Weeknight Porchetta Recipes

WEEKNIGHT PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Toss chopped garlic, chopped rosemary, fennel seeds, salt, and 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl; season with pepper.
• Rub garlic mixture all over tenderloin (if you have time to do this in the morning, great; refrigerate pork until dinner). Scatter rosemary sprigs in a large baking dish and set tenderloin on top. Wrap bacon slices around tenderloin, tucking ends underneath so bacon stays put. Nestle halved heads of garlic around tenderloin and drizzle everything with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
• Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of tenderloin registers 145° for medium, 40-45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.

EASIER PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• To make the rub, put the garlic in the food processor and pulse to get it started. Add the oregano, parsley, thyme, sage, anchovies, and giardiniera, salt and pepper, lemon zest and juice. Pulse together. Add the oil and pulse some more until it forms a paste.
• To butterfly your pork, place the meat fat cap side down on your cutting board. Using a super sharp knife, slice the pork lengthwise parallel to the counter, starting about an inch above the fat cap. Slice along the meat so that it unrolls as you cut along. Try to cut it so that the meat touching the counter as it unrolls is uniformly thick. Make smaller slashes in any thicker spots.
• Season the pork with salt and pepper. Rub the herb-anchovy mixture all over the inside of the pork. Roll it up and, using butcher's twine, tie it very tightly about every two inches. Score any visible fat in a crosshatch pattern and season the outside with salt and pepper. Place the pork onto a roasting rack in a roasting pan, fat cap side facing up. Pour 1 cup of water in the bottom of the pan to keep the drippings from burning.
• Roast until super fork tender and "pullable" and the internal temp registers 200 degrees F, about 4 1/2 to 5 hours. Take out and let rest for at least 20 minutes.
• Pour the liquid and renderings from the roasting pan into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until slightly reduced. Season to taste.
• Either pull or carve the roast-your preference. I like to carve it so you can see the stuffed interior. Place on a platter, garnish with plenty of parsley, and serve with the pan sauce and fresh lemon wedges.

PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the pancetta in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms a paste. Transfer to a bowl and mix in by hand the garlic, citrus zests, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, capers and 2 tablespoons salt until thoroughly blended.
• Put the ham flesh-side up on a cutting board and score the meat with the tip of a sharp knife every inch or so in a cross-hatch pattern. Rub the pancetta paste into the meat, making sure to get it into the score marks. Flip the ham over and score the skin with the knife as you did the flesh. Roll the ham up skin-side out and secure with kitchen twine. Season the skin lightly with salt.
• Put the pork in a roasting pan and transfer to the oven to roast for 2 hours.
• Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and roast until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F and the skin is nice and crisp, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes. Thinly slice the porchetta before serving.

PORCHETTA PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Score skin and fat all over pork, taking care not to cut down to the meat.
• In a food processor or mortar and pestle, combine fennel fronds, rosemary, sage, garlic, lemon zest, salt, fennel seed, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Pour in oil. Pulse or mash until it forms a paste. Rub all over pork. If using a boneless roast, tie with kitchen string at 2-inch intervals. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.
• Remove pork from refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before you want to cook it. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Transfer pork to a rimmed baking sheet and roast 35 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees and cook an additional 2 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 180 degrees, which will give you sliceable, tender meat. (Bone-in roasts will take longer than boneless ones.)
• Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest 15 to 30 minutes before serving. Make sure everyone gets some of the cracklings.

WEEKNIGHT ITALIAN PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F
• Place tenderloin on shallow foil-lined pan sprayed with cooking spray; brush with dressing.
• Combine all remaining ingredients except bacon; sprinkle evenly over tenderloin. Wrap bacon, in spiral fashion, around tenderloin, overlapping sides of bacon slices if necessary to evenly cover tenderloin with bacon.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until tenderloin is done (145°F). Remove from oven. Let stand 3 min. before slicing.

PORCHETTA-SPICED ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil and potatoes, and season with salt; toss to evenly coat. Spread in an even layer and roast until light golden, 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, garlic, fennel, thyme, rosemary, sage, black pepper and red-pepper flakes, and season to taste with salt; mix well.
• Spoon the herb mixture over the potatoes and toss until evenly coated, using a spatula to lift up the potatoes if necessary. Continue roasting until the potatoes are fragrant, golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
• Transfer potatoes to a serving platter and garnish with parsley. Serve warm.

