Porchetta Recipe
This classic Italian festive recipe is made with tightly-rolled and slowly-roasted pork belly (pork loin or shoulder will also work well), flavoured with garlic and mediterranean herbs. Marinated overnight, it’s initially cooked ‘low and slow’, before a quick final blast of heat; the result is tender, melt-in-the-mouth meat, complemented by a layer of satisfyingly crispy crackling – we have to say, it looks pretty spectacular, too!
To make the rub, strip the leaves from the rosemary and thyme and chop fairly finely. Put them into a spice grinder or the smallest bowl of a food processor, add the fennel seeds, lemon zest and chilli flakes, then peel all the garlic cloves and crush them into the grinder or processor, too. Pulse a few times, then pour in the wine and pulse again until well combined (you can also do this with a pestle and mortar).
Lie the pork flat, skin-side down, and dot it all over with the herby rub; use your hands to spread out the rub and work it in to the meat. Next, with your butcher’s string to hand, roll the pork belly up like a Swiss Roll, starting from one of the long edges; roll it as tightly as you can, then use the string to secure the rolled-up meat at regular intervals along its length. Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and leave in the fridge overnight – this allows the flavours to really penetrate the meat, and also helps ensure the skin stays dry.
The next day, remove the pork from the fridge one hour before you are ready to start cooking it, to allow it to return to room temperature. When nearly ready, preheat the oven to 130⁰C (Gas Mark 2). Next, wash the potatoes and trim and peel the onions, then slice the veg into thick rounds and lie them in the bottom of a roasting tin large enough to hold the pork comfortably. Season the sliced veg well with salt and pepper, then pour over the wine and water.
Keeping the rind of the pork dry, season it with a little more salt, then place the meat carefully on top of the tray of veg. Cover it all with foil and place in the oven, roasting for about four hours until the pork is cooked through – use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, which should be 68⁰C (154⁰F). Now increase the heat to its highest setting and cook for a further 30 minutes, to ensure a crisp skin. When done, remove the tray from the oven and lift the meat and veg on to separate serving plates; let the meat rest for half an hour (uncovered), but place foil over the potatoes and onion to keep them warm.
When you’re ready to serve, take the porchetta and the veg to the table – along with your chosen gravy or apple sauce – and carve the meat into slices, removing the string as you go.
