Porchetta

What is Porchetta?

Porchetta is an Italian classic made from rolled pork and herbs. The meat comes from the midsection of the pig (belly with loin) and at The Butchery, we offer meat for porchetta from premium pig breeds that have lived good lives and are packed with flavor. Think of breeds like Livar or the renowned Iberico pig. It looks a bit like a roast, but it certainly isn’t. In Italy, they sometimes even use a whole suckling pig to make porchetta, but this is less common in the Netherlands.

How do you pronounce porchetta?

Although we might read it as por-sje-tta, this pronunciation is completely incorrect. It’s an Italian dish and should therefore be pronounced the Italian way. The ‘ch’ in Italian is pronounced as ‘k’, so the correct pronunciation for porchetta is porketta.

How do you prepare porchetta?

Traditional Italian porchetta includes herbs, and usually very special ones. Want to make an authentic porchetta? You’ll actually need ‘wild Tuscan fennel pollen.’ However, in many online recipes, this is replaced with the more accessible fennel seed powder. Additionally, you’ll need sea salt, fresh rosemary, black pepper, and olive oil. Oh, and if you want to do it traditionally, serve it on Italian bread.

Preparing Porchetta in 7 Steps

1. Remove the strings from the porchetta and preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Massage the salt into the meat (inside).
3. Add rosemary (crush it between your fingers to release the flavor) and add the pepper, fennel pollen (or ground fennel seeds), then roll it back up.
4. If you see any exposed meat (not covered by skin) once rolled, sprinkle some herbs over it.
5. Before baking, you can cover the ends with aluminum foil (use toothpicks to secure it).
6. Rub the skin with olive oil and sprinkle with some salt and rosemary.
7. Place in the oven, reduce the temperature to 160 degrees after half an hour, and cook until the internal temperature reaches 68 degrees Celsius (about 2 hours). If it hasn’t reached the desired temperature, add some more time.

What do Italians eat with porchetta?

In Italy, porchetta is usually served on bread, without any sides. So no sauces, no salad, or other side dishes. And honestly? A well-prepared porchetta doesn’t need anything else; it’s fantastic on its own!

If you’re making porchetta as part of a dinner, you can of course serve something alongside it. For example, make a lovely sweet potato puree, roseval potatoes with rosemary in their skin, grilled vegetables, or roasted cauliflower.

What internal temperature for porchetta?

With such a large piece of meat, it can sometimes be difficult to determine if it’s cooked properly. That’s where internal temperature comes in handy. After all, measuring is knowing! We recommend aiming for an internal temperature of 68 degrees Celsius when preparing porchetta.

Porchetta Recipe

Normally, porchetta is made the traditional way with lots of herbs. After all, it’s one of the most famous pork dishes from Italy. However, you can also prepare it differently. For instance, oven-roasted porchetta with crispy crackling sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Keep in mind that you’ll need to salt the skin a day in advance, so start early.

If you have a rotisserie, it’s also fun to cook porchetta on a spit. It’s a great variation on the traditional porchetta. Some people even add garlic, which is delicious but not found in traditional Italian porchetta.

Buying Porchetta Online

Buying porchetta online is very simple. Choose your favorite, add it to your cart, and complete your order. You can select your delivery day. Ordering before 11:00 AM means it’ll arrive the same evening. Ordering before 3:00 PM means delivery the next day! It’s quick frozen to retain all the flavor and nutrients. Buying porchetta online is definitely a great idea!

Porchetta Delivered Quick Frozen

Porchetta is delivered quick frozen when ordered from The Butchery. Ordering frozen meat online might sound intimidating, but it’s not! We freeze the meat quickly in a special way to preserve its nutrients, texture, and flavor. It’s super fresh! We also take every measure to ensure the meat arrives frozen at your home. For evening delivery, we pack orders on the morning of delivery in an insulated bag with a generous amount of dry ice. It will definitely arrive frozen!

Ordering Porchetta Online

Ordering meat online is ideal. You can stock up for the entire week or even the whole month. With such a large assortment, there’s always something handy to have at home. From a meatball mix to house-made burgers in various flavors, to porchetta. Simply add the items to your cart, choose your delivery day, and pay securely. It’s as easy as that!

In addition to evening delivery, we also partner with a company that handles daytime delivery. Leen Menken specializes in conditioned transport, meaning no insulation bags or dry ice are needed for daytime delivery. Deliveries are made Tuesday through Saturday, but you can choose your own delivery day at checkout.