Recipe

Porchetta-Style Pork Roast

A crispy-skin pork roast with a rosemary-garlic filling, roasted hot for crackling and sliced thin like the best Italian sandwich shop.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A porchetta-style pork roast with blistered crispy skin and a spiral of herb-garlic filling, resting on a cutting board with a chef's knife nearby, warm kitchen lighting

Jump to Recipe

If you have ever bitten into porchetta and thought, how is the skin that loud and the meat that juicy, welcome. This is the home-kitchen version that still brings the drama: crackly, blistered skin; a garlicky herb layer that perfumes every slice; and that cozy, salty pork thing that makes people hover near the cutting board like it is a campfire.

You can make it two ways: the classic rolled pork belly if you want maximum crackling and rich slices, or a more weeknight-friendly (and budget-friendly) butterflied pork shoulder if you want porchetta vibes with a little more forgiveness. Either way, the big secret is not fancy equipment. It is dry skin, overnight seasoning, and a high-heat finish.

Why It Works

Overnight dry brine seasons the meat deeply and dries the skin so it crackles instead of steaming.
Herb, garlic, fennel, and citrus zest deliver that classic porchetta flavor without hard-to-find ingredients.
Two-stage roasting keeps the interior juicy, then finishes hot to blister the skin.
Resting and thin slicing give you clean spirals and tender bite, not torn, leaky slices.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Cool leftovers, then wrap tightly or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Slice, wrap portions in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheat without sadness: For best texture, reheat slices on a sheet pan at 375°F until warmed through, about 8 to 12 minutes. If you want the skin to crisp again, place skin-side up and give it a quick 1 to 3 minutes under the broiler, watching closely.

Leftover idea: Thin slices on toasted rolls with mustard, pickled onions, and a little mayo. Yes, this turns into a problem in the best way.

Common Questions

Do I have to use pork belly?

Nope. Pork belly is the classic move for maximum crackling and rich slices, but a butterflied pork shoulder (Boston butt) works great. It is leaner than belly (but still nicely fatty), stays juicy, and is easier to find. Ask the butcher to butterfly it, or do it yourself with a long knife.

How do I actually get crispy skin?

Three things: dry skin, salt, and high heat. Pat the skin very dry, leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight if you can, and roast hot at the end. Also, avoid letting the skin touch wet filling. Score only the skin and fat, not deep into the meat.

Can I prep this ahead for a dinner party?

Yes. Season and roll it the day before, then roast the next day. Once cooked, porchetta holds well. Let it rest, then loosely tent with foil for up to 45 minutes. Skin is crispiest right after roasting, so time the final high-heat stage close to serving.

What internal temperature should I target?

It depends on the texture you want and the cut.

For sliceable porchetta-style roast: pull at 160 to 165°F in the thickest part, then rest. This gives you juicy, clean slices and enough heat to render a good amount of fat in belly.

For pull-apart shoulder: if you are using pork shoulder and want that shreddable, collagen-melted tenderness, keep roasting until about 190 to 200°F. That is a different vibe, still delicious, just less deli-sliceable.

Either way, remember carryover cooking. The center can climb a few degrees while it rests.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Large cutting board and sharp knife
Kitchen twine
Rimmed sheet pan and roasting rack (helpful but optional)
Instant-read thermometer
Small bowl and spoon for the filling
Paper towels (crispy skin insurance)

I love recipes that feel a little chaotic in a fun way, like you are building something impressive without needing a culinary degree and a backup plan. Porchetta is exactly that. The first time I made it, I was convinced I would either undercook the middle or burn the skin into pork glass. Turns out, the method is simple: dry it out, season it like you mean it, then let the heat do its thing. Now it is my go-to “I want applause but I also want leftovers” roast.

Porchetta-Style Pork Roast

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 30 minutes (plus overnight)

Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes (plus overnight)

Servings 8

Ingredients

For the pork

1 pork belly, skin-on, about 4 to 5 lb (or butterflied pork shoulder 4 to 5 lb)
2 1/2 tbsp kosher salt (or 1 1/2 tbsp fine sea/table salt)
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

Herb and garlic filling

8 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil

For roasting

1 onion, sliced (for the pan)
1 cup water or low-sodium broth (for the pan)

Instructions

Prep the pork and dry the skin. If using pork belly, place it skin-side up on a cutting board. Pat the skin very dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score the skin and fat in a shallow crosshatch, about 1 inch apart. Do not cut deep into the meat.
Flip and open it up. Turn the belly meat-side up. If it is thicker in spots, make a few shallow scoring cuts in the thicker meat so it opens up and lays flatter (think “help it hinge,” not “cut it in half”). If using butterflied shoulder, lay it open like a book and pat dry.
Mix the filling. In a bowl, combine garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon zest, red pepper flakes (if using), olive oil, fennel seeds, black pepper, and 1 tbsp of the salt. Stir into a paste.
Season and roll. Spread the filling evenly over the meat side, leaving about a 1 inch border. Roll tightly into a log, aiming for an even cylinder. Tie with kitchen twine every 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Rub the outside with the remaining salt, focusing on the skin side. Try not to pack extra salt into any exposed seams where filling might peek out.
Overnight rest (highly recommended). Place the roast on a rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours. This dries the skin and seasons the meat. If you cannot do overnight, give it at least 4 hours, uncovered if possible.
Bring toward room temp. About 45 minutes before roasting, take the pork out of the fridge. Pat the skin dry again if it looks at all damp.
Roast low to cook through. Heat oven to 325°F. Add sliced onion to a rimmed sheet pan or roasting pan and pour in water or broth. This helps prevent drippings from scorching and keeps the pan from smoking too early. Set a rack over the pan (or rest the roast on the onions). Place the roast on top, skin-side up. Roast until the thickest part reaches 160 to 165°F for sliceable porchetta, usually 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes for a 4 to 5 lb roast that is roughly 4 to 5 inches in diameter. Time varies a lot, so trust the thermometer over the clock. If you are using shoulder and want pull-apart texture, keep going toward 190 to 200°F.
Crank the heat for crackling. Increase oven to 500°F. Roast 10 to 20 minutes until the skin is blistered and audibly crisp. Watch closely. This stage can get smoky, especially with belly, so turn on the hood and crack a window if needed.
Rest, then slice thin. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 20 to 30 minutes (carryover cooking will bump the center up a few degrees). Cut and remove twine. For the cleanest slices, cut across the grain (especially important with shoulder). A serrated knife or very sharp chef’s knife helps you break through the crackling without squishing the spiral. Serve right away while the skin is still doing that magical crunch.

A chef slicing a porchetta-style pork roast into thin spiraled slices, showing crispy crackling skin and herb filling on a wooden cutting board

Nutrition information is estimated.

Did you make this? Tag @Mom's Best Recipes