Crispy-rendered pork belly glazed with tangy, sugar-free BBQ, served in cool butter lettuce cups with cucumber, scallion, sesame and a squeeze of lime for bright contrast.
Sticky, Crispy Pork Belly Lettuce Cups
Crispy-rendered pork belly gets a tangy, sugar-free BBQ glaze and is piled into cool butter lettuce with cucumber, scallion and a squeeze of lime for a perfect sweet-savory contrast.
If you love the drama of BBQ but want to skip the sugar and carbs, these lettuce cups are the solution: deeply savory, crackly-edged pork belly glazed with a tang-forward, sugar-free sauce and served in cool butter lettuce for a refreshing bite. The contrast—silky pork fat that crisps at the edges, bright cucumber crunch, and the pop of green onion—makes every hand-held cup feel celebratory without a lot of fuss.
The method is intentionally simple so the pork can do the heavy lifting. Pat the belly dry, slice into 1/2-inch pieces, and toss with the tamari–apple cider vinegar–garlic glaze (hold back a few spoonfuls to finish). Roast the pieces on a wire rack inside a rimmed sheet so the fat renders and the edges brown; flip once halfway through and let the smoked paprika, salt and pepper form that coveted crust.
Assembly is fast: layer butter lettuce leaves, cucumber ribbons, sliced scallions and a sprinkle of toasted sesame; top with the pork and brush with the reserved glaze. A quick squeeze of lime brightens the richness and keeps each mouthful lively. These are great for a low-carb weeknight dinner, easy entertaining, or a make-ahead protein you re-crisp in a hot oven before serving.
Little tips: a light toss in avocado oil helps the seasoning cling, and if you roast the pork ahead, warm it briefly in a hot skillet or oven to re-crisp the edges. The result is sticky, smoky, and refreshingly balanced—BBQ satisfaction, lettuce-cup style.
Ingredients
How to Make BBQ Pork Belly Lettuce Cups
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels and cut into 1/2-inch thick strips or bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl combine the sugar-free BBQ sauce, tamari, apple cider vinegar and minced garlic; reserve 3 tablespoons of this glaze for finishing and use the remainder to toss the pork so pieces are well coated.
- Arrange the pork pieces on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet (fat side up if applicable); sprinkle smoked paprika, salt and black pepper evenly over the pork.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until most of the fat has rendered and edges are lightly browned.
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer roasted pork to the skillet and sear 2–3 minutes per side until deeply browned and edges are crisp, then add the reserved 3 tablespoons glaze and toss 1 minute to caramelize.
- While the pork finishes, rinse and pat the butter lettuce leaves dry, thinly slice the cucumber, and thinly slice the green onions on the diagonal.
- Assemble lettuce cups by placing 2–3 pieces of pork in each leaf, topping with cucumber and green onion, then sprinkling with sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime.
- Let pork rest 2–3 minutes if needed, then serve immediately so the cups stay crisp and the pork remains warm and saucy.
Recipe Card
BBQ Pork Belly Lettuce Cups
Crispy-rendered pork belly glazed with tangy, sugar-free BBQ, served in cool butter lettuce cups with cucumber, scallion, sesame and a squeeze of lime for bright contrast.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels and cut into 1/2-inch thick strips or bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl combine the sugar-free BBQ sauce, tamari, apple cider vinegar and minced garlic; reserve 3 tablespoons of this glaze for finishing and use the remainder to toss the pork so pieces are well coated.
- Arrange the pork pieces on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet (fat side up if applicable); sprinkle smoked paprika, salt and black pepper evenly over the pork.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until most of the fat has rendered and edges are lightly browned.
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer roasted pork to the skillet and sear 2–3 minutes per side until deeply browned and edges are crisp, then add the reserved 3 tablespoons glaze and toss 1 minute to caramelize.
- While the pork finishes, rinse and pat the butter lettuce leaves dry, thinly slice the cucumber, and thinly slice the green onions on the diagonal.
- Assemble lettuce cups by placing 2–3 pieces of pork in each leaf, topping with cucumber and green onion, then sprinkling with sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime.
- Let pork rest 2–3 minutes if needed, then serve immediately so the cups stay crisp and the pork remains warm and saucy.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 5
- Saturated Fat
- 32
- Sodium
- 1100
- Fiber
- 1
- Unsaturated Fat
- 63
- Protein
- 16
- Fat
- 95
- Cholesterol
- 120
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 960
- Sugar
- 1.5