Recipe courtesy of Che Chori
Porchetta Sandwich
Getting reviews...
- Level: Advanced
- Total: 1 day 8 hr 50 min (includes chilling time)
- Active: 1 hr 15 min
- Yield: 5 generous servings
- Level: Advanced
- Total: 1 day 8 hr 50 min (includes chilling time)
- Active: 1 hr 15 min
- Yield: 5 generous servings
Ingredients
Pickled Onions:
Porchetta:
NEW: You can now switch to Cook Mode to keep your screen awake.
Directions
Special equipment:
butcher’s twine- For the pickled onions: In a bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar, puya pepper, salt and 1 cup water. Add the onions, then place in a sealable container. Add the bay leaf. Seal the container and let marinate, refrigerated, for 24 hours.
- For the porchetta: Dry the skin side of the pork belly with a paper towel. Using the tip of a knife, stab the skin side of the pork belly repeatedly, just enough so that it goes through the skin. Do this on the entire skin side of the pork belly. Salt the skin side of the pork belly with 1/4 cup salt and let it sit, refrigerated, overnight.
- Clean the skin and flip the pork belly over. Using a very sharp knife, butterfly the pork belly so that it opens like a book.
- Add the garlic powder, fennel, red pepper flakes, rosemary, sage, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons salt to a bowl and mix well so that they are evenly dispersed.
- Pour the seasonings on the pork belly, spreading evenly and rubbing in thoroughly. Pour the bourbon and lemon juice on the pork belly on top of the seasonings and rub in. Place the bell pepper slices in 3 rows parallel to each other on the pork belly. Between the rows of peppers, disperse the prune quarters evenly.
- Starting on the side of the pork belly, meat side up, begin tightly rolling it, making sure that the peppers and prunes stay in place. Tie 5 pieces of twine around the roll tightly. (If comfortable with trussing, it works best.) This ensures a thorough cooking of the porchetta and minimizes the loss of juices.
- Place the porchetta, uncovered, skin side up on a rack in the refrigerator overnight.
- The following morning, salt the skin with 2 tablespoons salt again thoroughly; refrigerate. Do this approximately 6 to 12 hours before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 340 degrees F.
- Place the porchetta on a wire rack over a baking sheet that has been lined with foil, then a sheet of parchment paper. Then salt the skin once more with the remaining 2 tablespoons salt.
- Roast until the internal temperature reaches 100 to 110 degrees F, about 1 hour.
- Turn the pan 180 degrees in the oven to ensure even cooking, then continue to roast until it reaches an internal temperature of 140 to 145 degrees F, another 30 to 40 minutes.
- Turn the oven to 500 to 550 degrees F (convection is best; each oven is different, so keep a close eye on it so the skin doesn’t burn). Roast bottom side up until the skin is crunchy or blistery, 5 to 10 minutes. Turn the porchetta over and roast until the opposite side gets crunchy. (This step will bring the chicharron-type skin.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 to 25 minutes. Slice the porchetta into 3/4-to 1-inch-thick slices.
- Toast the baguettes to your liking, then split them open. Top the baguettes with porchetta slices. Add about 2 ounces chimichurri per sandwich. Add about 2 ounces pickled onions per sandwich. Close the sandwiches.
- Serve with your favorite side. At Che Chori, we serve our porchetta sandwich with a side of fries.