STUFFED PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Score the pork belly skin with a sharp knife in a cross pattern. Score down to just before where the skin meets the fat, rather than the fat itself. Bring a large saucepan of water to a simmer and add the bicarbonate of soda. Lower the pork into the water, poach gently for 5 mins, then remove it from the water and leave to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, toast the fennel seeds and chilli flakes in a dry frying pan over a high heat for 1-2 mins, then tip into a bowl and leave to cool. Grind the spices in a spice grinder or with a pestle and mortar, then mix with 1 tbsp fine sea salt.
• Once the pork has cooled, turn it skin-side down and pierce the underside of the meat all over with a knife. Rub the meat with the spiced salt rub, cover and put it in the fridge for at least 8 hrs or overnight. Can be prepared 24 hours ahead.
• The next day, make your stuffing. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the onion and fennel. Season and cook gently over a low heat for 10 mins. Add the coriander seeds and garlic, and cook for another 2 mins, then add the mince. Cook for 8-10 mins until the mince is browned. Set aside and leave to cool.
• Transfer the mince and onion mix to a bowl and add the sourdough, pine nuts, orange zest, apricots, herbs, lemon juice and nutmeg. Season well, then mix together thoroughly with your hands. Add the egg and mix again.
• Lie the pork belly on a board, skin-side down. Form the stuffing into a sausage shape running all the way down the middle of the belly. Wrap the sides of the belly around the stuffing and tie with butcher's string. Place seam-side down in a roasting tin, uncovered, and chill for at least 2 hrs, preferably overnight. You want the skin to dry out completely so that it crisps up when you roast it.
• To cook the pork, remove it from the fridge and leave it for at least 1 hr to come to room temperature before you cook it. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and cook the pork for about 2 hrs, turning the tin every 30 mins or so. After 2 hrs, turn the heat up to 220C/ 200C fan/gas 7 and cook for another 20 mins. When the pork is done, a thermometer pushed into its centre should read 77C. If the skin looks in danger of burning, cover it with foil - but only do this once it has crackled.
• Once the pork has cooked, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 30 mins. When you're ready to carve, put the pork on a big chopping board. Using a sharp knife, slice the meat into rounds.

CHEF JOHN'S PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Place pork roast on a work surface. Use a sharp knife to make a lengthwise cut about 1 inch from the edge of the meat, slicing down but not cutting through. Open the meat flat along the cut. Keeping the knife parallel to the cutting board, continue to slice the roast open so you can unroll it into a large, flat piece. (You can also ask your butcher to butterfly the roast for you.) When the meat is unrolled, make small slashes through any connective tissue or extra-thick parts so the roast is as even in thickness as possible.
• Drizzle cut surface with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Rub oil into meat and generously season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, black pepper, sage, rosemary, orange zest, garlic, and crushed fennel seeds. Press seasonings in firmly with your hand, roll up the pork roast, and tie the roast in several places with kitchen twine.
• Place the pork roast on a rack, set the rack on a plate, and sprinkle meat with remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate the roast uncovered overnight to dry-age.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Lightly oil a baking dish and place roast into dish. Rub meat with 2 teaspoons olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until outside is seared, 15 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) and continue to roast until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast reads 145 degrees F (65 degrees C), about 1 hour more. Loosely cover roast with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly to serve.
• Mash anchovy fillet in a small bowl and add red pepper flakes, white wine vinegar, and Italian parsley. Stir to combine. Serve drizzled on pork.

EASY "PORCHETTA" SHEET-PAN DINNER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 18x13x1-inch rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of the oil, the Brussels sprouts, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Place on sheet pan. In same bowl, mix 2 teaspoons of the oil, the sweet potato, red onions, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place on sheet pan with sprouts. Roast 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix remaining 1 teaspoon oil, the garlic, thyme, sage, fennel seed and pepper flakes. Rub spice mixture all over tenderloin. Wrap prosciutto slices over top of tenderloin, tucking seams under tenderloin.
• Place tenderloin on sheet pan with vegetables. Roast 23 to 25 minutes or until pork is no longer pink (145°F) and vegetables are tender. Tent with foil; let stand 10 minutes before slicing.