Porchetta Roast
This porchetta roast celebrates traditional Italian flavor with fennel, garlic and herbs rolled into layers of tender pork. The crispy skin and juicy meat make every slice a moment worth savoring.
Servings: 12
Equipment
- Mortar and Pestle or Mini Food Processor or Coffee Grinder
- Butcher’s Twine 7 Pieces of 12 to 15 Inches
- Filet Knife or Boning Knife
- Roasting Pan with Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds
- ¼ Teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 Tablespoons cooking oil
- 6 Cloves garlic minced
- 2 Sprigs fresh rosemary chopped leaves only
- 2 Sprigs fresh thyme chopped leaves only
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest
- ½ Cup panko breadcrumbs
- 5 to 6 Pounds pork belly boneless
- 1 Pound pork tenderloin boneless, trimmed and silver skin removed
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper
- 2 to 4 Cups water for the roasting pan
Instructions
Toast the Spices
- In a sauté pan with no oil, add the fennel seeds and chili flakes.
- Toast over medium heat for about 45 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.
- Remove from heat and add to a mortar/pestle and crush into a fine ground mixture.
Sauté the Garlic
- Add the oil to the sauté pan with the garlic.
- Cook for about 1 minute.
Make the Breadcrumb Mixture
- Remove from the heat and add the crushed fennel and chili flakes, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, orange zest and breadcrumbs.
- Mix well using a spatula and set aside.
Prepare the Pork
- Preheat the oven to 500°F, making sure a rack is in the center of the oven.
- Place the pork belly skin side up on a working surface and pat dry using paper towels.
- Using a filet or boning knife, score the skin side in a crisscross pattern.
- Turn the pork belly over and cut ¼-inch deep lines into the meat. This is the center of the roast.
- Season with meat with a teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper, then spread the breadcrumb mixture onto the pork, evenly distributing it and pressing it in.
Roll the Pork
- Place the pork loin lengthwise or parallel in the pork belly.
- Tightly roll the pork belly around the pork loin and tie off with butcher's twine starting at each end then the center, adding more ties in between.
- Pat the pork belly dry again then sprinkle the outside with a tablespoon of kosher salt and rub it into the skin.
- Place the porchetta in a roasting pan with a wire rack.
- Add about 2 cups of water to the pan, making sure it doesn’t touch the roast.
Roast the Porchetta
- Place the roast in the preheated oven then immediately reduce the temperature to 325°F.
- Cook for 2 hours, checking every hour to add more water to the pan if needed.
- After 2 hours, increase the oven temperature to 400°F to crisp the outside of the roast.
- Check the internal temperature; it’s cooked when it reaches 145°F (see notes).
Slice and Serve
- Remove from the oven and rest for 25 minutes before slicing.
- Cut off and discard the twine and carve ½-inch slices.
- Enjoy the porchetta warm with your preferred side dishes.
Notes
Dry the skin: Pat the pork belly thoroughly before and after seasoning to help it crisp properly. It will continue to "sweat" during cooking.
Use a sharp knife: Clean cuts make scoring the skin easier and more precise.
Add water carefully: Keep water in the roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet below the rack so it doesn’t touch the meat.
Open a window: Make sure to open the window and have the stove vent fan on low while cooking this roast; due to the high preheated temperatures and roasting at the end, as well as possibly adding water, the chances of the smoke alarm going off are increased.
Perfect doneness: When the internal temperature is close to 145°F, you can pull the roast from the oven then. The porchetta will continue to “cook” while resting, which will make up the remaining degrees to achieve the recommended 145°F temperature for safe consumption. An instant read thermometer is handy here.
Let it rest: Resting keeps the juices inside and ensures tender slices.
Use a sharp knife: Clean cuts make scoring the skin easier and more precise.
Add water carefully: Keep water in the roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet below the rack so it doesn’t touch the meat.
Open a window: Make sure to open the window and have the stove vent fan on low while cooking this roast; due to the high preheated temperatures and roasting at the end, as well as possibly adding water, the chances of the smoke alarm going off are increased.
Perfect doneness: When the internal temperature is close to 145°F, you can pull the roast from the oven then. The porchetta will continue to “cook” while resting, which will make up the remaining degrees to achieve the recommended 145°F temperature for safe consumption. An instant read thermometer is handy here.
Let it rest: Resting keeps the juices inside and ensures tender slices.
Nutrition
Calories: 1060kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 104g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 49g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 739mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg
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