Imported from the web

Crispy Skin Porchetta

Name: Crispy Skin Porchetta
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 165 min
Total time: 1740 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 kg pork belly, skin-on (Ideally use a belly that has already been dried out.); 2 bunches rosemary (Remove stems and finely chop.); 1 bunch thyme (Remove stems and finely chop.); 1 bunch sage (Remove stems and finely chop.); 6 lemons (Use the zest.); 1 large head garlic (Approximately 7–8 cloves; finely mince all the cloves.); 1 tbsp fennel seed (Toast, cool, and grind semi-fine.); 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns (Toast, cool, and grind semi-fine.); 2 tbsp olive oil (For brushing the skin before roasting.); fine sea salt or kosher salt (Use in a 2:1 salt-to-sugar seasoning mix and for seasoning the skin; amount is not specified.); granulated sugar (Combine with salt in a 2:1 salt-to-sugar mix; amount is not specified.); butcher’s twine (For tightly tying the rolled porchetta; amount is not specified.)

Recipe by Chef Ben Maxwell Facebook

Imported by Ryan Gee on SeeMeCook

A rolled pork-belly porchetta seasoned with rosemary, thyme, sage, lemon, garlic, fennel, and black pepper. It is dried overnight, roasted until tender, then finished under low broil for evenly puffed, crispy crackling.

12 servings1740 minItalian

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Ingredients

3 kg pork belly, skin-on (Ideally use a belly that has already been dried out.)
2 bunches rosemary (Remove stems and finely chop.)
1 bunch thyme (Remove stems and finely chop.)
1 bunch sage (Remove stems and finely chop.)
6 lemons (Use the zest.)
1 large head garlic (Approximately 7–8 cloves; finely mince all the cloves.)
1 tbsp fennel seed (Toast, cool, and grind semi-fine.)
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns (Toast, cool, and grind semi-fine.)
2 tbsp olive oil (For brushing the skin before roasting.)
fine sea salt or kosher salt (Use in a 2:1 salt-to-sugar seasoning mix and for seasoning the skin; amount is not specified.)
granulated sugar (Combine with salt in a 2:1 salt-to-sugar mix; amount is not specified.)
butcher’s twine (For tightly tying the rolled porchetta; amount is not specified.)

Steps

1
Assess the moisture on the pork belly’s skin. If the skin is already quite dry, proceed with preparation. If it is not dry, place the belly uncovered on a sheet tray in the refrigerator for 24 hours, with the skin exposed.
2
Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, make many tiny holes across the skin, working from edge to edge. Pierce only the skin and do not cut into the meat; make approximately a couple hundred holes to help create a bubbly texture as the skin puffs.
3
Toast the fennel seeds and black peppercorns in a pan over low heat until fragrant. Let them cool, then transfer them to a spice grinder and grind them to a semi-fine consistency. Set the ground spices aside.
4
Remove the stems from the rosemary, thyme, and sage. Finely chop the herbs.
5
Zest the lemons and finely mince all of the garlic. Combine the chopped herbs, lemon zest, and minced garlic into one uniform seasoning mixture.
6
Butterfly the pork belly by cutting exactly halfway through its thickness while leaving it attached at one end.
7
Mix the salt and sugar in a 2:1 ratio. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pork belly.
8
Distribute the ground fennel seed and black pepper evenly over the seasoned pork belly.
9
Spread the herb, lemon, and garlic mixture evenly over the pork belly.
10
Starting from the non-skin side, tightly roll up the seasoned pork belly into a porchetta.
11
Tie the porchetta tightly with butcher’s twine, beginning in the middle and then alternating the twine on each side until you reach the ends.
12
Place the tied porchetta uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to dry.
13
Remove the porchetta from the refrigerator 2 hours before cooking so it can come up toward room temperature.
14
Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Lightly brush the porchetta skin with olive oil, then season the skin with salt.
15
Place the porchetta in a V-shaped roasting tray, or support it with another oven-safe method so it cannot roll. The source describes using stainless-steel forks wedged underneath as an alternative.
16
Roast for 2 to 2½ hours, or until the internal temperature at the thickest point reaches 65°C (149°F).
17
Set the oven broiler to LOW, not high, and position the oven rack in the bottom half of the oven. Keep the oven door open a crack so you can closely monitor the porchetta.
18
Broil until the side closest to the broiler has puffed up. Turn the porchetta approximately 30 degrees to expose another side, and continue turning it in this way until the skin has puffed all around. Watch it closely to prevent burning.
19
Remove the porchetta from the oven and let it rest for 30–45 minutes before slicing.
20
As an alternative to the low-broiler method, finish the porchetta at 500°F for 15–30 minutes to crisp the skin, if the broiler method is too hands-on or the broiler cannot be adjusted to low.
21
Slice the rested porchetta with a serrated knife. Serve thicker slices as a roast or thin slices in a sandwich.

Notes

The source does not specify the amount of salt or sugar; use a 2:1 salt-to-sugar ratio and season evenly. Keep the porchetta well away from a high broiler, which can burn the skin. The edge of the stove above the oven may become hot during broiling. The source gives an alternative 500°F finishing method, but does not specify an internal temperature for that stage beyond the preceding 149°F target.