PORK BELLY PORCHETTA RECIPES

Steps:

• Put belly skin side down; arrange loin in center. Roll belly around loin so the short ends of the belly meet. If any of the belly or loin overhangs, trim meat. Unroll; set loin aside.
• Toast fennel seeds and red pepper flakes in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Tip spices into a bowl; let cool. Finely grind spices in a spice mill and transfer to a small bowl, along with the sage, rosemary, and garlic; set fennel mixture aside.
• Assemble porchetta according to steps 1-5 below.
• Refrigerate roast, uncovered, for 1-2 days to allow skin to air-dry; pat occasionally with paper towels.
• Let porchetta sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 500°. Season porchetta with salt. Roast on rack in baking sheet, turning once, for 40 minutes. Reduce heat to 300° and continue roasting, rotating the pan and turning porchetta occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 145°, 1 1/2-2 hours more. If skin is not yet deep brown and crisp, increase heat to 500° and roast for 10 minutes more. Let rest for 30 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice into 1/2" rounds.
• 1. Set belly skin side down. Using a knife, score the belly flesh in a checkerboard pattern 1/3" deep so roast will cook evenly.
• 2. Flip belly skin side up. Using a paring knife, poke dozens of 1/8"-deep holes through skin all over belly. Don't be gentle! Keep poking.
• 3. Using the jagged edge of a meat mallet, pound skin all over for 3 minutes to tenderize, which will help make skin crispy when roasted.
• 4. Turn belly and generously salt both it and loin; rub both with fennel mixture. Arrange loin down middle of belly. Top with orange slices.
• 5. Roll belly around loin; tie crosswise with kitchen twine at 1/2" intervals. Trim twine. Transfer roast to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.

Steps:

• Prepare the pork loin roast (see tips for additional information). Score the skin and truss the roast if the butcher hasn’t already done so.
• Ensure your barbecue is clean and free from any grease or debris. Prepare your barbecue for indirect cooking over high heat (230°C -260°C). If you are using a Weber® Q barbecue, set up your barbecue with a convection tray and a trivet.
• Lightly coat the pork loin with olive oil and season with salt all over, rubbing the salt into the score marks. To estimate the cooking time, measure the height of the pork roast through its thickest part and cook for 1 minute per millimetre for a medium doneness. For example, if the roast is 90mm thick, cook for 90 minutes.
• Roast the pork over indirect high heat, with the lid closed, for 20 to 30 minutes to crackle the skin; avoid lifting the lid during this time.
• Adjust the barbecue temperature to indirect medium heat (190° to 230°C), the roast setting, and continue to cook over indirect medium heat for the remaining cooking time, or until the internal temperature reaches 60°C for a medium result. The internal temperature will continue to rise 3°C to 6°C while resting (final doneness temperature for Pork is 63°C for medium, 68°C for medium well).
• Once the pork has cooked, leave to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Remove the butcher’s twine, carve and serve with the apple sauce.