Cooked until the skin turns golden and crispy, this pork belly porchetta stays lusciously tender inside.
If you love bacon and pork rinds, pork belly porchetta is a revelation: the rich, fatty meat paired with an impossibly crisp skin. In the United States most pork belly is sold without skin because the rind doesn’t hold up well to typical curing processes used to make bacon. That means we miss out on the delight of crackling paired with succulent pork — and it’s worth seeking out skin-on belly from a butcher or an Asian market so you can make it at home.
When the skin is treated properly — scored, dried and cooked at the right temperatures — it puffs and crisps into a salty, crunchy crust. The classic Italian porchetta method uses pork belly wrapped around a pork loin, layered with aromatics such as garlic, orange zest and fresh herbs. Fennel pollen is a traditional flourish, but toasted ground fennel seed is an excellent and easier-to-find substitute that captures the same aniseed warmth.
Pork Belly Porchetta (with crispy skin!)
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- Author: Jess Pryles
Ingredients
Scale
one whole pork belly, skin on (approx 10 lb)
2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoon fennel seeds
4 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
3 tablespoons finely chopped sage
3 tablespoons finely chopped oregano
zest of 2 oranges
6 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Toast the whole black peppercorns and fennel seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until aromatic. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
- Place the pork belly skin-side up on a large board. With a very sharp knife, score the skin either in parallel lines or a diamond pattern. The cuts help the fat render and the skin to crisp.
- Flip the belly so the meat faces up. Season generously with salt, then spread the minced garlic across the meat. Sprinkle the ground pepper and fennel, add the orange zest, and distribute the chopped rosemary, sage and oregano evenly.
- Bring the sides of the belly together and roll it tightly into a roast. Secure the roll with butcher’s twine at roughly 1-inch intervals so it holds its shape while cooking.
- Set the rolled belly seam-side down on a rack placed over a tray. Leave it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 10 hours to dry the skin thoroughly — this step is key for excellent crackling.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Place the pork roll on a rack set inside a roasting pan. Lining the pan with foil makes cleanup easier.
- Roast until the pork reaches the desired internal temperature. If the skin isn’t fully crisp at that point, finish under the broiler for 6–8 minutes, watching closely so the skin puffs and browns without burning.
- Let the porchetta rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Carve into portions and serve, enjoying the contrast of crunchy crackling and tender, herb-scented meat.