Porchetta from the rotisserie

Crispy Italian pork belly cooked over an open fire

Porchetta is a traditional Italian rolled roast pork belly. The name translates roughly as "little pig". Typical of this dish is the combination of succulent meat, aromatic herbs, and a crispy crackling .

Porchetta turns out particularly impressive when cooked on a rotisserie over an open fire or on a grill . The slow rotation ensures the meat cooks evenly, while the crackling gradually crisps up.

Here we show you a classic version of rotisserie cooking over a fire bowl.

What kind of meat is suitable for porchetta?

For a classic porchetta , pork belly with rind is used.

The following is important:

• The rind should not be too thick.
• It needs to face outwards in order to become crispy.
• The belly cut should be as even as possible.

This ensures a nice crust later on and keeps the meat juicy.

Ingredients

4.5 kg pork belly with rind

4–5 cloves of garlic

5 tablespoons coarse sea salt

3 tsp fennel seeds

2–3 tablespoons of dried tomato pieces

2–3 tablespoons fried onions

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

Kitchen twine for tying

Optional
fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme

preparation

1. Prepare the pork belly

Cut the pork belly flat on the meat side, so that the surface is as even as possible.

Score the rind in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife, being careful not to cut into the meat.

Place the belly on the work surface with the rind facing down .

2. Prepare the spice mix

Briefly dry-roast fennel seeds in a pan until they become fragrant.

Then crush together with the coarse sea salt, oregano, rosemary and thyme in a mortar.

Finely chop the garlic.

3. Fill the porchetta

Distribute the spice mixture, garlic, dried tomato pieces and fried onions evenly on the meat side.

Now roll up the pork belly tightly so that the rind is on the outside.

Tie the roast tightly with kitchen twine at intervals of about 3-4 cm to ensure it retains its shape while grilling.

Grill porchetta on a rotisserie

Light a strong fire in the fire bowl and then allow an even bed of embers to develop .

Place the porchetta roast in the center of the rotisserie spit and secure it firmly.

Place a drip tray under the roast to collect the fat .

The roast should not hang directly in the flame, but cook over the embers .

The following serves as a guideline:
The temperature is ideal if you can hold your hand over the embers for about 3-4 seconds .

Grill the porchetta slowly, rotating it for about 5-6 hours , until:

• the rind is crispy
• the core temperature reaches approximately 75–80 °C

Rest period

After grilling , let the roast rest for 10 minutes so that the meat juices can redistribute.

Then slice and serve.

Serving suggestions

Porchetta goes perfectly with:

• Ciabatta or rustic bread
• Baked potatoes
• Mediterranean grilled vegetables
• a fresh salad

Thanks to BBQ Ömer for the porchetta tips!