Description
Porchetta is a classic Italian roasted pork belly dish known for its juicy, flavorful meat wrapped in crispy, crackling skin. This recipe involves marinating the pork belly for up to two days with a fragrant rub made from toasted fennel seeds, black peppercorns, rosemary, garlic, and chili flakes, then slow roasting it at a low temperature before finishing with a high-heat blast to achieve the perfect crackling. The dish is served with a rich gravy made from the roasting drippings, offering a savory and comforting meal ideal for special occasions or family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Porchetta
- 2.5 kg (5 lb) pork belly with skin on (NOT SCORED)
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +50% for salt flakes)
- 3 tbsp finely chopped rosemary leaves (about 1/4 cup fresh leaves or equivalent dried)
- 2 tsp red chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- 6 large garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (for rub, halve for table salt, +50% for salt flakes)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 3 tbsp pork belly fat (reserved from roasting)
Gravy
- 1/4 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, if needed
Instructions
- Toast Spices: Preheat a small pan over medium heat without oil. Toast the fennel seeds and black peppercorns, tossing regularly for 1.5 to 2 minutes until the fennel seeds are lightly browned.
- Prepare Porchetta Rub: Crush the toasted fennel seeds and peppercorns into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Combine with rosemary, red chili flakes, grated garlic, salt, and mix with a spoon to form a thick wet paste.
- Trim Excess Meat: Pat pork belly skin dry. Trim about 3cm (2.2 inches) of meat from one long edge, leaving the skin intact, to enable neat rolling. Reserve trimmed meat for rolling inside the pork belly.
- Score Meat: Score the flesh side into 3cm (1.2 inch) diamond patterns about 1 cm (0.4 inch) deep without cutting through the meat.
- Apply Rub: Spread the porchetta rub thoroughly into the scored flesh, including the reserved trimmed meat.
- Roll and Tie: Place the trimmed piece of pork in the center, roll the pork belly firmly, then tie tightly with kitchen string at 2.5cm (1 inch) intervals along the 26cm (10.5 inch) log.
- Dry in Fridge: Place the tied pork belly on a rack over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for 24 to 48 hours to let the rub penetrate the meat and the skin dry out for better crackling.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Skin: Preheat oven to 130°C (265°F). Remove the pork from fridge. On a clean tray, rub the pork skin with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with salt, rubbing it into the skin and ties. Roll the pork gently over the salt that falls around it.
- Slow Roast: Place the pork on a rack over a clean tray and roast at 130°C (265°F) for 3.5 hours. The meat should be tender but still holding shape, and the skin should remain soft at this stage.
- Increase Oven Temperature and Oil Skin: Remove the pork, increase oven heat to 240°C (465°F). Transfer the pork with rack to a clean tray, drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil onto the skin but do not rub.
- Crackle Skin: Return pork to oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the tray halfway through, until the skin is evenly crispy, puffy, and golden all around.
- Rest and Carve: Remove from oven and rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Keep warm if needed in a low oven at 50°C (125°F). Cut the string and slice porchetta with a serrated knife. Serve with gravy.
- Make Gravy: Pour fat from the slow roasting tray into a jug without scraping. Pour 1/2 cup water onto the tray on medium heat to loosen browned bits. In a saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of reserved pork fat, add flour and stir for 1 minute. Whisk in water from tray and remaining water, add pepper and simmer until thickened (about 2 minutes). Season with salt if needed and serve alongside the porchetta.
Notes
- Do not score the pork belly skin before roasting to maintain the crackling quality.
- Drying the skin uncovered in the fridge is essential for crisp crackling.
- If using dried rosemary, reduce quantity to 1 tablespoon.
- Trimming the meat properly helps the pork belly roll into a neat log and ensures even cooking.
- The slow roast followed by high heat crackling is key to getting tender meat and crispy skin.
- Resting the meat after cooking allows juices to redistribute, keeping the porchetta moist.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the porchetta cleanly without compressing the meat.
- Adjust salt quantity based on the type of salt used: halve for table salt, add 50% for flaky salt.
