Slow-cooked pork belly with black olives and garlic

Fatty cuts earn their keep on elimination. They are satisfying in a way lean meat is not, and satiety matters on a protocol that asks careful attention to every plate. Pork belly braised slowly in coconut milk turns tender and rich, and the Kalamata olives and garlic cut through with salt and depth. You set it in the morning and come back to dinner.

When an animal gives this much, it is worth a moment of gratitude before you eat. Slow-cooked pork belly is also a source of collagen and the amino acid glycine, both released as the connective tissue breaks down over hours of low heat, the same gut-supporting compounds you look for in a good broth. The coconut milk carries the richness without dairy.

This is a make-ahead, 2-serving dinner that asks 10 minutes of you up front and then leaves you alone.

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork belly, diced
• one 13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp cassava flour, to thicken (arrowroot works in its place)

Method

Put the diced pork belly, coconut milk, olives, garlic, oregano, and salt in the slow cooker. Leave out the cassava flour for now. Stir once, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.

When it is done, lift the meat and olives out with a slotted spoon and set them on a serving dish.

Whisk the cassava flour into the cooking liquid left in the pot for about ten seconds, until it thickens. Pour the thickened sauce over the pork and olives.

Instant Pot variation

You have two paths in the Instant Pot, and you can brown first either way: set the pot to Saute and let the diced pork belly render and color for a few minutes, which deepens the flavor, before you add the rest.

Slow-cook path: add the coconut milk, olives, garlic, oregano, and salt, set the pot to its Slow Cook function on low, and cook for 8 hours, the same as a stand-alone slow cooker.

Faster high-pressure path: add the same ingredients, seal, and cook on high pressure for about 30 to 35 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before releasing the rest. This time is an estimate and untested here; the source confirms a pressure cooker works but did not test the timing.

Either way, finish by lifting out the meat and olives, then whisking the cassava or arrowroot into the cooking liquid to thicken before pouring it over.

*Adapted from asquirrelinthekitchen.com*