Porchetta is one of the best traditions out of Italy. This culinary delight is made ofskin-on pork belly that's been wrapped around a pork loin. It gives you the best of both worlds. the crackling crust of the belly and juicy tender delicious meat inside.
Because it is already tied, it is best to place it in a bag and stuff it with whatever you like without removing the strings.If you want to gotraditional all you need is garlic, rosemary, fennel, or other herbs.
Sprinkle the fennel pollen and pepper over the pork. Spread stuffing evenly over the meat. Roll meat into a spiral, starting from a short side. Tie roast in three or four places with heavy 100 cotton kitchen string. Sprinkle salt rub mixture evenly on all sides of the roast.
Place roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast in a 350 oven, uncovered, for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours or until thermometer registers 145, covering ends of meat after 45 minutes to prevent stuffing from drying out. Transfer roast to a serving platter. Cover loosely with foil; let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.
Why?  Because its quickly become my new favorite weeknight meal.  With just 10 minutes of prep work and 30 – 40 minutes cook time, this show-stopper entree can turn a boring weeknight dinner into a dazzling pork on pork extravaganza.  And I mean, how bad could that be?
Traditional porchetta is superlabor-intensive, and even the roast I linked to above took some time to prepare. This Porchetta Pork Tenderloin recipe captures the flavors and textures of its traditional counterpart without the hours and hours of prep and cooking. Continue reading for the recipe.
The rubbed tenderloin is wrapped in bacon to provide the additional layer of flavor and texture. As the roast cooks in the oven, the bacon will get all nice and crispy while basting the tenderloin in glorious pork fat. Pork tenderloin can easily dry out, so the additional pork fat is crucial to keep things juicy.
Another way to ensure that the pork tenderloin stays juicy is to gauge doneness by temperature. If an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork reads 140F, then the pork is done!
What do you serve with porchetta?
Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin registers 140F. For a 1 pound roast, this takes about 30 minutes. For a 1 1/2 pound roast, this takes about 40 minutes. Transfer meat to a cutting board, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Just like we tend to love the turkey sandwiches as much as the Thanksgiving turkey itself, no sandwich is more prized in Italy than one made with leftover porchetta. See what the fuss is all about: In the oven reheat slices of the pork at 350 F, then serve a few good hunks on a warm crusty roll like ciabatta topped with a pile of spicy sautéed spinach.
Porchetta is a classic Italian roast recipe, typically made with a pork loin rolled into pork belly and seasoned with herbs and citrus. This is probably our favorite way to make pork, since the fat and skin keep the meat from drying out. Welove the crispy skin!
Place in the oven and cook for 25 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 170C or 340F and leave it to cook for 3.5 – 4.5 hours or until the meat feels tender, if you dont have a thermometer you can see if it is done with these methods. Allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes, then slice and serve.
You know how the best part about turkey dinner is the next-day sandwiches? The same applies for porchetta. Pile the leftover slices from last nights roast onto crusty buns with rich mayonnaise and a caramelized onion and red pepper topping for an easy, sublime next-day indulgence.
