recipetineats4.9
Porchetta - Dozer's last recipe
Recipe video above. Most porchetta recipes promise epic crackling, but few deliver that properly blistered crispness all the way around. You might get bubbles on top, but the sides and underside are flat and hard skin, or worse, rubbery.This one works. It has incredible crispy crackling ALL over - top, sides and even underneath - with insanely juicy meat. See the video for proof! The keys are a 1 - 2 day fridge dry, slow roasting on low then a hot blast, salting just before roasting, and using a rack on a tray, not a roasting pan.This is the last recipe developed under Dozer's watchful eye, so it will always hold a special place in my heart. It was a big one - but he was at my feet, cheering me on every step of the way. ❤️
👥 8 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 53h 30m⏳ Prep: 1h🔥 Cook: 4h 30m👤 Nagi📖 recipetineats
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●pan
- ●oven
- ●knife
- ●spatula
- ●stove
- ●saucepan
- ●whisk
📝 Preparation Steps
1
ABBREVIATED
2
Score pork, rub, roll, tie, fridge dry on rack ⏱️ 24 - 48 hours. Oil and salt skin, slow roast 110°C /215°F for 3 1/⏱️ 2 hours, transfer to new rack, drizzle with oil, crackle at 240°C//465°F for ⏱️ 30 - 40 minutes. Make gravy using tray drippings.
tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +50% for salt flakes)2 1/2Salt (, if needed (I usually don't need))
3
Marinate 1 - 2 days
4
Toast spices - Preheat a small pan over medium heat (no oil). Toast fennel seeds and black peppercorns, tossing regularly, for 1 1/2 to ⏱️ 2 minutes until the fennel seeds are lightly browned.
fennel seeds (Note 1)2 tbspblack peppercorns (Note 1)2 tsp
5
Porchetta rub - Crush fennel and peppercorns into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle, or spice grinder. Add remaining Rub ingredients and mix with a spoon - it will be like a thick wet paste.
6
Trim excess meat - Pat the pork skin dry with paper towels. Cut off about ~3cm / 2.2" meat along one long edge (leave the skin) so the pork rolls neatly. Do a mock roll-up to see how much to cut off - it's ideal if the skin fully encloses the meat, but usually this isn't possible. (Note 4 for tips). Reserve the trimmed meat - we be rolling it up insi
7
Score 3cm / 1.2" diamonds into the flesh, taking care not to cut through the meat (~1 cm/0.4" deep).
8
Rub - Use your hands to spread the Rub into the flesh side, being sure to get into the cuts you made. Also rub the extra piece of pork you trimmed off.
9
Tie - Place the trimmed piece of pork in the middle. Roll firmly then tie at 2.5cm/1" intervals, starting at the centre then the ends, then working in towards. I do 8 equidistant ties on the skin (26cm / 10.5" log, one end has meat oozing out so can’t be tied).
10
Fridge 1 - 2 days - Place on a rack on a tray and refrigerate uncovered for ⏱️ 48 hours (⏱️ 24 hours is ok) to let the rub infuse the flesh and the skin dry so it crackles really well. ⏱️ 12 hours is my bare minimum!
11
Slow roast:
12
Preheat oven to 130°C/265°F (120°C fan-forced) with the shelf in the middle. (Note 5)
13
Oil and salt skin - Remove the rack from under the pork and wipe the tray clean. Working on the tray, rub the pork skin with 1 tablespoon of the oil, then sprinkle and rub the salt in. Salt will catch on the ties - try to spread it out evenly all over the skin, and roll the pork on the salt that falls on the tray. No need to bring pork to room temp before roasting, it can go in the oven cold.
tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +50% for salt flakes)2 1/2Salt (, if needed (I usually don't need))
14
Slow roast - Put the pork on the rack again on a clean tray. Slow roast for 3 1/⏱️ 2 hours. The flesh should be pretty tender (use 2 forks to check ends) but not “fall apart” (not our goal). The skin should still be soft - this is what we want at this stage.
15
Oil and increase heat - Remove the pork from the oven and turn it up to 240°C/465°F. Working quickly, transfer the pork still on the rack to a clean tray. (Keep the used tray for gravy drippings). Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil (don’t rub with fingers) then put it back in the oven - you want it in there as it is heating up.
16
Crackle skin - Roast for 30 to ⏱️ 40 minutes, rotating at the ⏱️ 15 - 20 minute mark, until the skin is all puffy and crispy all over (top and sides).
17
Rest and carve - Remove from the oven and leave it to rest for at least ⏱️ 30 minutes (up to ⏱️ 1 hour) before cutting the strings and slicing with a serrated knife. To keep it warm for longer, put it in a low 50°C/125°F oven after resting. Serve with gravy!
18
Gravy:
19
Reserve fat - Pour all the fat off the slow-roasting tray from step 4 into a jug (don’t scrape, just pour).
20
Deglaze tray - Pour 1/2 cup of water onto the tray set on a stove on medium. When the water starts simmering, use a rubber spatula to loosen all the bits stuck on the tray. (If you have an induction stove, use boiling water - that should be enough to delegate, or if needed, pop the tray in the oven).
water2 cups
21
Make gravy - Measure out 3 tablespoons fat (from step 1) and put into a large saucepan. Heat on medium high, then add flour and stir for ⏱️ 1 minute. Whisk in water from deglazing tray, remains water and pepper. Simmer for ⏱️ 2 minutes or until it thickens. Taste, add salt if needed (I don’t). Serve with pork.
water2 cupstsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +50% for salt flakes)2 1/2Salt (, if needed (I usually don't need))
Reviews & Ratings
Share your thoughts and feedback about this recipe
Write a Review
Community Feedback
0 ReviewsLoading reviews...