AuthorJess CarterRecipe from James Martin’s Islands to Highlands (Quadrille, £25); photography by Peter Cassidy
Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/gas mark 9.
Put all the ingredients for the stuffing in a large bowl, seasoning well at the end. Mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Lay the pork on a board and unroll it skin-side down. Using a sharp knife and starting at one end, carefully cut the meat in half horizontally, working almost to the very end so that it’s still attached on one side. Open out the length of the meat so that you have a very long rectangle. Spoon the stuffing over the entire surface of the meat and
smooth over so that it’s in an even layer.
Starting from the end with no skin attached, roll the meat up tightly along its length to enclose the filling. Secure with string: cut a length of string at least 5 times the length of the joint. Make a noose in the end of the string, loop it around the pork, then pull the string through the noose and pull it tight. Continue to work down the joint, wrapping the string around the underside of the joint and back around to meet the string at the top, then feeding the string over and under the string at the top, pulling it taught each time. Tie it at the end to secure.
Place the stuffed pork onto a rack set in a roasting tray and roast for 30 minutes. After this time, turn the oven down to 140C/275F/gas mark 1 and roast for another 1½ hours. Remove from the oven and let cool. Transfer to a large plate and chill in the fridge overnight.
When you’re ready to serve, take the porchetta out of the fridge and leave for 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Cut off the string, then slice and serve with chutneys and pickles, and a handful of watercress, if you like.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/gas mark 9.
Put all the ingredients for the stuffing in a large bowl, seasoning well at the end. Mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Lay the pork on a board and unroll it skin-side down. Using a sharp knife and starting at one end, carefully cut the meat in half horizontally, working almost to the very end so that it’s still attached on one side. Open out the length of the meat so that you have a very long rectangle. Spoon the stuffing over the entire surface of the meat and
smooth over so that it’s in an even layer.
Starting from the end with no skin attached, roll the meat up tightly along its length to enclose the filling. Secure with string: cut a length of string at least 5 times the length of the joint. Make a noose in the end of the string, loop it around the pork, then pull the string through the noose and pull it tight. Continue to work down the joint, wrapping the string around the underside of the joint and back around to meet the string at the top, then feeding the string over and under the string at the top, pulling it taught each time. Tie it at the end to secure.
Place the stuffed pork onto a rack set in a roasting tray and roast for 30 minutes. After this time, turn the oven down to 140C/275F/gas mark 1 and roast for another 1½ hours. Remove from the oven and let cool. Transfer to a large plate and chill in the fridge overnight.
When you’re ready to serve, take the porchetta out of the fridge and leave for 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Cut off the string, then slice and serve with chutneys and pickles, and a handful of watercress, if you like.