Porchetta: Stuffed and Rolled Italian Pork Roast
A classic Italian porchetta combines pork loin and belly, stuffed with a spicy ground pork and fennel filling.
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Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 F.
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Spread and season the butterflied pork loin with salt and pepper.
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Prepare the fennel: save fronds, then quarter, core, and thinly slice the bulb; finely chop the fronds.
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Sauté sliced fennel, onion, garlic, fennel seeds, pepper flakes, and rosemary in oil for 8 minutes until lightly browned.
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Add ground pork and cook until no longer pink (about 5 minutes), then stir in reserved fennel fronds and season; transfer to a bowl and let cool.
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Combine panko, egg, and lemon zest with the cooled pork mixture.
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Score the skin-side of the pork belly, then flip, pierce, and pound to slightly enlarge it.
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Lay the loin on the belly, spread the pork mixture evenly over the loin's center.
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Roll the belly and loin together, then secure with butcher's twine and season liberally.
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Place the porchetta on a rack in a roasting pan and roast until it reaches 145 F internal temperature (2 to 2.5 hours).
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If the skin is not browned, increase oven to 500 F and roast for 5 to 10 minutes.
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Rest for 20 minutes, then carve and serve.