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Crispy Roast Pork Belly with Braised Bacon Cabbage
Crispy Roast Pork Belly with Bacon Cabbage, Easy Oven Method for Perfect Crackling
If you love a dinner that feels comforting but still looks impressive on the table, this Crispy Roast Pork Belly with Braised Bacon Cabbage is exactly that. The crackling comes out golden and crisp, the meat stays tender, and the cabbage side dish is buttery and full of flavor without being heavy.
Why You Will Love and Enjoy Crispy Roast Pork Belly with Braised Bacon Cabbage
- The crackling cooks up super crispy without complicated steps.
- The gravy uses your pan juices, so nothing goes to waste.
- The cabbage cooks fast and keeps a fresh crunch.
- The whole meal feels comforting but doesn’t require fancy ingredients.
- Perfect for Sunday meals, holidays, or any day you want real flavor without extra stress.
Crispy Roast Pork Belly with golden crackling served with buttery bacon cabbage, an easy family meal with simple ingredients and bold flavor.
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Crispy Roast Pork Belly
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 80 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 portions depending on size 1x
- Category: Dinner Recipes
- Method: Easy
Description
This roast pork belly comes together with crisp, golden crackling and incredibly tender layers underneath that practically melt when you slice into it, the kind of recipe that feels like comfort and celebration all at once. If you’ve ever wanted to master crackling without stress, this is the one to try.
Ingredients
Pork Belly
- 1 kg pork belly roast, scored
- 1–2 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp rosemary
- 1 tbsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic & herb spice
- 1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
- 5 whole garlic cloves, smashed
Braised Cabbage with Bacon
- 1/2 head cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 4 rashers bacon, diced
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 2–3 tbsp butter
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
Instructions
Pork Belly
- Preheat your oven to 230°C.
- It needs to be properly hot so that crackling forms beautifully.
- Pat the 1 kg pork belly dry with paper towels; don’t skip this part, dry skin means crispy skin.
- Dab the white vinegar across the scored skin and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I usually leave it near the oven, so the warm air helps dry it out.
- Rub 2 tbsp olive oil all over the belly, both the skin and underside.
- Use your hands to sprinkle the thyme, oregano, rosemary, coarse salt, black pepper, and garlic & herb spice.
- Press the seasoning gently into the meat so it sticks.
- In a roasting pan, scatter the onion wedges and 5 smashed garlic cloves. They act like a base, so the pork belly sits above the juices.
- Place the pork belly skin-side up on top of the onions and roast at 230°C for 30 minutes. The skin should start to bubble and blister.
- Reduce the heat to 180°C and roast another 35–40 minutes, until the juices run clear.
- Remove it from the oven and cover loosely with foil.
- Let it rest for approximately 10 minutes.
Quick Gravy
- Place the roasting pan on the stovetop.
- Add a splash of boiling water, scrape up the stuck bits, and taste.
- Mix a little Cornflour with cold water into a thin paste and whisk it into the simmering juices until thickened.
Braised Cabbage with Bacon
- Heat 2–3 tbsp butter in a saucepan.
- Add the chopped bacon and cook until it crisps up.
- Add the diced onion and caraway seeds. Sauté until the onion softens.
- Drop in the shredded cabbage and stir well.
- Cover the pot and cook on low for 5–7 minutes.
- Keep it crisp, don’t cook it into mush.
- Season with salt and white pepper and give it one last stir.
Notes
Created, Prepared, Tried, and Tested by Gail
Make the perfect crispy roast pork belly at home with golden crackling and juicy, tender meat using this easy oven method. Pair it with buttery braised cabbage and bacon for a complete, flavour-packed comfort meal.
Make room on the table because this roast pork belly is about to steal the spotlight with its crispy crackle and juicy layers. It’s one of those dishes that turns a regular dinner into something worth talking about, snapping photos of, and bragging about later. So go on, grab that knife, tap that crackling, and enjoy every crunchy bite!
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It’s one of my favourite dishes
For sure a very good one Joan! Nothing better than a good pork roast