Chef Johns Porchetta Food

CHEF JOHN'S BABY PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Crush fennel seeds in mortar with a pestle for 1 minute. Add garlic, sage, pepper, rosemary, salt, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest; pound into a thick paste, 2 or 3 minutes. Add olive oil and pound until rub is evenly incorporated.
• Cut a slit 3/4 of the way through the center of the tenderloin, leaving 1 inch on each end uncut. Spread 1 tablespoon of the rub inside the slit; close up roast. Spread the remaining rub evenly over the roast. Wrap bacon strips around the roast, trying to keep seams on the bottom.
• Wrap roast in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; place roast in the center.
• Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 134 degrees F (57 degrees C), about 25 minutes. Let roast rest for 10 minutes and internal temperature rise to 140 to 145 degrees F (60 to 63 degrees C).

PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the pancetta in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms a paste. Transfer to a bowl and mix in by hand the garlic, citrus zests, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, capers and 2 tablespoons salt until thoroughly blended.
• Put the ham flesh-side up on a cutting board and score the meat with the tip of a sharp knife every inch or so in a cross-hatch pattern. Rub the pancetta paste into the meat, making sure to get it into the score marks. Flip the ham over and score the skin with the knife as you did the flesh. Roll the ham up skin-side out and secure with kitchen twine. Season the skin lightly with salt.
• Put the pork in a roasting pan and transfer to the oven to roast for 2 hours.
• Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and roast until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F and the skin is nice and crisp, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes. Thinly slice the porchetta before serving.

CHEF JOHN'S PORCHETTA

Steps:

• Place pork roast on a work surface. Use a sharp knife to make a lengthwise cut about 1 inch from the edge of the meat, slicing down but not cutting through. Open the meat flat along the cut. Keeping the knife parallel to the cutting board, continue to slice the roast open so you can unroll it into a large, flat piece. (You can also ask your butcher to butterfly the roast for you.) When the meat is unrolled, make small slashes through any connective tissue or extra-thick parts so the roast is as even in thickness as possible.
• Drizzle cut surface with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Rub oil into meat and generously season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, black pepper, sage, rosemary, orange zest, garlic, and crushed fennel seeds. Press seasonings in firmly with your hand, roll up the pork roast, and tie the roast in several places with kitchen twine.
• Place the pork roast on a rack, set the rack on a plate, and sprinkle meat with remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate the roast uncovered overnight to dry-age.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Lightly oil a baking dish and place roast into dish. Rub meat with 2 teaspoons olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until outside is seared, 15 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) and continue to roast until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast reads 145 degrees F (65 degrees C), about 1 hour more. Loosely cover roast with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly to serve.
• Mash anchovy fillet in a small bowl and add red pepper flakes, white wine vinegar, and Italian parsley. Stir to combine. Serve drizzled on pork.