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cooked porchetta sliced with salad and dip

Easy Porchetta Recipe

Porchetta is a flavorful and aromatic dish that is known for its tender, juicy meat and crispy, crackling skin
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1 5-6 lbs boneless pork
  • 1/4 cup fennel seeds
  • 1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
  • 4-5 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tbsp coarse salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 lemon zest only
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • Lay the pork belly skin side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, score the flesh of the pork belly in a cross-hatch pattern, making sure not to cut all the way through the meat.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the fennel seeds, rosemary leaves, minced garlic, coarse salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Add the olive oil and stir until the mixture forms a paste.
  • Spread the paste evenly over the flesh side of the pork belly, making sure to get it into all the scored areas.
  • Roll up the pork belly tightly, starting from the short end. Tie it securely with kitchen twine at intervals of about 2 inches.
  • Place the porchetta on a rack set inside a roasting pan, with the seam side down. Roast for about 3-4 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork reads 145°F.
  • Increase the oven temperature to 500°F and continue to roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
  • Remove the porchetta from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.