It was a little difficult to get my butcher to understand what I was looking for when I called to request a ten-pound pork belly for making porchetta. He said, “You don’t want that. It’s too fatty. We will roll you up a nice pork loin with a little skin on the side.” I just smiled and replied, “No thank you. A European cut of pork belly is what I’m looking for—a large slab of pork from the belly with the skin and fat still on the cut.” Serve with a salad of mixed greens or on a Keto Bun for a tasty sandwich.
Ingredients
- 1 10-pound) fresh pork belly, skin on
- ½ cup fine sea salt, divided
- 3½ tablespoons baking soda, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped, divided
How to Make It
- Place a wire rack in a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Cut the pork belly in half, slicing lengthwise down the middle so that you have 2 large slabs. Liberally season the meat side of one of the belly pieces with half of the salt. Flip the belly over and rub half of the baking soda evenly into the skin. Repeat with other half of the pork belly and the remaining salt and baking soda.
- Place both pork belly halves on the wire rack in the baking sheet and place in the fridge, uncovered, overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Remove the belly from the fridge and, with a very sharp knife, make diagonal cuts across the skin side, about 2 inches apart, to score the skin and expose the fat, but without piercing the fat. Repeat in the opposite direction to create a crisscross pattern.
- Flip the pieces over so that the skin side is down, then evenly spread the garlic and chopped rosemary over the meat of both pieces.
- Take one of the pieces and, starting with the long end, tightly roll up the belly and tie it closed with butcher’s twine at 2-inch intervals. Repeat with the other piece so you have two roasts. Place the roasts on the wire rack set inside the baking sheet.
- Place the roasts in the oven for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue to cook for 3 hours, or until the interior is tender and starting to fall apart just a touch.
- At that point, increase the oven temperature to 500°F to crisp the skin. Broil the roasts for 20 minutes, or until the skin is crispy.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. To serve, slice into 1½-inch-thick pieces.
- Store extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, place in a lightly greased skillet over medium heat until warmed.
| Nutrition Facts |
Serving Size 1 |
Nutritional Value Per Serving | Calories 321 kcal Calories from Fat: 252 kcal |
|
% Daily Value*
|
| Total Fat 28 g 80% |
Trans Fat 0.0 g |
carbohydrates 0.1 g 0% |
Protein 17 g 34% |
* Above mentioned %DVs (Percent Daily Values) are based on 2,000 calorie food intake.
DVs (Daily values) may be vary depending upon individuals daily calorie needs. Above nutritional values are estimates and should only be used as a guide for approximation. They are not allfoodchef.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average weight of 194 lbs. and ages of 19 to 50 years. |