Keto Pork Recipes That Are Surprisingly Easy

Pork does not get the attention beef gets on keto, which is a shame, because cut for cut it might be the more useful protein. Every cut is zero carbs, the fattier ones are ideal for keto, and pork rinds give you a breading trick nothing else can match. The only place pork goes sideways is the sugar that gets added to it before it reaches your cart.

Zero carbs, and every cut works

Plain pork has no carbs, full stop, and that holds across the board. Shoulder (also sold as Boston butt) for pulled pork, chops for a fast weeknight sear, tenderloin when you want something leaner, and belly when you want pure richness. The fattier cuts are a gift on keto because the fat is doing the work your macros need. I lean on shoulder and belly more than the lean cuts for exactly that reason, but there is a pork cut for every kind of dinner.

Pork rinds are a keto cheat code

If you do one thing with pork on keto, make it this. Crushed pork rinds are my secret weapon for breading, and they out-crunch breadcrumbs every single time. Pulse them fine in a food processor and use them anywhere you would have reached for panko: chicken cutlets, pork chops, meatball binder, the crispy topping on a casserole. They fry up shatteringly crisp, they have zero carbs, and they hold that crunch longer than any flour-based coating. Once you switch, dry almond-flour breading starts to feel like a compromise.

The sugar trap

Here is where pork stops being a free pass. Pre-marinated tenderloins, BBQ-sauced ribs, glazed hams, and most grocery-store pulled pork are loaded with added sugar. Barbecue sauce in particular is mostly sugar, and a sweet glaze can add 10g of carbs or more per serving. The fix is simple: buy plain cuts and season them yourself. A dry rub of salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic does everything a sugary marinade does, minus the carbs. If you want sauce, reach for a sugar-free barbecue sauce.

Low and slow for shoulder

Pork shoulder is the most forgiving cut I cook. It wants to go low and slow, and the fat cap bastes the meat from the inside as it renders. Eight hours in the slow cooker on low, or a long stretch in a low oven, turns the connective tissue to gelatin and the whole thing pulls apart with a fork. One thing I never do is drain the juices. I skim the fat off the top, then stir it back in so the pulled pork stays moist instead of drying out the second it hits the plate.