|
|
 |
Porchetta is a savory, fatty, and moist
boneless pork roast of Italian culinary tradition. The body of the pig
is gutted, deboned, arranged carefully with layers of stuffing, meat,
fat, and skin, then rolled, spitted, and roasted, traditionally over
wood. Porchetta is usually heavily salted in addition to being stuffed
with garlic, rosemary, fennel, or other herbs, often wild. |
|
Left: Italian
Porchetta. |
Although popular in the whole country, porchetta originated
in central Italy, with Ariccia (in the Province of Rome) being the town most
closely associated with it. Elsewhere, it is considered a celebratory dish.
Across Italy it is usually sold by pitchmen with their typically white-painted
vans, especially during public displays or holidays, and it can be served in a
panino. It is also eaten as a meat dish in many households or as part of a
picnic.
Porchetta is one of two iconic culinary products of the Lazio region, the other
being the sheep cheese
pecorino romano.
|
Porchetta (Italian-style
pork roast) Recipe |
|
Recipe Ingredients |
Seasoning mix:
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped sage
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons toasted fennel seed, crushed
6 bay leaves, toasted and ground
2-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
Meat:
5 pounds pork belly, skin on
6 pounds boneless pork loin
Salt
Black pepper
|
|
Sauce:
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups pork or chicken stock
2 tablespoons cold butter
Salt and pepper to taste |
|
Serves:
12 to 15 servings. |
|
|
|
|
Recipe Cooking and Preparation
Method |
|
|
|
Prepare the roast one to two days before you want to
cook the porchetta.
Mix the seasoning: Combine all the spices in a small bowl.
Prepare the meat: Trim the pork belly so that it is roughly the
same width as the pork loin is long. The belly should be long enough to
wrap around the pork loin once.
Rub the entire seasoning mix on the inside of the pork belly and the
outside of the pork loin. Now, wrap the belly around the pork loin and
try to get the belly to form a neat seam. Using butcher’s twine, tie up
the roast at 2-inch intervals. Wrap the porchetta in plastic wrap, and
let it start getting delicious in the refrigerator for two days.
Roast: When you are ready to roast, let the porchetta, come to
room temperature for about two hours. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Season the outside of the porchetta liberally with salt and black pepper
and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast 45 minutes.
Turn the roast 180 degrees around, and continue to cook, 2 to 2-1/2
hours more, until the internal temperature reaches about 135 degrees.
Remove from the oven and allow it to rest on cooling rack at least 30
minutes before carving. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
Make the sauce: Stir the wine into the roasting pan and place on
the stovetop over high heat. Scrape up all the good brown bits and
transfer the liquid to a saucepan. Add the stock and cook down until a
light sauce consistency is reached.
Swirl in the cold butter and add salt and pepper as needed. |
|
|
|
|
Food Serving Suggestion |
|
|
|
Slice the roast and serve with the sauce. |
|
|
|
