Low Carb Dinner: Pork Belly with Braised Cabbage Recipe

Rich pork belly on a bed of soft braised cabbage is old-world low carb cooking. The kind of meal your great-grandmother would have made — and she was onto something.

Cook 80 min Difficulty NORMAL 540 kcal
#low carb #diabetic friendly
Image coming soon
Ingredients
Main ingredients
  • pork belly slab, skinless 2 lbs
  • green cabbage, shredded 1.5 lbs
  • yellow onion, thinly sliced 1 large
  • garlic, minced 4 cloves
Seasonings/Sauce
  • olive oil 2 tbsp
  • chicken broth (low sodium) 1 cup
  • apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp
  • caraway seeds 1 tsp
  • kosher salt 1 tsp
  • black pepper, freshly ground 0.5 tsp
Nutrition summary
Carbohydrates 11 g 8%
Protein 22 g 16%
Fat 44 g 76%
Serving size 310g
Cooking steps
  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pat the pork belly dry and season all sides with half the kosher salt and black pepper. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

  2. 2

    Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add olive oil and sear the pork belly, fat side down first, until deeply golden, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove pork belly and set aside.

  3. 3

    Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onion and cook until softened and lightly caramelized, 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute.

  4. 4

    Stir in the shredded cabbage, remaining salt and caraway seeds. Deglaze with apple cider vinegar, then pour in chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits.

  5. 5

    Nestle the pork belly on top of the cabbage. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and braise in the oven for 1 hour. Uncover and cook for 40 minutes more, basting the pork occasionally and allowing the top to crisp.

  6. 6

    Remove from oven; let rest 10 minutes. Slice the pork belly and serve atop braised cabbage, spooning pan juices over each portion.

Personalized Q&A
Q. What's the key ingredient in this recipe?
The core ingredient is pork belly, which provides rich flavor and tender texture when slowly braised. It pairs beautifully with the sweet and earthy cabbage, a classic low carb combination.
Q. How do I ensure the pork belly is perfectly cooked and not tough?
Searing the pork belly first over medium-high heat develops flavor, and then braising it gently, covered and partially uncovered, ensures the meat turns out meltingly tender without drying out. Allowing a 10-minute rest after cooking helps retain moisture.
Q. What gives the cabbage its depth of flavor?
The combination of onion, garlic, caraway seeds, and apple cider vinegar adds layers of flavor to the braised cabbage, while the pork drippings enrich it during the slow cooking process.
Q. How many calories and carbs are in each serving?
Each serving contains approximately 540 kcal and just 11g of carbohydrates, making it well suited for low carb and diabetic-friendly meal plans.
Q. What are the protein, fat, and carb ratios in this dish?
This recipe provides about 22g protein (16% of calories), 44g fat (76% of calories), and 11g carbs (8% of calories) per serving, centering fat for satiety while keeping carbs low.
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