PORCHETTA
For a different kind of holiday roast, you can make a wildly impressive porchetta. It's great with some potatoes and vegetables, but my favorite way to eat it is slicing it and serving as a sandwich.
Special Equipment List
Butcher’s twine
Meat thermometer
Shopping List
For the Porchetta Roast
1 large piece of pork belly (about ½ pound per person)
Grated nutmeg
Orange zest
Sage, finely chopped
Rosemary, finely chopped
Fennel fronds (or fennel seeds)
Toasted pine nuts
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Chili flakes
12 garlic cloves, crushed
For Porchetta Sandwich
Leftover porchetta (recipe above)
Focaccia or another sturdy bread
Salsa verde (recipe below)
Arugula
For Italian Salsa Verde
1 cup packed fresh parsley
Zest and juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp capers, drained
Splash of white wine vinegar
2 anchovies, finely minced
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, roughly chopped
1/½ cup high quality olive oil
Chili flakes
Salt
Black pepper
Method
Porchetta Roast
Remove the skin of the pork belly that will be inside the roll. Click the image above to watch the episode and see how I did it.
Deeply score the meat inside the belly with cuts roughly two inches apart and about an inch deep. Do it in both directions to make a cross hatch pattern.
Trim the edges of pork belly to make a perfect rectangle.
Time to spice things up. Use the spices according to your preference and how big your roast is. I added grated nutmeg, orange zest, sage, rosemary, fennel fronds, toasted pine nuts, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and crushed garlic.
Press the seasonings into the cuts you slit and make sure it’s all evenly distributed.
Roll up the roast as tight as you can. Using a sharp knife, make lots of lateral cuts on the outside of the roast - just deep enough that they go through the skin, but not so deep that they go into the fat.
Tie the roast with butcher’s twine every 2-3 inches.
Place the roast on a rack set in a wire-rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate overnight uncovered.
Line your baking sheet with foil, and put the wire rack and roast back inside. Set your oven to 250°F. Insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the roast so you can monitor it.
Roast slow and low for 3-8 hours, depending on the size of your roast. You’re waiting on it to hit an internal temperature of 160°F.
Carefully remove from the oven - there will be a lot of liquid fat!
Crank the oven up to 500°F. Put the roast back in and keep a close eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Let rest for 30 minutes before slicing.
Porchetta Sandwich
Slice porchetta as thinly as you can.
Stack sliced porchetta on top of a piece of focaccia or another robust bread.
Spread salsa verde (recipe below) on top.
Top with a big handful of arugula.
Secure with skewers, slice and serve!
Salsa Verde
Combine the ingredients in a food process or immersion blender bowl. Chop everything up, but don’t totally puree it so that the sauce has some texture.
Taste for seasoning and add salt/pepper as needed.