I bought a large pork belly in early December and put it in the freezer to do a pre-Xmas porchetta, but never got the opportunity to make it.
So I'm going to do it tomorrow. I love a good porchetta.
Porchetta has loads of variations with no definitive recipe; you can make the marinade/filling with whatever flavours you fancy; some prefer a more bulky stuffing. There's loads of recipes online. You can roll just pork belly, or use a loin. I make mine as follows:
One large piece of belly pork, rind on
One pork fillet
For the paste/marinade:
Plenty each of rosemary, thyme & sage (leaves only, stalks removed)
10 cloves garlic
3 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
zest of 1 lemon
50ml white wine
50ml olive oil
Salt & black pepper
About 6 medium/large potatoes sliced thickly (half an inch)
2 medium onions, peeled & cut into wedges
300ml white wine
olive oil
salt
1) Blitz the dry paste ingredients together in a mini chopper/processor, then add the wine, then the olive oil.
2) Season the pork fillet, then spoon some of the paste onto into and smooth over to roughly cover it
3) lay the pork belly rind side down and pour the rest of the paste/marinade over it.
4) place both in a container, cover with cling film and marinade in the fridge for anything from a couple of hours to overnight
** pre-heat the oven to 220 (fan) **
5) cut 4 or 5 lengths of cooking string about 18 inches long and space these out an inch or two apart on a board
6) remove the pork belly and lay flat on a board on top of the string. spoon over any paste/marinade in the container
7) lay the pork fillet on the pork belly
wrap the pork belly around the fillet as much as you can, then tie the string tight.
9) put the pork the rind up, pat it dry, then massage olive oil into it. Sprinkle liberally with salt, rubbing that in too
10) put the potatoes & onion wedges in a roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and mix round, sprinkle with salt, then carefully pour the white wine into the tin.
11) place the pork on top of the potatoes & onions
12) put in the oven uncovered for around 30 mins
13) after 30 mins, turn oven down to 140 (fan) and cover baking tin with foil
14) roast for around 4-5 hours depending on the size of the joint
15) uncover, turn oven up to 220 again and cook for a further 30 mins.
16) I prefer now to drain the juice from the pan (into a jug, to make the gravy with) and return for another 30 mins, or until the crackling begins to blister (keep an eye on the potatoes, and remove & set aside if they begin to brown.
17) left the meat rest for 10-15 mins, then carve into thick slices, crackling on
I love pork, and this way is the bestest pork I've had.