Recipe by: Lisa Prince
Servings: 8-10
Cook Time: 1 hour
Meal Type: Entree
Ingredients
Down East Porchetta
1 ea. 4 pounds Master Blend Family Farms boneless pork loin, butterflied and lightly pounded.
For the stuffing
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon juice and zest
½ tablespoon granulated onion
½ tablespoon granulated garlic
½ tablespoon whole fennel seeds, toasted and ground
½ tablespoon whole black peppercorns, toasted and ground
1 tablespoon kosher salt
½ cup NC pecans toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, stem removed and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, stems removed and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage, stems removed and chopped
Rosemary Apple Sauce
3 pounds mixed NC apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
¾ cup water
1 ¼ cup light brown sugar
½ tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Praline Bacon
1 pound Master Blend Family Farms bacon
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup NC pecan halves and pieces
1 teaspoon chopped, fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Combine granulated onion, garlic, fennel seeds, black pepper and salt in a small container. Mix fresh herbs together in another small container and blend olive oil, lemon juice and zest in a third container.
Porchetta assembly
Butcher’s twine, about 3-4 ft.
1 half sheet pan with a wire roasting rack
aluminum foil
Line the sheet pan with foil and top with the wire rack. Place the butterflied and pounded pork loin on a clean work surface with the fat cap side facing down. Pour the olive oil, lemon juice and zest on the pork and rub into the meat. Evenly season with the salt mixture, reserving some for the outside of the porchetta. Next add the herbs and pecans.
Roll the loin into a cylinder and evenly tie with the butcher’s twine. Place the rolled and tied loin, fat cap side up, on the wire rack lined sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered overnight.
Cooking and serving
The next day, remove porchetta from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously season the porchetta with the reserved salt mixture. Roast until a thermometer reads 145-150 degrees, about an hour. Allow the porchetta to rest for at least 30 minutes, making sure to save any juices from roasting. Slice and serve with the reserved juices, rosemary apple sauce and your favorite side dishes.
Rosemary Apple Sauce
In a 4 quart sauce pot, combine all ingredients except the rosemary and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until the apples are falling apart, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and puree in a food processor or a food mill. Let the sauce cool for about 20 minutes, and stir in the rosemary and lemon juice.
Praline Bacon
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a half-sheet pan with foil and a wire rack. Arrange bacon slices on the rack and cook until the fat starts to render, and the bacon is browning, about 15-20 minutes.
As the bacon is cooking, prepare the topping by combining all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the pecans are chopped, about 15 pulses.
Remove the bacon evenly and generously sprinkle the topping on the bacon slices. Return to the oven and cook until the topping is bubbling and caramelized about 7-10 minutes. The praline bacon will become crispy as it cools.
Recipes found on this page are from Got to Be NC members, staff, industry partners and Stove Side Chats. Stove Side Chats is Got to Be NC’s cooking show hosted by restaurant marketing specialist Chad Blackwelder. This series invites chefs and home cooks from around the state to teach you how to cook with in-season North Carolina deliciousness.