Pork Belly Porchetta Recipe for a Slow Cooked Italian Roast Pork Stuffed with Herbs

Pork Belly Porchetta Recipe for an Italian Roast Pork Stuffed with Herbs. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Pork Belly Porchetta Recipe for a Slow Cooked Italian Roast Pork Stuffed with Herbs

This pork belly porchetta recipe makes a slow-cooked Italian style roast pork stuffed with rosemary, thyme, fennel and sage. A sacrificial offering dating to Ancient Rome, in more recent centuries porchetta has been reserved for celebrations, with a whole pig deboned, layered, rolled up, and roasted, with enough to feed a village. Our petite sized pork belly roast feeds six or two to four with plenty of leftovers.

Prep Time20

Cook Time3 30

Total Time3 50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 63kcal

Author: Lara Dunston

Ingredients

1.5 kilo rolled pork belly one piece
4 garlic cloves smashed and quartered
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp fresh/dried rosemary
1 tbsp fresh/dried thyme
1 tbsp fresh/dried sage
1 tbsp ground fennel
2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 large purple shallots or small red onions peeled and halved

Instructions

If you’ve bought a rolled pork belly that’s tied up for roasting, unroll it on a cutting board and lay it flat. If it's your first time, carefully note that it's rolled up and tied, or take a photo so you can re-tie it. Use a sharp knife to prick the skin all over with small slits, and stuff the garlic pieces into those.
In a small bowl, mix together one teaspoon of salt, the pepper, fresh/dried herbs and chopped flat leaf parsley. Massage half a tablespoon of the olive oil into the pork belly, then sprinkle on ¾ of the herbs and flat leaf parsley all over the pork belly, and rub it into the belly.
Tightly roll up the pork belly, re-tie it as the butcher did; settle it on enough foil to wrap it completely, then rub half a tablespoon of olive oil onto the pork belly, sprinkle on another teaspoon of salt and the rest of the herbs, then wrap the pork in the foil. Refrigerate it overnight or for at least 8-12 hours.
The next day, pre-heat your oven to 220°C (430°F). Remove the pork belly from the fridge and let it sit until it comes down to room temperature: 30 mins-2 hours depending on where you are.
Grease a baking tray with a tablespoon of the olive oil, lay the onion halves alongside each other in the centre of the pan, unwrap your pork belly and place it on top of the onions with the seam up, then slide the tray into the oven.
Roast the underside of the pork belly with the seam facing upwards for 15 minutes then turn the pork over (seam down) and roast for another 30 minutes until the skin is crispy and the herbs fragrant.
Turn the heat down to 150°C (300°F). If the pork skin is dark brown and herbs are burning, cover the top of the pork with some foil so the skin doesn’t burn (otherwise, cover it later when needed). Roast for 3 hours, basting the pork with its herby juices every hour if you can.
If baking roast vegetables with the pork, depending on how cooked you like your veggies, add potato pieces one hour before the pork finishes, small purple shallots 30 minutes before, and baby carrots 15 minute before, coating the vegetables with the pork juices and sprinkling on a little salt.
When the pork is done, when it registers 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer poked into the centre, slide the pork out of the oven and rest it for at least 30 minutes.
Serve the porky juices in a bowl with spoon so guests can help themselves or use any juices to make a gravy if you’re inspired. Serve with the baked vegetables and perhaps some creamy mashed potatoes.

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