Preparation Time: 6.5 hours
Cook time: 3 hours
Ingredients
- Pork Belly, scored and dry rubbed
- Marinated Pork Loin
- 1 tbs Kosher Salt
- Cracked Pepper
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbs orange zest
- 1 tbs fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 tbs fresh thyme, minced
- 2 tsp ground fennel seed
- Marinating Broccoli Rabe in EVOO and shaved garlic, salt and pepper
- Slices of Sharp Provolone
- Crusty Baguette, sliced lengthwise
Prepare the meat
- Traditional Porchetta is a rotisserie roasted deboned pig. That can be a big undertaking for the home cook so for our easy, at home version, we will be wrapping a 15” long pork loin roast with a large slab of pork belly. Our Loin Roast has been marinating for the past 6 hours in Italian Herbs, garlic and Olive Oil.
- We need to score the skin of the pork belly using a very sharp chefs knife or razor blade about 1/8” deep. This allows fat to render easily on the rotisserie and creates a stunning and covetable crackle. A light dusting of baking soda also helps create great texture.
- On the underside of the pork belly, season generously with 1 tbs kosher salt, 6 minced garlic cloves, zest from 1 orange, 1 tbs finely minced fresh rosemary, 1 tbs finely minced fresh thyme and 2 tsp ground fennel seed.
- Place the loin in the centre of the pork belly with the fat strip facing up. I like the fat to line up with the centre seam when we pull the belly around to sneak in a little extra rendering.
- To cook our Porchetta evenly, we need to truss it. Using strong, cotton bakers twine, truss the roast. Then evenly centre it on the rotisserie spear using the counter weight to balance any imperfection.
- Remove the cooking grids and place a baking sheet onto of the flavour grids to catch any renderings.
Cooking method
- Rotisserie cook on high for 2 ½-3 hours with the cover down.
- Use oven mits to bring your Porchetta on the rotisserie over to your work surface to rest.
- While the Porchetta rests for 15 minutes, let’s sautee the marinating broccoli rabe over high heat on the side burner.
- Thinly slice medallions of Porchetta and coarsely chop. I love getting a little piece of crackle mixed with lean loin and smooth and buttery rendered fat. The spicy broccoli rabe and sharp provolone cut the decadent flavours of the porchetta with precision.
- We are ready to serve on a baguette basted with oil and vinegar, garlic roasted broccoli rabe and melted provolone cheese.
