Our chef Anne has a family cottage near Sudbury. Every year she goes for her holidays and upon returning we talk about the unique Sudbury porchetta (or “porketta”, as it’s spelled in that city). Unlike the flavouring of fennel that I’m used to, Sudburians favour a heavy hand of dill with garlic and black pepper. Based on conversations I’ve had with Anne, I believe this recipe could be a legitimate version of a Sudbury porketta, made exclusively with pork belly. I like to serve this with plenty of lemon wedges and Italian chili sauce (bomba).
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 lbs pork belly, skin on, butterflied in half so the meat opens like a book
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp cracked black pepper
2 tbsp salt
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup olive oil, plus 1 tbsp for cooking
Method
- Lay the pork belly on your cutting board, with the butterflied flap open. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the meat in a crosshatch pattern (this will allow the marinade to penetrate well). Turn the belly over so the skin side is up, and score the skin in a straight line at 1-inch intervals (this will allow for easier carving once the roast is cooked).
- Mix the chopped dill, garlic, pepper, salt, vinegar and oil together in a work bowl. Flip the belly over again (so the skin side is down), and massage the marinade into the butterflied meat. Open the flap of meat to make sure the marinade gets in between the layers, then roll the meat up into a cannon shape. Using strong cotton twine, tie the roast at 1-inch intervals. Place the roast in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, and up to 48 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Take the roast out of the fridge and place, skin side up, on an elevated rack in a roasting pan. Drizzle a tbsp of olive oil over the skin, and sprinkle the skin with salt. Place the roast in the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Turn the oven down to 300°F (with the roast still inside) and continue cooking for an additional 2 to 2.5 hours, or until an internal thermometer stuck into the center of the roast reads 160°F. The skin should be crackled from the initial blast of heat, but if you want it to be a bit crispier by all means send it under a high broiler for a minute or so to achieve the desired crackle. Remove the roast from the oven and rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving.
