Porchetta
Jun 30, 2011Posted by guestchefPrintPorchetta is a highly seasoned pork roast that is rolled in herbs and slow cooked in a WFO. This version cooks all night and is beautifully flavored with fennel pollen. Your patience will be rewarded with tender, juicy pork and chewy, crunchy pork skin.
Porchetta
Ingredients
Equipment
- A fully fired wood oven
- Spice grinder/coffee grinder/mortar and pestle
- Roasting rack over a drip pan or bowl
- String for trussing
Ingredients
- 1 large pork shoulder or Boston butt, boneless (8-12lbs) skin on
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4 sprigs rosemary or 3 tablespoons dried rosemary
- 3 sprigs thyme or 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- .25 cup Kosher Salt or sea salt, to taste
- 2 cups white wine I like Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Instructions
- After making pizza in the oven… Score the pork skin in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife. Only cut the skin, not the meat. If using a large roast, butterfly it.
- Mix the herbs, salt, and pepper in the chamber of a coffee or spice grinder and grind until the mixture looks like fluffy, herby snow. Crush and chop the garlic and add it to the salt/pepper/herb mixture. Don’t worry if it seems too salty; this is just a dry rub and the salt helps.
- Liberally rub the herb mixture over every part of the pork. Go nuts, and rub it in well.
- Roll the pork and tie it into a roast. Use this as an opportunity to apply more dry rub.
- Place the porchetta skin side up on the roasting rack and pour the wine into the drip pan.
- When the oven drops to 350 F, add the pan and put on the door. Cook overnight (6 hours +). The final desired temperature is 180-190 degrees F in the thickest part of the roast. The finished texture should resemble pulled pork and the skin should be both crunchy and chewy.
- Let the roast cool slightly before slicing. If desired, strain the pan juices/wine for a simple sauce. Serve with rolls for the greatest pork sandwich ever, or serve sliced with sauce and side items.
Notes
*I buy vacuum packed pork shoulders and debone them myself.
**If no fennel pollen is available, substitute and equal amount of ground fennel seed. You won’t get that incredible burst of flavor, but it will still work.