Porchetta

​This is one delicious piece of pork!
Juicy on the inside and with a delicious crunchy skin. Goes perfect as a part of a warm main dish, or cold  in a sandwich.

Time needed: 5 hours
Preparation about 30 minutes
Baking time about 4 hours

Ingredients
2,5-3 kg pork belly with skin on
​(about 6-7 lbs)

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For the marinade:
4 cloves of garlic
1 lemon (zest only)
1 tbsp of chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 and 1/2 tsp of dry rosemary)
2 tsp of fennel seeds
1 tbsp of chopped fresh basil (or 1 and 1/2 tsp of dry basil)
1 tsp of dry thyme
1 tbsp mustard
pepper and salt

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Method
1. Prepare all the ingredients for marinade ad them to a blender with 2 tbsp of water and blend them into a fine paste.
2. Add the mustard to the mixture and combine

3. Debone and butterfly the pork belly (or ask your butcher to do it for you)

4. Rub the marinade over the meat (do not rub the skin)

5. Roll the pork belly tightly and tight it up with a string.
6. Put it on the baking rack over a baking sheet and make small cuts in the skin with a point of a sharp knife.

7. Bake the porchetta for about 3 hours on 160°C (320°F). When the meat is almost cooked trough get the heat up to 250°C (480°F) and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes (until the skin gets crunchy)

8. Rest it for about 30 minutes (or until completely cooled down). ​

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Have a bite! :-)

Tips:
Porchetta makes a delicious main dish served with some baked potatoes (baked in the drippings) and or salads. It is also a delicious sandwich topping (just let it cool down and cut into thin slices.
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