Slow-Roasted Pork Belly with Collard Greens

Name: Slow-Roasted Pork Belly with Collard Greens
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon onion powder; 1 tablespoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1 tablespoon kosher salt; 1 tablespoon black pepper; 1 (1 ½-pound) piece pork belly; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 medium onion, peeled and diced, about 1 cup; 1 bunch collard greens, stemmed, rolled, and chopped, about 6 cups; 3 to 4 cups chicken stock; 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Estate Dinners

Slow-Roasted Pork Belly with Collard Greens

Print Recipe

The Strategy:

We are demystifying an ingredient often reserved for high-end dining and returning it to its rustic roots. By slow-roasting heavily spiced pork belly under foil, we gently render the thick layers of fat without burning the dark, caramelized crust. Serving these incredibly rich, meltingly tender slices over a bed of slow-simmered, syrupy collard greens creates a brilliant contrast of textures, while a final hit of balsamic vinegar cuts straight through the richness of the plate.

Serves: 6 or more | Total Time: 30 minutes to prep, plus slow cooking

Ingredients

For the pork belly spice rub

1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper

For the pork belly and greens base

1 (1 ½-pound) piece pork belly
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced, about 1 cup
1 bunch collard greens, stemmed, rolled, and chopped, about 6 cups
3 to 4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Ingredients arranged: a massive raw slab of pork belly, a bunch of fresh green collard greens, chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, a yellow onion, and bowls of onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper around a marble prep board.

Instructions

For the pork belly

Mix the onion, garlic, and chili powder with salt and pepper.
Coat the pork belly with this seasoning, reserving about a tablespoon for the collards.
Transfer the pork belly into a baking dish.
Cover with aluminum foil and cook on low heat (about 275° to 300°) until the meat begins to fall apart when poked with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 155°, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Cook the collard greens

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook until soft.
Add the chopped collard greens and stir.
Season with the remaining spice mix.
Add 2 cups of the chicken stock.
Bring the liquid to a boil.
Reduce the heat and cover with the lid.
Continue cooking, adding more liquid as needed to produce soft, syrupy greens.
Before serving, stir in the balsamic vinegar.

Slice and serve

Remove the pork belly from the baking dish and cut into thin slices.
Serve slices of pork belly over a bed of greens. Drizzle on juices from pan.

A cook's hand using a sharp chef's knife to slice through a thick, roasted slab of pork belly on a wooden cutting board, revealing the tender, juicy layers of meat and fat beneath a dark spice crust.

Thing to Note: Pork Belly

We can’t talk about pork without talking about uncured bacon … pork belly, a rich, subtle, and absolutely delicious THING. Although it appears on menus in high-end restaurants, it’s a humble ingredient that’s not as complicated to cook as you think. Give it a try.

The full recipe lives in the Vault

Ingredients, step-by-step method, and every chef-tested detail are reserved for members of the Estate Registry.

Join the Estate Registry

The Heart of the Table

Pork belly is decadent, and slow-cooked collard greens require patience. Serving this deeply traditional, time-intensive meal is a powerful way to show your guests that they are worth your time and effort. It transforms a simple weeknight into a luxurious, deliberate occasion.

8 guests gathered around the table laughing, eating, and drinking red wine in a North Carolina Estate dining room. An individual plate of Slow-Roasted Pork Belly with Collard Greens sits in front of the closest guest.

Neighborly Grace

THE PRESENTATION: Contrast is everything here. Serve a generous mound of the dark, syrupy collard greens in the center of a shallow, wide bowl. Fan three or four thin, crispy-edged slices of the pork belly over the greens, and carefully spoon the rich, rendered pan juices directly over the meat.
THE POUR: The extreme richness of the pork belly and the earthy bitterness of the collards require a wine that can cleanse the palate without getting lost. A bright, acidic Pinot Noir or a slightly chilled, fruit-forward Beaujolais provides the perfect counterpoint.
THE VIBE: Elevated yet deeply comforting. This is an elegant Sunday supper meant for a beautifully set table, good wine, and an appreciation for the slower, finer things.

Chef’s Recommendations

Something to Sop It Up: Buttermilk Biscuits
Chili in the Chocolate: Double Chocolate Chili Brownies
The Rich Side: Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Bread Pudding
The Glass on the Porch: Kentucky Derby Mint Juleps

Slow-Roasted Pork Belly with Collard Greens

Slow-Roasted Pork Belly with Collard Greens

The full recipe lives in the Vault

The Heart of the Table

Neighborly Grace

✨ The Gilded Swaps