Roasted Porchetta

Roasted Porchetta
You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Roasted Porchettan A mixture of juniper berries, peppercorns, kosher salt, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so delicious. To use up the ground nutmeg you could follow this main course with the Blueberry Nutmeg Cake as a dessert. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 51 hour and 30 minutes.

Instructions

1
Make the brine. Fill a large pot with 1 gallon water.
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BrineBrine
WaterWater
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2
Add the garlic, fennel seeds, juniper berries, peppercorns and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes.
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Juniper BerriesJuniper Berries
Fennel SeedsFennel Seeds
PeppercornsPeppercorns
GarlicGarlic
ThymeThyme
3
Remove from the heat, whisk in the salt and brown sugar and let cool to room temperature.
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Brown SugarBrown Sugar
SaltSalt
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4
Brine the pork.
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PorkPork
5
Put the pork belly in a large roasting pan and pour the brine over it. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.
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Pork BellyPork Belly
BrineBrine
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6
Make the rub. Toast the fennel seeds, juniper berries and peppercorns in a medium skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Pulse a few times in a spice grinder until coarsely ground.
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Juniper BerriesJuniper Berries
Fennel SeedsFennel Seeds
PeppercornsPeppercorns
ToastToast
Dry Seasoning RubDry Seasoning Rub
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Frying PanFrying Pan
7
Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the nutmeg, thyme and garlic.
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NutmegNutmeg
ThymeThyme
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8
Spice the pork.
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PorkPork
9
Remove the pork belly from the brine and pat it dry.
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Pork BellyPork Belly
BrineBrine
10
Spread the rub on the flesh side of the pork belly, using just what adheres; you may have some rub left over.
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Pork BellyPork Belly
SpreadSpread
Dry Seasoning RubDry Seasoning Rub
11
Put the pork belly skin-side up on a large rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, 24 hours to dry it out.
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Pork BellyPork Belly
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12
Roll the pork. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. (If you have a convection setting, use it; preheat to 450 degrees F.) Flip the pork belly so it's skin-side down. Starting at a long side, roll into a cylinder.
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Pork BellyPork Belly
PorkPork
RollRoll
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OvenOven
13
Secure the roll with kitchen string: Tie separate pieces of string around the roll, about 3/4 inch apart.
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RollRoll
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14
Prick the pork all over with a skewer; this helps render the fat so the skin gets crisp.
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15
Roast the pork.
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PorkPork
16
Put the pork belly on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Tuck 4 upside-down spoons around the pork to keep it from rolling around. Roast 30 minutes, using a baster to baste the pork with the drippings and rotating the pan every 10 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F for convection) and continue roasting, rotating the pan every 15 minutes, until the pork registers 155 degrees F on a thermometer, about 1 1/2 more hours.
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Pork BellyPork Belly
PorkPork
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Baking SheetBaking Sheet
Kitchen ThermometerKitchen Thermometer
BasterBaster
OvenOven
Frying PanFrying Pan
17
Slice the pork.
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PorkPork
18
Let the pork rest 30 to 40 minutes, then cut off the string and slice about 3/4 inch thick.
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PorkPork
19
Photograph by Christopher Testani
DifficultyExpert
Ready In51 hrs, 30 m.
Servings12
Health Score12
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