TRADITIONAL PORCHETTA

Return to Recipes

Ingredients

Pork belly, scored and dry rubbed
Marinated pork loin
1 tbs kosher salt
Cracked pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs orange zest
1 tbs fresh rosemary, minced
1 tbs fresh thyme, minced
2 tsp ground fennel seed
Marinated broccoli rabe in extra virgin olive oil, shaved garlic, salt and pepper
Slices of sharp provolone
Crusty baguette, sliced lengthwise

Cook Time: 3 Hours
Instructions
  1. Prepare the meat. Traditional porchetta is a rotisserie roasted deboned pig. That can be a big undertaking for the home cook so for our easy, at home version, we will be wrapping a 15” long pork loin roast with a large slab of pork belly. Our loin roast has been marinating for the past 6 hours in Italian herbs, garlic, and olive oil.
  2. We need to score the skin of the pork belly using a very sharp chefs knife or razor blade about 1/8” deep. This allows fat to render easily on the rotisserie and creates a stunning and covetable crackle. A light dusting of baking soda also helps create great texture.
  3. On the underside of the pork belly, season generously with 1 tbs kosher salt, 6 minced garlic cloves, zest from 1 orange, 1 tbs finely minced fresh rosemary, 1 tbs finely minced fresh thyme and 2 tsp ground fennel seed.
  4. Place the loin in the center of the pork belly with the fat strip facing up. I like the fat to line up with the center seam when we pull the belly around to sneak in a little extra rendering.
  5. To cook our porchetta evenly, we need to truss it. Using strong, cotton bakers twine, truss the roast. Then evenly center it on the rotisserie spear using the counter weight to balance any imperfection.
  6. Remove the cooking grids and place a baking sheet onto of the flavor grids to catch any renderings.
  7. Rotisserie cook on high for 2 ½-3 hours with the cover down.
  8. Use oven mitts to bring your porchetta on the rotisserie over to your work surface to rest.
  9. While the porchetta rests for 15 minutes, let’s saute the marinating broccoli rabe over high heat on the side burner.
  10. Thinly slice medallions of porchetta and coarsely chop. I love getting a little piece of crackle mixed with lean loin and smooth and buttery rendered fat. The spicy broccoli rabe and sharp provolone cut the decadent flavors of the porchetta with precision.
  11. We are ready to serve on a baguette basted with oil and vinegar, garlic roasted broccoli rabe and melted provolone cheese.