Sweet and Spicy Instant Pot Keto Pork Belly

This sweet and spicy instant pot keto pork belly is made with spicy flavours and a hint of sweetness made easily in the instant pot. This is literally an instant pot rendition of my original Sweet Spicy Keto Pork Belly Recipe.

Pork belly is one of those things that many people avoid due to it's high fat content. Plus many people think it's difficult to make but I am going to show you a quick and easy way to make this super delicious sweet and spicy crispy pork belly using the instant pot.

Pork belly will turn out crispy and golden and not make you feel like you are eating a load of blubbery pork belly bites. Making it in the instant pot will also cut down on the amount of time it takes to make this keto pork belly recipe. You might also enjoy this Keto Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites recipe.

What is pork belly?

Pork belly is a fatty cut of pork meat that comes from the belly of a pig.

🥘 Ingredients Used

Pork belly recipes can be made in a variety of ways. I am going to use my original recipe but show you how to make it in the instant pot for an easy keto pork belly recipe.

• Pork Belly: thick cut cubes of pork belly are used to make this recipe
• Chicken Stock: used to add flavour and cook the pork belly until it is tender
• Garlic: adding a nutty flavour to this sweet and spice recipe
• Erythritol: giving it a hint of sweetness that cuts into the spiciness of this dish
• Chili Pepper Flakes: giving the right amount of heat to this recipe without being too spicy
• Tamari Sauce: this sauce can be interchangeable with soy sauce or coconut aminos

👨🏻‍🍳 Steps to make this recipe

How to Cook Keto Pork Belly?

STEP 1: Cut the pork belly strips into one inch cubes and place in the instant pot with the chicken stock or broth, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, erythritol and chopped garlic. Give it a mix and then place lid on instant pot and set to sealing, pressure cook on normal for 15 minutes.

STEP 2: Make the glaze sauce in a medium bowl by combining the salt, ginger, chili flakes, erythritol and tamari sauce. Mix well and set aside.

STEP 3: Allow instant pot to slow release for 10 minutes and then hit that venting switch and allow all the pressure to release. Remove lid and use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork belly to a bowl. Remove the remaining liquids from the pot.

• STEP 4: Set the instant pot to the saute function on normal and add the olive oil to the pot. Transfer the cooked pork belly back to the pot and continue to saute until golden brown (8-10 minutes). Stir often and you might have to play with the saute setting switching from low to normal regularly.

STEP 5: Next add the spicy glaze sauce into the pot and continue to stir until pork belly is well coated. Continue to saute stirring often alternating between low and normal heat. This takes a bit of patience but it's worth it. Please watch the video to see how I made them. Continue to saute for about 2 minutes or until desired crispiness is reached.

STEP 6: Pork belly should be almost brownish red in color. Remove once it has reached the desired colour and crispy skin. Some people like it extra crispy while others do not. Garnish with toasted sesame and chopped parsley.

👨🏻‍🍳 Substitutions and Variations

There are many variations of pork belly from burnt pork belly ends to pork belly sandwiches. Many chinese pork belly recipes make the use of a sticky sweet sauce often made with honey or brown sugar.

• Maple - add a touch of maple with a maple extract to give this recipe a slight molasses flavour
• Sweetener - brown sugar swerve or any other low carb sweeteners can be used in this dish. Monk fruit, allulose or xylitol are a few other options.
• Sauce - I used tamari sauce in this recipe as it has less additives than soy sauce. However, soy or coconut aminos can be used alternatively.

See this Low Carb Hoisin Sauce made with tamari that I used for a Low Carb Hoisin Beef Bowl recipe.

♨️ Top tips and serving suggestions

Top Tip: As the pork belly sautees in the instant pot alternating between low and normal heat is key. Sometimes it seems like low is too low and then normal is too high. Alternating between both temperatures helped to get it to the right crispiness.

Crispy Bits: it may seem like the pork belly is leaving all the crispy bits at the bottom of the pot. Once you add the glaze, scrape all the bits from the bottom. Continue to do so while cooking.

• Serving: pork belly should be served with something lighter like a salad to cut the richness from the meat. A coleslaw or a fresh Panzanella Salad would go well with the pork belly.
• Storage: you can store the completely cooled and cooked pork belly in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in a frying pan. It is not recommended to freeze the cooked pork belly with the spices and sauce.

🥣 Equipment used to make

Here is a list of kitchen equipment I used for this recipe:

• Instant pot
• Slotted Spoon
• Medium Bowls
• Rubber spatula

💭 Frequently asked questions