A pork for all occasions
Whether it’s Christmas Day lunch or a casual Sunday roast, Porchetta is one of those centre piece dishes that is designed to please (probably something to do with all that salt, crackling, and juicy pork meat). Serve with a side of salad, roast vegetables, plus a fresh salsa verde and you can’t go wrong.
Ingredients
Serves 8
- 2 kg piece of pork belly
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled
- A handful each of fennel fronds & rosemary, (you can use any other herbs you like) destemmed
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
- 2 lemons, zest only
- Dried chilli to taste (one teaspoon if in doubt)
- Olive oil
- White wine vinegar
- Quality salt flakes
Method
Remove any sinew and silver skin on the flesh side of the pork belly with a very sharp knife, leaving the meat as intact as possible. Turn over and score the rind in even lines about 1cm thick, cutting through the skin but not into the flesh. Sprinkle both sides of the belly with good salt flakes, then leave uncovered and refrigerated overnight, or at least a few hours.
The next day, wipe off all the excess salt and pat dry.
Heat the oven to 200°C.
Blend all the herbs, spices, garlic and lemon zest together with 1 tbsp of olive oil into a chunky paste.
Lay the pork flat, flesh side up. Spread the blended ingredients evenly across the flesh. Roll together tightly (from long end, skin side out) and tie in place with butcher’s string.
Rub the skin surface all over with the vinegar (pour a little on a cloth to do this), then rub with olive oil and finish with a generous (about 1 tbsp) sprinkle of sea salt. Place on a cake rack inside a baking tray and cook for about one hour, or until it is well crackled and evenly mid brown.
Turn the oven down to 160°C and cook for another half an hour or until juices run clear when pork is pierced with a skewer (internal temperature should be around 65°C). Rest for 20 -30 mins before serving.
Photographs: Monique Lovick
