Pork belly is one of my favourite cuts of meat. We eat this more often than steak. And if you watch Masterchef, you will probably have noticed that it's growing in popularity. We are fairly lucky in South Africa because pork belly is available easily and relatively cheaply. I usually buy 3kg (6.6 lb) cuts, so they take a while to cook and because they are so big, they are often weirdly shaped. Sometimes they have bone, sometimes cartilage. When I buy the fancy looking, nicely cut ones, they are usually around 800g (1.7 lb) and cook a lot faster.
Before I started keto I had never even heard of pork belly. It has slowly become a staple in our house because, if done right, it can be breakfast, lunch and dinner for a few days. It freezes really well and is super versatile.
There are thousands of ways to cook pork belly, this is simply the way I prefer. It's a very easy recipe but one of my most impressive meals. People keep thanking me for going out of my way to make such fancy food for them. Just be aware that pork belly is quite high in calories, 520 calories per 100g (0.2 lb).
Pork belly meal ideas:
- Sliced pork belly with steamed/roasted veg
- Pulled pork on pumpkin puree/cauliflower mash
- Pork belly and crackling served on sautéed spinach with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce
- Pork belly with asparagus and fried egg
- Pulled pork in a creamy alfredo-type sauce served with zucchini noodles
- Pulled pork served with melted cheese and olives/nuts/cucumber (snack type foods)
- Crispy fried pork belly strips in duck fat (I am dying to try this but I need a sharp knife first)
- Shredded pork belly with stir fried vegetables