Authentic Porchetta di Ariccia Recipe
Ariccia, Italy
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Introduction & history
Made exclusively with the breed of pigs raised in the Ariccia area, such as Landrace, Large White, Pietrain and related hybrids, a perfectly prepared porchetta di Ariccia is characterized by pinkish-white meat and a brown, incredibly crunchy crust. It is made using an entire sow, about 27-45 kilos total, which is deboned manually, and then seasoned with salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic which are rubbed into the meat. The pig is then rolled and tied with a butcher's rope at intervals to hold in place, and spit roasted. However, because using an entire pig is usually unpractical for a home cook, the amount of meat and the preparation method in the original recipe are modified. Pork belly alone or in combination with pork loin or sometimes pork shoulder is used instead of a whole piglet, while seasonings vary from recipe to recipe. The meat is usually baked in the oven, but it can also be spit roasted on a grill. Porchetta is carved once the meat has had time to rest, anywhere from 1... Read more
Cooking tips
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meat
Roasting a whole piglet may be unpractical for a home cook, so most recipes bypass this by using deboned pork belly, pork loin, and even leg or shoulder instead. If going only for pork belly, look for one that is meatier, with only about 30% of fat. Also, because even with these adjustments, making a porchetta that is small enough is almost impossible, so it is advised to cut the assembled roll in ... Read more -
method
To help the fat from the skin render better is it important that you score it before baking, and for an incredibly crisp skin, dry it out by refrigerating it overnight, although recipes will differ in the amount of time necessary. Also, oiling the skin may prove unnecessary, but it is very common in recipes. When it comes to the oven temperature, there is no unanimous answer. Some cook at a low temperature,... Read more -
seasoning
The authentic porchetta di Ariccia is seasoned only with salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic, that are rubbed into the meat, or mixed with lard or olive oil and applied to the meat. Some recipes for at home preparation will include more spices and herbs, such as fennel, red pepper flakes, sage, thyme, lemon zest, or orange zest, though that would not be in line with the original recipe. -
serving
Serve with roasted potatoes or roasted vegetables, and some crusty bread, but a salad would also make an excellent side dish. In Italy, however, it is most commonly served as a porchetta panini.
Recipe variations
Ariccia-style Porchetta
PREP 1h
COOK 3h
READY IN 4h
This recipe adapted from the Barbecue Bible gives instructions on how to recreate an Arricia-style porchetta at home. To make the dish, you will need to have a grill with a spit for roasting, but baking in the oven will also produce satisfying results.
Ingredients
Ariccia-style Porchetta
6- to 7-pound unskinned pork belly
3 pound pork loin
FOR THE HERB PASTE
4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup packed fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup packed fresh rosemary leaves
2 tsp coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 ½ tbsp cracked black peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 strips (each 1/2 by 2 inches) orange zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or 3 more as needed
4 slices pancetta, unrolled into long strips
Preparation
Ariccia-style Porchetta
Make shallow diamond pattern incisions on both sides of the pork belly, season well with salt, then place in the refrigerate skin side up for 24 hours so that the salt can penetrate the meat.
Finely mince the garlic, sage, rosemary, pepper, fennel seeds, and orange zest by hand or in a food processor. Add the salt, lemon juice, and enough olive oil to get a thick paste.
Butterfly the pork loin. Take a large, sharp knife and start cutting into the meat along its longer edge, keeping it at all times ¾ inch from the bottom until all of the meat unrolls. Spread two to three tablespoons of the herb paste and then roll back into a log. Spread the outside of the loin, including the ends, with the remaining herb paste.
Place the pork belly on the worktop skin side down, and place the pork loin in the center. Roll the pork belly until the pork loin is completely covered. Tie with a kitchen string at 1-inch intervals to hold in place. Using a sharp knife cut off any excess belly pork, as well as the ends of the pork loin, which you can use to prepare a different meal.
Set up the grill, then set it to preheat to 350°F. Pierce the porchetta through the center with the spit, then secure each end with a rotisserie fork. Spit-roast the porchetta for about 3 hours. When done, the outsides should be sizzling brown, and the internal temperature should be at 155°F. Take off the spit and remove the kitchen strings. Rest the meat for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
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