skin out and make it crispy when cooked.
5. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400F. Sprinkle the coarse salt over the skin, creating an even layer of salt over it. Bake until a thermometer shows the meat portion at 160F, or about an hour.
6. Once the meat is at 160F, remove the pork from the oven. Pour any rendered fat and juice out to save for soups/stocks if desired. Scrape salt off the skin of the pork, then place the pork in a new baking dish or tray. Switch the oven to broil and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until the skin is golden brown, bubbling, and crisp.
7. Remove the pork from the oven and let rest while preparing the cabbage. Rinse cabbage, then chop coarsely.
8. Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter, then add in the cabbage, garlic, sambal olek, and salt and pepper to taste. Fry until the cabbage is soft and golden, stirring often.
9. Slice pork belly and serve alongside the cabbage. Enjoy!
This makes a total of 6 servings of Chinese Keto Pork Belly with Spicy Cabbage. Each serving comes out to be 440 calories, 31g fats, 4.1g net carbs, and 32.2g protein.
| NUTRITION | CALORIES | FAT | CARBS | FIBER | NET CARBS | PROTEIN |
| 28.00 ounce pork belly | 2318 | 170.74 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 182.65 |
| 1.00 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar | 3 | 0 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.01 | 0 |
| 1.00 tablespoon chinese five-spice powder | 19 | 0.62 | 4.27 | 2.28 | 1.99 | 0.7 |
| 1.00 teaspoon salt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0.33 cup kosher salt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20.00 ounce green cabbage | 142 | 0.34 | 32.89 | 14.17 | 18.71 | 7.2 |
| 1.00 tablespoon butter | 102 | 11.51 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.01 | 0.12 |
| 2.00 teaspoon fresh garlic | 8 | 0.03 | 1.87 | 0.12 | 1.75 | 0.36 |
| 1.00 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar | 3 | 0 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.01 | 0 |
| 2.00 tablespoon chili-garlic paste | 44 | 2.88 | 2.19 | 0.18 | 2.01 | 2.34 |
| 0.00 none salt and pepper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 2639 | 186.1 | 41.3 | 16.8 | 24.5 | 193.4 |
| Per Serving (/6) | 440 | 31.0 | 6.9 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 32.2 |
Chinese Keto Pork Belly with Spicy Cabbage
Ingredients
Pork Belly:
- 28 ounce pork belly
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup coarse salt
Spicy Cabbage:
- 20 ounce green cabbage
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sambal olek or any chili garlic paste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Gather and prep all ingredients. Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels.
- Place the pork belly skin-side up on a cutting board. Score the skin using a sharp paring or chefs knife. Try your best to cut through the skin, leaving the fat and meat untouched. Make cuts 1/4 - 1/2 inch apart, as this will create crispy crackling.
- Flip the pork belly so that the meat is facing up. Brush with vinegar, then season with spices and salt (leaving the big portion of salt for the skin).
- Wrap a baking dish or tray in aluminum foil, then place the pork belly skin-side up. Fold the foil around the edges of the pork, covering the sides completely. Place the baking dish or tray in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. This will help dry the skin out and make it crispy when cooked.
- When ready to cook, pre-heat oven to 400F. Sprinkle the coarse salt over the skin, creating an even layer of salt over it. Bake until a thermometer shows the meat portion at 160F, or about an hour.
- Once the meat is at 160F, remove the pork from the oven. Pour any rendered fat and juice out to save for soups/stocks if desired. Scrape salt off the skin of the pork, then place pork in a new baking dish or tray. Switch the oven to broil and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until the skin is golden brown, bubbling, and crisp.
- Remove pork from the oven and let rest while preparing the cabbage. Rinse cabbage, then chop coarsely.
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter, then add in the cabbage, garlic, chili garlic paste and salt and pepper to taste. Fry until the cabbage is soft and golden, stirring often.
- Slice pork belly and serve alongside the cabbage. Enjoy!
