Italian Sunday Roast Pork Dinner Recipes

PORCHETTA (AUTHENTIC ITALIAN PORK ROAST)

Steps:

• Open the piece of pork onto the butcher paper or clean countertop, skin side down.
• Sprinkle generously with the salt, then work the salt into the pork.
• Next, add the rosemary. We used fresh rosemary as I have a bush in my garden. Rub it and crush it between your fingers to release the oils.Add the freshly ground black pepper all over the porchetta. Now add the fennel pollen. Sprinkle evenly over the pork, but save a little of the pollen for after the porchetta has been rolled.
• Roll it tightly, but as you roll it, sprinkly some salt onto the unseasoned pork. Continue rolling until you reach the end.
• Keeping the seam side down, start tying the pork. Another pair of hands will make this part immensely easier. There's no need for fancy ties or sailors' knots, just wrap, double knot and cut.
• Repeat every few inches. The goal is only to keep the porchetta closed, so don't tie it too tightly, either. As you can see, ours is far from perfect, but unless you're serving the Queen of England, it won't matter.
• Turn the roast seam side up and add more seasonings, including the rest of the fennel pollen to the non-skin parts of the pork which are exposed (including the ends).
• Place seam side down on a rack on a roasting pan or baking tray. Cover the ends with aluminum foil and secure with toothpicks.
• Drizzle with olive oil and rub all over the skin with your hands. Sprinkle with more salt and rosemary.
• Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
• Place in the hot oven when it comes to temperature and roast for 1 hour, then lower the temperature to 350°F (170°C) and continue to cook for about another 2 hours. Check the center of the roast when it reaches 170°F (76°C) remove from the oven. Take the foil off the ends and place on top of the porchetta, and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
• Using a sharp knife, remove one or two of the pieces of twine. Cut into slices and serve on crusty Italian rolls, or bread, Italian style!

ITALIAN PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Place roast, fat side up, in a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven. In a small bowl stir together Italian seasoning, rosemary, garlic, fennel seeds, black pepper, salt, and the crushed red pepper. Rub all over pork.
• Roast, covered, 3 1/2 hours. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, and onion. Whisk together wine and tomato paste. Pour over pork and tomato mixture. Roast, uncovered, 1 hour more or until tender and a thermometer inserted in meat registers at least 190°F.
• Remove and shred meat. Return meat to pot. Stir to coat. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 4 days or freezer up to 3 months. Makes 11 cups.

ITALIAN ROAST PORK LOIN

Steps:

• Oven at 350°F.
• Trim fat from pork.
• Combine rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
• Melt butter in roasting dish and then place onions over top of the butter.
• Rub rosemary mixture all over pork loin.
• Sear on all sides in a hot skillet.
• Place pork on top of onions in roasting pan and then cover with foil.
• Bake for an hour or until meat thermometer reads 160°F.
• To make a real tasty onion gravy for the meat, combine 1 tablespoon of flour in 1 cup of cold water. Pour pan drippings with onions into a small sauce pot and bring to a gentle boil. Add water and flour mixture. Whisk and boil until thickened. Serve with pork loin roast.

SUNDAY PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place vegetables on bottom of a shallow roasting pan. Mix 2 tablespoons flour, bay leaf, thyme, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper; rub over roast. Place roast on top of vegetables, fat side up. Add 2 cups water to pan., Roast, uncovered, 1-1/2 hours. Sprinkle brown sugar over roast. Roast 15-20 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 140°. (Temperature of roast will continue to rise another 5-10° upon standing.), Remove roast to a platter. Tent with foil; let stand 15 minutes before slicing., Strain drippings from roasting pan into a measuring cup; skim fat. Add enough water to the drippings to measure 1-1/2 cups., In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk remaining flour and 1/3 cup water until smooth. Gradually whisk in drippings mixture and remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve roast with gravy. Freeze option: Freeze cooled sliced pork and gravy in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered saucepan, gently stirring and adding a little broth or water if necessary.

ITALIAN-STYLE ROAST PORK WITH CRISPY CRACKLING

Steps:

• Pound the garlic, bay, pepper, 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tbsp of the fennel seeds using a pestle and mortar, then stir in 1 tbsp oil. Place the pork, skin-side up, in a clean sink and pour over a kettleful of boiling water (this tightens the skin - the first step towards great crackling). Drain, pat dry and place, skin-side down, on a chopping board. Rub the garlicky paste all over it, then roll up the loin and tie it at intervals with kitchen string. Arrange the onion and lemon in the centre of a roasting tin and sit the pork on top, skin-side up. Rub the rind with the remaining salt and leave at room temperature, uncovered, for 1 hr.
• Heat oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Rub the skin of the pork with the remaining oil. Lightly crush the remaining fennel seeds and scatter over the meat. Roast for 30 mins, then turn the heat down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and continue to roast for 1 hr 20 mins. Remove the pork, cover loosely and leave to rest for 30 mins. If your crackling isn't crisp, pop the joint under a hot grill for a few mins, but watch it as it will burn very easily.
• Meanwhile, make the gravy. Tip away all but 1 tbsp of fat from the tin and put on the hob. Add the flour and mix with the onion and lemon, scraping any bits from the bottom. Pour in the Marsala and let it bubble, then gradually add the stock and any of the resting juices, and simmer gently for 8-10 mins. Season, if needed, and strain through a sieve before serving.