kiddi
Serves 8
2–2.5 kg boneless pork belly (see tip)
PORK CRACKLE
pork skin, removed from pork belly sea salt
olive oil, for rubbing
PORK RUB
3 tablespoons finely chopped sage leaves
3 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary leaves
finely grated zest of 1 large orange (reserve the orange for the veggie trivet)
finely grated zest of 1 lemon (reserve the lemon for the veggie trivet)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon seeded mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon dried oregano
VEGGIE TRIVET
any veggies you have in the crisper drawer (carrot, celery, onion and sweet potato all work well)
reserved orange and lemon from the rub
Tip:
Ask your butcher to take o the pork skin for you. You want it to come o without removing the fat from the meat. Or you can do it yourself if you’re confident.
METHOD
Let’s get the pork crackle out of the way. Pat dry the pork skin with paper towel and gently score the skin. Leave it on your work surface for a couple of hours to dry out.
Crank your oven to 220°C.
Transfer the pork skin to a roasting tin, cover the skin with plenty of salt and rub in a little olive oil, making sure to really get in those scored lines. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes or until the skin is completely dry and crisp. Set aside to cool while you get on with the porchetta.
Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C.
To make the pork rub, mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Remove about one-quarter of the rub and set it aside for later.
Turn the pork belly fat-side down and very lightly slash the meat with a sharp knife, then massage the rub into the cuts.
Cut some lengths of kitchen string and get ready to ROLL! Now roll up the pork belly and secure with string at even intervals. Massage the reserved rub over the outside of the pork.
To make the veggie trivet, arrange the veggies, orange and lemon in the bottom of a large roasting tin. Sit the pork belly on top, then pop it in the oven. The roasting time will vary depending on the weight of the pork, but the basic rule of thumb is 30 minutes per 500 g of pork belly, so you’re looking at 2 ½–3 hours. Skewer the thickest part of the meat – if the juices run clear the pork is cooked.
Take the pork out and put it on a board. Cover loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 45 minutes to allow all of the juices to go back into the meat. I can’t stress the importance of this step enough. All the marinade and prepping in the world won’t give you the succulent result you’re after if you don’t rest the meat properly. Towards the end of this resting time, pop the pork crackle back in the oven to warm up.
Cut the porchetta into thick slices and serve with shards of the pork crackle, my roast spuds, your favourite roast veggies, or apple and fennel slaw.
Confidence in the Kitchen by Emmylou MacCarthy
Published by Plum, RRP $39.99
Photography by Mark Roper
