The second way to make porchetta without using a whole suckling pig is to wrap pork belly around a pork loin. This procedure gets a little closer to the original but is slightly more involved (however the flavors are worth it). If you can substitute a whole clove of smoked garlic for the 3 raw cloves in the recipe.... do it. The flavor is an immense improvement.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Culinary 4
Servings 12
Ingredients
15 – 6 pound piece fresh pork bellyskin on
12-3-pound boneless, center-cut pork lointrimmed
3tablespoonsfennel seeds
2tablespoonscrushed red pepper flakes
2tablespoonsfresh sageminced
1tablespoonfresh rosemaryminced
3garlic clovesminced
Kosher salt
1/2orangeseeded, thinly sliced
Instructions
Prepare
Put belly skin side down; arrange loin in center. Roll belly around loin so the short ends of the belly meet. If any of the belly or loin overhangs, trim meat. Unroll; set loin aside.
Toast fennel seeds and red pepper flakes in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Tip spices into a bowl; let cool. Finely grind spices in a spice mill and transfer to a small bowl, along with the sage, rosemary, and garlic; set fennel mixture aside.
Assemble
Set belly skin side down. Using a knife, score the belly flesh in a checkerboard pattern 1/3" deep so roast will cook evenly.
Flip belly skin side up. Using a paring knife, poke dozens of 1/8"-deep holes through skin all over belly. Don't be gentle! Keep poking.
Using the jagged edge of a meat mallet, pound skin all over for 3 minutes to tenderize, which will help make skin crispy when roasted.
Turn belly and generously salt both it and loin; rub both with fennel mixture. Arrange loin down middle of belly. Top with orange slices.
Roll belly around loin; tie crosswise with kitchen twine at 1/2" intervals. Trim twine. Transfer roast to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.
Roast
Refrigerate roast, uncovered, for 1-2 days to allow skin to air-dry; pat occasionally with paper towels.
Let porchetta sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 500°. Season porchetta with salt. Roast on rack in baking sheet, turning once, for 40 minutes. Reduce heat to 300° and continue roasting, rotating the pan and turning porchetta occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 145°, 1 1/2-2 hours more. If skin is not yet deep brown and crisp, increase heat to 500° and roast for 10 minutes more. Let rest for 30 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice into 1/2" rounds.