PREPARING A PORCHETTA ROAST

Ingredients

1 3.5-4 pound prepared Porchetta “roast”
2 tablespoons rendered lard or olive oil
5-6 garlic cloves, skin-on, lightly smashed 1 small bunch of fresh thyme
1-2 small sprigs fresh rosemary
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon flake sea salt
 

Directions

1. Remove the roast from the refrigerator about an hour before you plan on cooking it and allow it to come to room temperature.
2. Preheat your oven to 425°.
3. Rub the skin of the porchetta with the rendered lard or drizzle with the olive oil, then place it in a roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack or in a cast-iron pan.
4. Roast porchetta at 425° for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 325° and remove the Porchetta from the oven. Baste with the rendered lard/ olive oil.
5. Return the porchetta to the 325° oven. Finishing the roast slowly at a lower temperature allows the belly fat to render and insulate the loin meat while it cooks, and also ensures the skin will be golden & crispy.
6. After 1 hour, remove the roast from the oven, place the garlic and fresh herbs into the hot rendered fat and baste the porchetta with the garlic- herb infused fat again.
7. Roast for another 2.5-3 hours or until the internal temperature is 150° - 155° (use a digital probe thermometer and measure the center of the loin, not just the outer layer of fat directly beneath the skin), then remove from the oven.
8. Allow it to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes before slicing. This resting period is essential, as it allows some of the hot fat to cool down so that it doesn’t spill out onto the cutting board when sliced.
9. While the porchetta is resting, heat the balsamic on medium-high heat in a sauce pan until only about a tablespoon remains in the pan. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
10. Cut the butchers twine off the porchetta. Using a serrated knife, separate the belly from the loin and set the two pieces flat-side down on your cutting board. Carefully slice through the skin-side of each piece, making slices as thin as you can without damaging the crispy skin.
11. Arrange the sliced porchetta on a platter, alternating belly and loin slices. Pour the warm rendered fat, roasted herbs and caramelized garlic from the roasting pan over the slices & garnish with the reduced balsamic and flake sea salt.