Porchetta with Apricots and Herbs
What do you get when you fill pork belly with fragrant rosemary, thyme, fennel, and juicy dried apricots? A beautiful homemade porchetta with an irresistibly crisp outside and a tender and tasty inside.
How long will it take?
3 hours
What’s the serving size?
Serves 6
What do I need?
- 2 kg pork belly, skin on, butterflied and flattened
- 200 g dried apricots, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt, plus extra for skin
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil, for rubbing
How do I make it?
- Preheat oven to 160C. Line a roasting tray with baking paper or a roasting rack.
- In a mixing bowl combine apricots, garlic, thyme, rosemary, fennel seeds, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix until well combined.
- Lay the pork belly skin-side down on a clean work surface. Evenly spread the apricot mixture over the pork, leaving a 2-centimetre border around the edges.
- Roll the pork tightly from one long edge to the other, enclosing the filling. Tie with kitchen string at 3–4-centimetre intervals to hold its shape.
- Pat the skin dry with paper towel. Rub with a little olive oil and a generous sprinkle of sea salt.
- Lay the porchetta seam-side down on the prepared tray. Roast for 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 70C.
- Increase oven temperature to 220C and roast for a further 15-20 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp.
- Remove from oven, cover lightly with foil, and rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
