Subscriber OnlyRecipes

Porchetta

Serves: 6
Course: Dinner
Cooking Time: 2 hrs
Prep Time: 20 mins
Ingredients
  • 1 large pork belly, about 2kg in weight, skin on, bones removed
  • 3tbs Dijon mustard
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 50g anchovies
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • Handful of flat parsley, finely chopped
  • 3tbs capers, finely chopped
  • Butcher’s twine
  • Vegetable oil
  1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees. Lay the pork belly on a chopping board, skin-side up. Carefully remove 25 per cent of the skin from the right-hand side of the belly by running your knife underneath (or you can ask your butcher to do this for you).
  2. Using a small, sharp knife, cut some lines diagonally across the skin, just deep enough to reach the fat layer. Now flip the belly over to the flesh side to begin seasoning.
  3. Brush the meat with the Dijon mustard. Next, season generously with salt and pepper before draping the anchovies all over the meat. Spread the lemon zest and garlic on top, then finally add the parsley and capers.
  4. Roll the meat into a tube shape, like you would a Swiss roll. The skin needs to be on the outside, with the seasoning in the centre. Use the butcher’s twine to tie and hold it together; I usually add about eight single circles tied like shoelaces. Once you have your roll, drizzle the oil on the skin and sprinkle generously with more sea salt.
  5. Place on a rack in the oven and cook for 1½ hours. Then increase the temperature to 240 degrees and cook for a further 20-30 minutes, until the skin turns into crackling.
  6. Allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes before removing the twine. Slice and serve.
Mark Moriarty

Mark Moriarty

Mark Moriarty is an award winning chef, TV host, author and Irish Times columnist.