Porchetta question

[mielemaiale]

I'm making porchetta in the style of Judy Rodger's mock porchetta from the Zuni cookbook. I bought a leg, and even though the butcher left the skin on, I chickened out this morning and decided to skin it, hoping to still leave some fat on. The problem is, although the pork is well marbled, there isn't an even layer of fat on the top of the trussed roast.

Do you think I should cover the roast with pancetta before putting in the over to make up for the comparative lack of fat? This may somewhat mimic the skin that typically covers a porchetta?

thanks for your help!

[fourunder]

It never hurts to use bacon.....but you can also simply retrieve the skin you sliced off and lay it on top of the roast for moisture during the cooking process....especially if you want to save the lard/drippings for some other recipe.

[mielemaiale]

oooh that would have been a great idea if i hadn't been so trigger happy and started rendering the skin into cracklings immediately!

[bushwickgirl]

You need some kind of fat on the leg, bacon, pancetta, thinly sliced fatback, etc., something.

[fourunder]

m,

May I ask what temperature you are planning to roast your Porchetta? I just made a small Boston Butt last night using the low and slow method :

First 20 minutes @ 450*, then dropped down to 250* for another four hours and it came out perfect. There was no skin on my piece of meat, According to the following link, using the same pork shoulder as I did, the meat self bastes and I believe this would be true of the fresh ham/leg as well.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/675835#5271495

http://cookingzuni.blogspot.com/2008/...

You can use the Pancetta if you wish, but I do not think it is absolutely necessary unless you roast at a higher temperature.

[mielemaiale]

Thanks for all your input. I roasted at 350 for about 3 hours total with no bacon. The 350 was Judy Rodgers' recommendation. The meat was somewhat dry, so probably should have followed your advice, fourunder.

In any case, all 10lbs of meat were gone by the end the party, the trays picked clean. So I guess it came out OK!

[fourunder]

m.

Roasting at 350 is not terrible, it's just that I find the lower temperatures 250* and below to be much better. My best roasts for turkey, pork and beef are always roasted @ 225*. The lower temperatures allow the meat to break down and become very tender more uniformly through out the roast, i.e. all the different muscles. The higher temperatures toughen the meat somewhat. or maybe it's better to say, does not break down the individual muscles as well as low and slow roasting.

The next time you are in the mood for a pork roast, try a bone in picnic shoulder roast, and roast @ 225*. For a half portion (3-4 pounds), it will take 4-7 hours. For the larger whole portion (6-9 pounds), it will take 9-11 hours. I find the latter 11 hours to be more often than not.....sometimes it has taken as long a 14 hours to reach 190*. If you do so, I would be surprised if you ever go back to higher temperature roasting ever again unless you are in a time pinch. Low temperature cooking is very forgiving, so the latter times on the scale are more preferable if you can allow for the time. I't almost impossible to ruin a roast @ 225*.....unless you take it out too soon. I don't even use a meat thermometer to check. I just pull at the meat and tug at the bone. When both release easily, the roast is done. I do however use an oven thermometer to check on the accuracy of the oven's heat.

btw......glad the party enjoyed your efforts. I'm sure the pork was great.