Porchetta style Pork Roast (Maiale alla Porchetta)

Ingredients:  One, 6-8 pound, bone-in Pork end Roast or half picnic Roast.  

2 bunches (about 4 cups Rosemary, left whole)

One handful of fresh sage (about 2 cups)

3-4 cloves garlic, diced

2 teaspoons Sea Salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

4 pieces of  heavy duty foil, enough to cover the roast tightly and securely

One cup of white wine

 

Preheat your oven to 250 bake.

 

Take your meat out of the package and give it a rinse.  Pat your meat dry with paper towels. Place your meat in a Ziploc bag with your wine for several hours or even over night. The longer the better. If you wish, you can skip this step entirely and add your wine at the last minute.  Drain, pat dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place on a foil lined baking sheet.   

Make some holes around the top of our Roast and insert some garlic pieces right into the roast.  Do not worry if some of the garlic falls to the bottom of the baking sheet.  Lay your Rosemary and sage across the top of your Roast.  It is not necessary to add any additional fat.   Wrap up your roast using additional pieces of foil.  You need a good, tight fit. This will ensure even cooking, as well as air entrapment.  That is what you want to have happen.

Cook in a low oven, 250 degrees, for approximately 6-7 hours.  Check your Roast at the 6 1/2 hour mark.  You will notice that your package may have deflated by almost half.  Use the back of a wooden spoon to slightly, pat down on your package.  If your package is very soft, it's ready.    You will also notice that the liquid (fat) has now escaped  to the bottom of your pan, but your package looks intact.  

 Cut open your package across the top of the roast. Remove your Rosemary and sage that has wilted from the steam.  Open your package across the top.  Expose the top entirely.  (Add our wine here, if you haven't in the beginning).  Broil for 10-12 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Remove from oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve with several fresh sprigs of Rosemary and Sage.  Buon Appetito!

Special Note:  Make adjustments for convection cooking.  I usually use the 50 minutes per pound calculation based on this cut of meat and the low cooking temperature.