Porchetta: Stuffed and Rolled Italian Pork Roast

Gather the ingredients.

Spread out the butterflied loin so it's flat. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Cut off the top of the fennel bulb and save the fuzzy fronds. Quarter the bulb, cut out and discard the core, then slice very thinly. Finely chop the fronds.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the sliced fennel, onion, garlic, fennel seeds, pepper flakes, and rosemary. Sauté until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

Add the ground pork and cook, stirring often, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved fennel fronds. Adjust the seasoning as needed. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool.

Add the panko, egg, and lemon zest to the cooked pork mixture and fold together until well combined.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 °F.

Lay the pork belly, skin-side down, on a work surface. Use a sharp paring knife to score a cross-hatch pattern into the belly (don't cut all the way through). This enables the extra fat to render and helps the skin crisp.

Turn the belly over, skin-side up. Pierce small slits all over. Use a meat tenderizer to pound the pork belly all over so that it's slightly larger than the butterflied loin.

Lay the flat pork loin on top of the pork belly. Spread the ground pork mixture evenly over the center of pork loin.

Roll the belly and loin together like a jelly roll. Tie with butcher's twine at even intervals to hold it all together.

Liberally season the porchetta with salt and pepper. Set it on a rack in a roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast until the internal temperature reaches 145 °F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 2 ½ hours. If the porchetta skin is not yet browned and crisped, increase the oven temperature to 500 °F and roast 5 to 10 more minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.

Let the porchetta rest 20 minutes, then carve into slices and serve.