Porchetta

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Traditional Italian porchetta is a labor of love comprised of a pork loin wrapped in a pork belly - and between those is a layer of flavorful ingredients and seasonings. The porchetta, pronounced porketta, is well seasoned and roasted until it develops a beautifully golden and crispy skin.

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian pork roast, porchetta, porchetta roast, pork belly, pork belly roast

Servings: servings

Calories: 462kcal

Author: Melissa Belanger

Ingredients

For the herb mixture:

8 cloves garlic minced (about 4 teaspoons)
1 large shallot minced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary minced
2 tablespoons fresh sage minced
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2- 3 teaspoons orange zest
2- 3 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

For the porchetta:

4 - 5 pound pork belly pounded to even thickness
2 - 3 pound pork loin
1 tablespoon coarse salt divided between the loin and the belly skin

Instructions

Make the herb mixture. Combine the garlic, shallots, herbs and zest - and crushed red pepper if you're using it - in bowl. Add the olive oil and stir in the salt & pepper. Set aside.
Prep the pork belly. Start by double checking the size. If you're pork belly isn't quite able to wrap around the pork loin, I recommend pounding it a bit thinner until it reaches all the way around.
Then, pierce the outside (fatty side) of the pork belly with a knife. Turn it over and lightly cross hatch the inside of the pork belly before spreading the herb mixture to evenly coat the inside.
Assemble the porchetta. Season the pork loin with 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Wrap the pork belly around the pork loin with the herb mixture side in. Secure tightly with kitchen twine and use the remaining salt & black pepper to season the outside of the porchetta.

Don't go easy here. Trust me, you want a nice salty crust to balance the richness of the pork belly.

Roast the porchetta. Preheat the oven to 500˚F. Place the pork belly in a roasting dish and place it in the oven. Let it roast for about 30 minutes to start the crisping process.
Then, reduce the heat to 300˚F and cook for about 1 ½ - 2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the pork loin reaches 160˚F. The timing will depend on the size of your porchetta.
If needed, increase the oven to 500˚F and roast until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
Rest before slicing. Remove the porchetta from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before transferring it to a cutting board to slice. Be sure to remove the kitchen twine and slice into 1/2-inch to 1-inch thick slices.

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