Festive Feasts, Green Egg Style
This Italian delicacy is traditionally made with suckling pig but that’s not essential – pork belly will work perfectly. If you’re not happy with your crackling you can give it a blast of direct heat – use tongs to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Recipe Essentials
-Serves: 8-10 People
-EGG setup: indirect
-Recommended charcoal: Canadian Maple
-EGG target temperature: 140˚C
-Cooking time: 4 hours
Ingredients
-2.5kg pork belly, boneless
-600g of pork loin
-2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked
-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
-1 large bulb of garlic, cloves peeled
-1 tbsp of fennel seeds
-1 pinch of chilli flakes
-1 lemon, zested
-2 tbsp of white wine
-1 tsp flaky sea salt
-1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
For the Vegetables
-2 heads of fennel, cut into quarters
-2 large onions, cut into quarters
-2kg new potatoes, cut in half
-12 garlic cloves, peeled
-1 tbsp fennel seeds
-3 tbsp olive oil
-1 bunch basil, finely chopped
-1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
-1 bunch dill, finely chopped
Instructions
Equipment
–Non-Stick Drip Pan
–Egg Genius
–Conveggtor
–Pocket Size Thermometer
–Canadian Maple Charcoal
Method
Place the fennel seeds, chilli flakes, garlic cloves, herbs, salt, pepper and white wine in a pestle and mortar or food processor and grind/blitz to a paste. Place the pork belly skin-side down and lay the loin across the width. Trim the loin down to size so it rolls up neatly. Lightly score the belly flesh in a 2cm diagonal pattern and massage the stuffing paste into the belly and loin then place the loin back onto the belly. Roll up tightly, tie up with butcher’s string and leave uncovered in the fridge overnight.
Place all of the vegetables, garlic and fennel seeds into a roasting tray with the olive oil. Add the porchetta on top of the veg and cook in your EGG until the internal temperature reaches 55˚C (around 3 hours) then turn the temperature of the EGG up to 220˚C until the fat is crisp and the internal temperature of the pork reaches 74˚C. Rest for 30 minutes.
While the pork is resting pour some of the excess fat from the vegetable and roast for a further 20 minutes until caramelised. Just before serving stir through the chopped green herbs.
