Roasted pork belly with creamed pointed cabbage
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs 1.1 kg pork belly
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ½ tsp cloves
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 (4 oz.) 1 (110 g) yellow onionyellow onions
- 1 1 appleapples (optional)
- 2 lbs 900 g pointed cabbagepointed cabbages
- 2 oz. 55 g butter
- 1 cup 240 ml heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp cream cheese
- salt and pepper
Per serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Dry the pork with paper towel or a clean kitchen towel. The skin should be very dry. If you want it extra-crispy, you should let the meat sit uncovered in the fridge overnight.
- Using a sharp knife, score the skin and fat but be careful not to cut the meat.
- Grind spices and mix with salt. Rub mixture all around the pork belly, making an effort to get some of the rub into each score. Drizzle olive oil on top and rub in.
- Place the meat skin side down in a greased baking dish. Bake on a lower rack for about two hours, depending on thickness. Use a thermometer and let the internal temperature reach 180°F (80°C) before you remove the pork from the oven.
- While the pork is baking, slice onion and optional apple.
- Lift up the meat and place on a clean dish. Put the sliced onion and apple in the middle of the baking dish. Place the meat on top with the skin side up.
- Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and place the dish back in the oven for 30 minutes or until until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Let the meat rest for a couple of minutes before you slice and serve it.
- While the meat is baking, prepare the cabbage. Divide lengthwise and remove the core. Slice coarsely.
- Fry the cabbage over medium heat in butter until soft but not brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add cream and cream cheese and stir. Lower the heat and let simmer until the cream is slightly thickened.
- Serve slices of crispy roasted pork with the creamed cabbage; the baked onion and apple slices are optional (but delicious) additions.
Tips
If you don't have pointed cabbage, regular cabbage is fine! You can prepare the cabbage ahead of time and just warm and serve when the meat is done. It's a perfect way to enjoy your guests instead of focusing on the meal.
The apple does have some sugar in it, and onions contain some carbs. To make this dish more strictly keto, just leave the apples and/or onions in the pan after roasting the pork.
You may use red cabbage, but it will have more carbs per serving than pointed cabbage.