# Porchetta

This recipe shows how to recreate the Roman tradition of porchetta at home, delivering shattering crispy skin and unbelievably juicy meat, perfect for a holiday dinner centerpiece.

- Servings: 4 servings
- Cuisine: Italian
- Category: Soup
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 0.5 tablespoon whole fennel
- 10 to 12 garlic cloves
- 38 g salt (1.6% of pork belly weight)
- 2 to 3 stalks fresh rosemary
- 1 bunch sage leaves
- 1 bunch parsley
- few stems oregano leaves
- fresh thyme leaves
- 2 lemons lemon zest
- 0.75 tablespoon Calabrian chili
- 6 to 8 lb pork belly with skin on (rectangular, as square and rectangular as possible)

## Instructions

1. Toast whole peppercorns and whole fennel in a hot pan until aromatic.
2. Grind the toasted pepper and fennel in a mortar and pestle until evenly ground.
3. Add garlic cloves to the ground spices and continue to grind.
4. Add salt, fresh rosemary, sage leaves, parsley, oregano leaves, fresh thyme leaves, and lemon zest to the mixture.
5. Add Calabrian chili to the mixture.
6. Pulse the mixture until it is nice and fine, creating an herb crumb.
7. Use a pricker to poke micro holes in the skin of the pork belly to help fat render.
8. Cut the pork belly in half if it is a large piece (e.g., an 8 lb belly into two 4 lb pieces).
9. Score the skin of the pork belly by making slices across, avoiding cutting the other way to prevent string from getting stuck when tying.
10. To make a thick but short porchetta, butterfly open the long end of the pork belly by slicing a little above the halfway point and slowly peeling it open like a book, keeping it attached at the bottom.
11. Rub a light layer of the prepared herb and spice stuffing across the entire inside of the butterflied pork belly, ensuring to rub in the salt.
12. Tightly roll up the seasoned pork belly starting from the flap.
13. Clean the board to keep the pork skin clean and isolated.
14. Tie the rolled porchetta with string, starting in the middle with a triple knot, then adding more knots closer together for evenness, and trim excess string.
15. For a longer, thinner porchetta, open the pork belly like a book without butterflying, being careful not to cut through the sides.
16. Trim off any excess fat from the inside of the fattier pork belly.
17. Season the inside of the pork belly with the prepared stuffing.
18. Roll up the seasoned pork belly.
19. Tie the longer porchetta with string, starting in the center with a triple knot and continuing to tie, ensuring the skin is tight and free of wrinkles.
20. Place the prepped porchettas in the fridge for 3-5 days to allow the skin to dry out thoroughly.
21. Preheat the oven to 450°F (with convection if available).
22. Place one porchetta (no oil or anything) on a clean sheet tray in the preheated oven and roast for 30-45 minutes, or until the skin darkens and puffs to desired crispiness. Add water to the bottom of the pan if juices start to burn.
23. Remove the first porchetta from the oven and insert a thermometer into its center to monitor its internal temperature. Let it cool.
24. For the second porchetta, start by roasting it at a lower temperature, then finish it at high heat.
25. Lower the oven heat to 325°F and roast the second porchetta, monitoring its temperature until it reaches around 170-200°F, aiming for 185-190°F.
26. Once the second porchetta reaches approximately 130°F, increase the oven heat back to 450°F to crisp up the skin.
27. Continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 185-190°F and the skin is bubbly and crispy.
28. Remove the second porchetta from the oven when done.

## Equipment

- mortar and pestle
- knife
- pork skin pricker
- sheet tray
- thermometer
- oven

## Tips

- Prep the pork belly 4 to 5 days before cooking to allow the skin to dry out, which results in better crispiness.
- For crisp skin, ensure the fat underneath is fully rendered.
- Two cooking methods are presented: high heat at the beginning then low, or low heat then high heat at the end.
- Allow the crackling to fully develop during the high heat stage.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XobYvrB1RYk&t=196s
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/65a97ea5-5abf-430a-af5a-88d194322621
- Extracted: 2025-12-22

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt