Porchetta Style Roast Pork Recipes

PORCHETTA (AUTHENTIC ITALIAN PORK ROAST)

Steps:

• Open the piece of pork onto the butcher paper or clean countertop, skin side down.
• Sprinkle generously with the salt, then work the salt into the pork.
• Next, add the rosemary. We used fresh rosemary as I have a bush in my garden. Rub it and crush it between your fingers to release the oils.Add the freshly ground black pepper all over the porchetta. Now add the fennel pollen. Sprinkle evenly over the pork, but save a little of the pollen for after the porchetta has been rolled.
• Roll it tightly, but as you roll it, sprinkly some salt onto the unseasoned pork. Continue rolling until you reach the end.
• Keeping the seam side down, start tying the pork. Another pair of hands will make this part immensely easier. There's no need for fancy ties or sailors' knots, just wrap, double knot and cut.
• Repeat every few inches. The goal is only to keep the porchetta closed, so don't tie it too tightly, either. As you can see, ours is far from perfect, but unless you're serving the Queen of England, it won't matter.
• Turn the roast seam side up and add more seasonings, including the rest of the fennel pollen to the non-skin parts of the pork which are exposed (including the ends).
• Place seam side down on a rack on a roasting pan or baking tray. Cover the ends with aluminum foil and secure with toothpicks.
• Drizzle with olive oil and rub all over the skin with your hands. Sprinkle with more salt and rosemary.
• Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
• Place in the hot oven when it comes to temperature and roast for 1 hour, then lower the temperature to 350°F (170°C) and continue to cook for about another 2 hours. Check the center of the roast when it reaches 170°F (76°C) remove from the oven. Take the foil off the ends and place on top of the porchetta, and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
• Using a sharp knife, remove one or two of the pieces of twine. Cut into slices and serve on crusty Italian rolls, or bread, Italian style!

EASY PORCHETTA

Steps:

• *See step-by-step pictures in blog post for visual reference.If using a pork belly: Lay it skin side down and rub the top side down with the seasonings. Then roll up the belly and tie it with twine to secure it. If using a roast: Lay the roast down and make several cuts into it lengthwise leaving the meat attached at the one side. Each slice should be roughly 1/2 inch or so thick. (Think of the pork roast looking like a book with "pages" of sliced meat that are attached at the binding.) Rub down the exterior of the roast with the salt as well as inside each layer.Note: With a well-marbled roast you won't be able to get precise slices and that's okay, just do your best and rub the spices/herbs in the crevices.
• Fold open the first slice/layer and generously sprinkle with the fennel, pepper, herbs, lemon zest and garlic. Continue to fold over the slices and sprinkle the spices/herbs between each slice. Rub down the exterior of the roast with some of the crushed fennel and pepper.Use kitchen twine to tie the roast.At this point you can cover and chill the roast until you're ready to cook it. It's a great make-ahead dish and can be prepared a day ahead.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Place a tablespoon or two of oil in a large heavy skillet (I prefer cast iron for this) and heat the skillet on the stove. When it's good and hot place the roast in the skillet. It should sizzle and sputter.Use hot pads to carefully lift the hot skillet and place it on the middle rack of the oven. Roast for 1 hour and then, moving quickly to avoid too much heat escaping, turn the roast over and continue to cook for another hour. If the roast seems dry and the pan juices have evaporated add 1/4cup or so of broth or water to the bottom of the skillet.Turn the roast over a final time and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 185 F if using pork belly or 145-150 F if using a pork roast.The roast should be beautifully browned and caramelized.Remove the porchetta from the skillet, place on a platter and tent with foil for a few minutes.Note: If you like you can make a delicious pan sauce from the drippings in the skillet. Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium high heat, pour in a little white wine and whisk to scrape the bits off the bottom of the skillet. Add a little broth or water and simmer for a few minutes.
• Enjoy the porchetta sliced and served with the pan sauce spooned over it along with mashed potatoes or polenta and vegetables.Or slice the porchetta and serve it on crispy Italian bread for sandwiches. This makes great leftovers!To reheat leftovers: Place the sliced porchetta in a covered microwave-safe dish to retain the moisture and microwave until heated through.

PORCHETTA PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Score skin and fat all over pork, taking care not to cut down to the meat.
• In a food processor or mortar and pestle, combine fennel fronds, rosemary, sage, garlic, lemon zest, salt, fennel seed, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Pour in oil. Pulse or mash until it forms a paste. Rub all over pork. If using a boneless roast, tie with kitchen string at 2-inch intervals. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.
• Remove pork from refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before you want to cook it. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Transfer pork to a rimmed baking sheet and roast 35 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees and cook an additional 2 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 180 degrees, which will give you sliceable, tender meat. (Bone-in roasts will take longer than boneless ones.)
• Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest 15 to 30 minutes before serving. Make sure everyone gets some of the cracklings.

CHEF JOHN'S PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Place pork roast on a work surface. Use a sharp knife to make a lengthwise cut about 1 inch from the edge of the meat, slicing down but not cutting through. Open the meat flat along the cut. Keeping the knife parallel to the cutting board, continue to slice the roast open so you can unroll it into a large, flat piece. (You can also ask your butcher to butterfly the roast for you.) When the meat is unrolled, make small slashes through any connective tissue or extra-thick parts so the roast is as even in thickness as possible.
• Drizzle cut surface with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Rub oil into meat and generously season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, black pepper, sage, rosemary, orange zest, garlic, and crushed fennel seeds. Press seasonings in firmly with your hand, roll up the pork roast, and tie the roast in several places with kitchen twine.
• Place the pork roast on a rack, set the rack on a plate, and sprinkle meat with remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate the roast uncovered overnight to dry-age.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Lightly oil a baking dish and place roast into dish. Rub meat with 2 teaspoons olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until outside is seared, 15 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) and continue to roast until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast reads 145 degrees F (65 degrees C), about 1 hour more. Loosely cover roast with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly to serve.
• Mash anchovy fillet in a small bowl and add red pepper flakes, white wine vinegar, and Italian parsley. Stir to combine. Serve drizzled on pork.

PORCHETTA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together sage, rosemary, oregano, garlic, fennel pollen, salt, pepper, and lemon zest; set aside.
• Place pork belly skin side up on a clean work surface. Using a very sharp knife, score skin in a diamond-shape fashion. Turn pork belly over so that it is skin-side down. Season flesh side of belly with salt and pepper and half of the herb mixture.
• Place pork loin on a cutting board. Holding the blade of the knife parallel to board, cut along the length of the pork loin, but not all the way through. Unfold so that it opens like a book. Place butterflied loin on top of pork belly. Season with salt and pepper and spread with remaining herb mixture.
• Roll pork away from you into a cylindrical shape; tie with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals to make snug.
• Season skin with salt and pepper. Transfer to refrigerator, uncovered, so that it air-dries for 3 days.
• Fit a rimmed baking sheet with a rack and transfer pork to rack. Preheat oven to 500 degrees with a rack set in the lower third of the oven.
• Transfer pork, skin side up, to oven and cook until skin begins to crackle, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast reaches 135 degrees, about 2 1/2 hours, tenting with foil if necessary. Let stand 30 minutes before slicing.
• Make the salsa verde: In a medium bowl, mix together shallot, parsley, chives, vinegar, oregano, and salt; whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Stir in mustard and lemon juice, set aside.
• Make the sandwich: Cover split sides of rolls with salsa verde. Place 3 porchetta slices and some of the crackling on one half of each of the rolls; top with arugula; and sandwich together with remaining half.