Porchetta is a traditional Italian roast, usually made with pork belly and packed with garlic, fennel and fresh herbs before being rolled and slow-cooked until tender. This version uses pork loin for a leaner dish. Butterflying the loin allows the herbs to be spread right through the meat, so every slice carries that fragrant mix of rosemary, sage, thyme and lemon zest. Recipe compliments of SA Pork.

Prep: 45 minutes plus overnight resting | Cook: 2 hours 30 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the porchetta:

• 2 kg boneless pork loin
• 500 g streaky bacon
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds, crushed
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the herb oil:

• 100 ml olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the roasting gravy:

• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 250 ml white wine
• 500 ml chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Butterfly the pork loin by slicing it lengthways and opening it flat like a book. Cover with plastic wrap and gently pound to an even thickness.
2. Mix the garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, fennel seeds, lemon zest, salt and black pepper. Rub the mixture generously over both sides of the pork.
3. Lay the bacon slices slightly overlapping on a large sheet of baking paper to form a rectangle. Place the pork at one end and roll it tightly into a cylinder, using the paper to help guide it. Tie securely with kitchen string at 3 cm intervals. Refrigerate overnight, uncovered.
4. Remove the porchetta from the fridge at least 2 hours before cooking. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Rub the outside with olive oil and a little extra salt.
5. Scatter the onions, carrots and celery into a roasting tray and place the porchetta on top. Roast for 30 minutes until the bacon begins to crisp.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C and continue roasting for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 63°C. Rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.
7. For the herb oil, gently warm the olive oil with the garlic, rosemary, sage and fennel seeds for about 5 minutes. Strain and season.
8. For the gravy, place the roasting tray over medium heat, add the white wine and scrape up the caramelised bits. Add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into a saucepan, whisk in cornflour mixed with a little cold water and simmer until thickened. Season to taste.
9. Slice the porchetta into thick rounds, drizzle with herb oil and serve with gravy.