Recipe

Italian-Style Porchetta

A practical porchetta made with the skinless half pork belly commonly found at Costco, rolled with garlic, sage, rosemary, fennel pollen, and roasted until juicy inside with crisp, caramelized edges.

Serves 8–10 About 4 hours 24-hour rest
No butcher order needed

Porchetta made with readily available pork belly.

Traditional porchetta is usually made with skin-on pork belly, but that cut can be hard to find without ordering from a butcher.

This version uses the skinless half pork belly many people can buy at Costco. You still get the beautiful spiral, the garlicky herb filling, the rich pork flavor, and the crisp browned exterior without needing a specialty cut.

The 24-hour rest gives the salt time to season the meat deeply, while scoring the underside helps the garlic, herbs, olive oil, and fennel pollen work their way into every slice.

Italian-style porchetta sliced and served
Herb paste rubbed into pork belly
Porchetta tied with butcher's twine
Sliced Italian-style porchetta
Method

How to make porchetta

  1. Trim the pork belly. Trim away the thick layer of surface fat from one side of the pork belly, leaving about ¼ inch of fat. This gives the herb paste better contact with the meat while leaving enough fat to baste the roast as it cooks.
  2. Make the herb paste. Combine the garlic, olive oil, sage, rosemary leaves, fennel pollen, 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt, and the black pepper in a food processor. Process until you have a coarse, spreadable paste.
  3. Score the underside. Place the pork belly meat side up. Using a sharp knife, diagonally score the underside in a crosshatch pattern, cutting about ½ inch deep without cutting all the way through.
  4. Season the meat. Rub the garlic-herb paste deeply into the scored meat, working it into the cuts so the seasoning reaches the center of the roast.
  5. Roll tightly. Roll the pork belly into a tight log with the seasoned side inside. Keep the roll as even as possible so it cooks evenly and slices cleanly.
  6. Tie securely. Tie the porchetta with butcher’s twine every 1 to 1½ inches. The tighter and more even the tying, the better the finished spiral will look.
  7. Salt the exterior. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of kosher salt evenly over the outside of the tied porchetta. This dry brine helps season the roast and promotes better browning during cooking.
  8. Rest overnight. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours. This gives the salt time to penetrate the meat while allowing the exterior to dry slightly for better browning.
  9. Temper before roasting. Remove the porchetta from the refrigerator about 1 hour before cooking.
  10. Roast low and steady. Roast at 325°F for about 3½ hours, rotating the pan if your oven has hot spots.
  11. Crisp the outside. When the center reaches 155°F, increase the oven temperature to 450°F and continue roasting for about 20 minutes, or until the outside is deeply browned and crisp.
  12. Rest and slice. Remove from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Up to 165°F is okay. Rest for 20–30 minutes before slicing into thick rounds.
Paul’s tips

Make it practical, make it beautiful.

This recipe was developed for the skinless half pork belly that is much easier to find than traditional skin-on pork belly.

  • Costco pork belly works well: the skinless half pork belly is easy to source and still gives you a rich, impressive roast.
  • Score deeply, but not through: the cuts help the paste season the pork without weakening the roll.
  • Use butcher’s twine: tight, even tying gives the porchetta its clean spiral shape.
  • Use temperature, not just time: start the high-heat finish around 155°F and pull the roast around 160°F.
  • It can finish early: porchetta can come out up to 2 hours before eating and still serve beautifully.
Finished porchetta sliced into rounds
FAQ

Common porchetta questions

Can I make porchetta with skinless pork belly?

Yes. Traditional porchetta often uses skin-on pork belly, but this version is designed specifically for skinless half pork belly.

Why refrigerate the porchetta for 24 hours?

The overnight rest gives the salt time to season the pork more deeply and helps the outside brown better during roasting.

What if I cannot find fennel pollen?

Fennel pollen gives porchetta its distinctive aroma, but lightly toasted and ground fennel seed can be used as a practical substitute.

Can porchetta be made ahead?

Yes. It can come out of the oven up to 2 hours before serving. Let it rest uncovered, then slice close to serving time.

Cook with me

Want to learn this dish hands-on?

Porchetta is a great class dish because it teaches trimming, seasoning, rolling, tying, roasting by temperature, and planning ahead for a beautiful centerpiece. Ask about adding it to a private cooking class in Plainfield, Naperville, or the surrounding Chicago suburbs.

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