PORCHETTA

By BobD

Ingredients

• 6 SERVINGS
• 20 fresh sage leaves
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs, stems removed
• 3 sprigs rosemary, stems removed
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, slightly toasted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons medium-coarse sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, skin on
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry white or red wine.

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from nytimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. In a food processor or by hand, finely chop sage, thyme, rosemary and garlic together. Place mixture in a small bowl; add fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Stir well.

2. With a utility knife, a razor blade or a sharp knife, score pork skin in a crosshatch diamond pattern, making 1/8- to 1/4-inch-deep cuts about 1 inch apart. With a paring knife, make about 10 incisions (about 1/2-inch deep) all over pork and stuff them with about 1/3 of the herb mixture.

3. Tie pork into a compact roast with kitchen twine, brush olive oil over skin and rub all over with remaining herb mixture. Set pork skin-side up on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 2 hours.

4. Pour wine over pork and baste with accumulated juices. Continue roasting, basting once every half-hour, until skin is well browned and meat is spoon tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours more. Remove pork from oven; let meat rest for 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, for crispy skin, slice off the cap of skin and fat. Place on rack in roasting pan skin-side up and broil for 3 to 6 minutes, or until skin bubbles and crisps. Watch closely so skin does not burn. Slice roast, chop skin at score marks and serve pieces of each together.