Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to shatteringly crisp pork skin (crackling)?

The secret is dryness and high heat. For an even crispier result, you can leave your scored and salted pork uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. This is a brilliant trick that will thoroughly dry out the skin. The final, blast of high heat in a 400°F oven is the key that renders the final bit of fat and causes the dry skin to puff up into a beautiful, bubbly crackling.

Q2: Can I make this with a different cut of pork?

The secret is dryness and high heat. For an even crispier result, you can leave your scored and salted pork uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. This is a brilliant trick that will thoroughly dry out the skin. The final, blast of high heat in a 400°F oven is the key that renders the final bit of fat and causes the dry skin to puff up into a beautiful, bubbly crackling.

Q3: Can I make this ahead of time for a holiday dinner?

Yes, absolutely! The best method is to fully assemble the unbaked roast a day or two in advance. This will not only save you a ton of time on a busy holiday, but it will also act as a "dry brine," seasoning the meat even more deeply and helping to dry out the skin for an even crispier result.

Q4: My porchetta came out a little dry. What did I do wrong?

The long cooking time and high final temperature (170∘F) in this recipe are designed to create a very tender, almost braised, and shreddable texture, which is a very traditional way to enjoy it. If you prefer a juicier, more "roast-like" texture (similar to a classic pork loin), you can simply cook your porchetta to a lower final internal temperature of 145−150∘F.

Q5: What is pancetta?

Pancetta is a classic Italian salumi made from pork belly that has been salt-cured. It is essentially an unsmoked bacon. It has a wonderful, deep, and savory pork flavor and is a fantastic base for all sorts of sauces and stuffings.r

Holiday Porchetta (A Showstopper Pork Roast!)

A classic and impressive recipe for a traditional Italian Porchetta, a perfect showstopper for a holiday centerpiece. This dish features a large, skin-on, boneless fresh ham that is butterflied and scored. It is then generously filled with a fragrant, savory paste made from finely chopped pancetta, garlic, citrus zests, and fresh herbs. The ham is rolled tightly, tied, and slow-roasted, then finished at a higher temperature to create an incredibly crispy, crackling skin while the meat inside remains moist and tender.

Author: Grace

Ingredients

8 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
10 cloves garlic, minced
Grated zest of 3 lemons
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Leaves from 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons rinsed capers, chopped
1 (10-to-12-pound) skin-on boneless fresh ham, butterflied

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the Filling: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the pancetta until it forms a paste. Transfer it to a bowl and mix in the minced garlic, citrus zests, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, capers, and 2 tablespoons of salt until thoroughly blended.
Prepare the Pork: Lay the butterflied ham flesh-side up on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, score the meat in a cross-hatch pattern, about every inch. Rub the pancetta paste into the meat, making sure to get it into the score marks.
Flip the ham over and score the skin in the same cross-hatch pattern.
Roll the ham up tightly, skin-side out, and secure it with kitchen twine. Season the skin lightly with more salt.
Roast the Porchetta: Place the pork in a roasting pan and transfer it to the oven. Roast for 2 hours.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and continue to roast for about 1 hour and 30 minutes more, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 170°F and the skin is very crisp.
Remove the porchetta from the oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Thinly slice the porchetta before serving.

Notes

This is a showstopper main course, perfect for a special holiday dinner like Christmas.
Scoring both the meat and the skin is a key step; it allows the flavorful paste to penetrate the meat and helps the skin to become extra crispy.
The two-temperature roasting method—starting low and finishing high—is crucial for rendering the fat and achieving a tender interior with a perfectly crisp crackling skin.
Resting the roast for a full 30 minutes before carving is essential for the juices to redistribute, ensuring the meat is moist and tender when sliced.

Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/holiday-porchetta/