How can you go wrong with a savory and juicy pork belly with a good crackling. It makes my mouth water just by staring at the photo of this italian pork roulade that I make often. We eat it with rice here or I grab a ciabatta bread, arugula and caramelized onions and make a sandwich with it!
I must say that this dish is the one that I have gotten the most WOW reaction with. It's auburn colored crackling tends to intimidate the crowd even those who know their way in the kitchen. Tell you what. Don't be! Roasting a pork roulade may take hours and hours to achieve that succulent interior and crunchy pork skin but it is not as tedious as you think it is. In fact, you can mult-task and get other things done as you wait to devour it.
Feel free to cut the recipe in half if you're just feeding small group of hungry tummies.
Ingredients
- 2 heads garlic, peeled or 2 Tbsp garlic powder
- Bunch of parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp dried Rosemary or 1 sprig fresh rosemady
- 1 Tbsp Fennel Seeds
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 kilos boneless pork belly, scored on both sides
Directions
- 1The night before, prep the porchetta by scoring the meat and its skin with a sharp knife.
- 2Pat the pork belly to dry with paper towels. With its skin side down, place it on a clean surface.
- 3Generously season the meat with salt and pepper. Spread herbs all over
- 4Using a butcher's twine, roll the pork belly skin side out with 2 inches intervals.
- 5Refrigerate uncovered for 12 hrs at least or overnight.
- 61 hour before roasting it. Take it out of the fridge and let it sit until it reaches room temperature.
- 7In the meantime, preheat oven to 400F. Once the pork roulade is ready, place it in a roasting pan or tray with a wire rack.
- 8Reduce the oven temperature to 325F and roast for 3.5 hours or until the meat inside is cooked through.
- 9Crank up the oven temperature to 500F and allow the skin to blister until it becomes all crispy. That should take about another 30 mins.
- 10Remove from the oven and let the porchetta rest before slicing.
- 11Enjoy it with rice or as a sandwich plain ketchup or salsa verde.
