Porchetta Rolled Roast Pork Belly — an Italian recipe for roasting

The days are getting shorter and the mercury is starting to fall sharply, which means we need more comfort food on the menu. To keep ourselves warm over the next few months, we'll need to find a way to add a few extra layers. And that's where our tasty Porchetta Rolled Roast Pork Belly steps in.

You'll need:

  • half a pork belly

For the marinade:

  • 8.5 pints water
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tbsp juniper berries
  • 1 tbsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds

To season the meat:

  • 2 tsp juniper berries
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 2 tsp pepper
  • salt

Here's how:

  1. After bringing the water to the boil, add the garlic, fennel, juniper berries, and pepper. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
  2. Now place the pork belly on a deep baking tray and pour the marinade on top once it has cooled to room temperature. Try to spread as many of the spices onto the meat as possible to give it extra flavor. Leave the pork belly to marinate for 24 hours.
  3. Take the meat from the baking tray and towel it dry.
  4. Now lightly roast the rest of the juniper berries, fennel seeds and pepper in a pan before grinding them into a fine powder.
  5. Next, rub one side of the belly with the seasoning and roll the meat up. The seasoned side should be on the inside.
  6. To prevent the pork roll from unfurling in the oven, it's best to tie it up using several pieces of cooking string. 
  7. Bake your tasty pork roll in a convection oven at 320°F for two hours. For this recipe, it's important keep an eye on the meat while it's baking and ensure it's cooking evenly. Switch the tray around every 20 minutes and turn the roll.

There you have it — a hearty dish that'll give you a nice warm feeling during those cold winter days. Trust us, all that waiting by the oven will be worth it once you take that first delicious mouthful of tender pork goodness!

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Also hefty