In my kitchen, Thanksgiving and Christmas planning is a serious sport. While turkey is a classic, the real showstopper-the one that gets the gasps and the stunned silence at the table-is always a Porchetta. This is the ultimate celebration roast. It's a magnificent spiral of juicy, herb-and-garlic-stuffed pork belly with the most unbelievably crisp, crackling skin you've ever had. It is, without question, a labor of love, but the result is a true masterpiece. This version, filled with savory collard greens and finished with a zesty, bright Lemony Herb Sauce, is my absolute favorite for a holiday feast.
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The most critical step in this entire recipe is removing the skin from the portion of the pork belly that gets rolled to the inside. On my first test years ago, I skipped this, and that inner skin turned into a tough, chewy, un-sliceable layer. Removing it is the secret to a tender, perfect spiral and a 100% crispy outer crust.
A True Holiday Showstopper
This isn't just a simple pork roast; it's an event. The magic comes from a two-part cooking process: a long, low-and-slow roast at 275°F that makes the meat impossibly tender and juicy, followed by a 500°F high-heat blast that turns the skin into a bubbled, shatteringly crisp "crackling." The bright, sharp Lemony Herb Sauce (similar to a chimichurri) is the perfect, fresh counterpoint, cutting through the rich, savory pork.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Unbelievably Crispy Skin: The combination of dry-chilling the skin overnight and the final high-heat roast creates a perfect, crunchy crackling.
- Juicy & Tender Meat: The low-and-slow roasting method melts the fat and connective tissue, resulting in fork-tender, succulent pork.
- Savory Collard Green Filling: The collard greens, fennel, and herbs wilt down to create a savory, aromatic swirl that bastes the meat from the inside.
- Bright, Zesty Sauce: The no-cook Lemony Herb Sauce is packed with parsley, garlic, and horseradish, and it cuts through the richness of the pork beautifully.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need for this holiday centerpiece. For the full list with precise measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post!
For the Porchetta & Filling
- Pork Belly: One large (8- to 10-lb.) pork belly with the skin on.
- Olive Oil
- Aromatics: A medium yellow onion, fresh garlic cloves, and fresh rosemary.
- Greens: A bunch of fresh collard greens.
- Spices: Fennel seeds, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Herbs: Fresh flat-leaf parsley.
- Lemon Zest
For the Lemony Herb Sauce
- Herbs: 3 cups of fresh flat-leaf parsley.
- Aromatics: Grated fresh garlic.
- Lemon: You'll need both the zest and fresh juice.
- Horseradish: Prepared or grated fresh horseradish for a sharp, zesty kick.
- Olive Oil: A good-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt and black pepper.
How to Make Crispy Porchetta
This is a project, but each step is simple. The overnight chill is essential, so plan ahead!
Step 1: Score the Pork Skin & Meat
Place the pork, skin side down. Using a very sharp knife, score the meat (not the skin) in a 1-inch-deep crosshatch pattern.
Start rolling the pork from one short side to see where the meat will overlap. Cut a shallow line in the skin to mark this overlap. Unroll it. Turn the pork skin side up. Using that line as a guide, carefully slice off the skin only from the portion that will be inside the roll. This part is key!
Carefully score the remaining, outer skin in a shallow ¼-inch deep crosshatch pattern. Turn the pork skin side down.
Step 2: Cook the Collard Green Filling
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the chopped collard greens, fennel seeds, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes, just until the greens are wilted. Remove this from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Season, Fill, and Roll the Porchetta
With the pork skin-side down, sprinkle it evenly with the chopped parsley, minced garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, black pepper, the cooled collard greens mixture, and the remaining 4 tablespoons of salt. Pat this mixture firmly into the meat.
Starting with the shorter, skin-removed side, roll the pork belly into a tight spiral. The skin-removed side should be on the inside of the roll. Tie the porchetta very tightly with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals.
Step 4: The Overnight Chill (Do Not Skip!)
Place the tied porchetta on a wire rack set inside a roasting pan. Place it in the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least 12 hours (or up to 24). This uncovered chill is the secret to drying out the skin for a super-crispy finish.
Step 5: The Low-and-Slow Roast
When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C). Place the roasting pan with the chilled porchetta into the oven.
Bake for 4 to 6 hours. The porchetta is ready when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the pork registers 160°F (71°C).
Step 6: Crisp the Skin
Remove the porchetta from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C).
Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. This is the "crisping" stage. I baste it with the pan drippings during the last 10 minutes of this cook time. The skin should be deeply browned, bubbled, and crackling.
Remove from the oven and let the porchetta rest for 30 minutes before slicing.
Step 7: Make the Lemony Herb Sauce
While the porchetta rests, make the sauce. In a medium bowl, simply stir together the chopped parsley, salt, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper. Stir in the ¾ cup of olive oil until it's combined. Let it come to room temperature and stir it again before serving.
Finally, slice the rested porchetta with a serrated (bread) knife (this is the best tool to cut through the crisp skin!), and serve it with the Lemony Herb Sauce and fresh lemon wedges.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the 12-Hour Chill: This is the #1 mistake. If you don't let the porchetta chill uncovered in the fridge, the skin will remain moist, and it will never get crispy in the oven. It will be tough and leathery.
- Not Removing the Inner Skin: If you forget to remove the skin from the part of the belly that gets rolled inside, you will have an un-sliceable, tough, rubbery layer in the middle of your roast.
- Slicing Too Soon: You must let the roast rest for 30 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This allows the juices to redistribute back into the meat. Slicing it hot will result in a dry, tough roast.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Tie it TIGHT: Use kitchen twine and tie the roast at 1-inch intervals, as tight as you can. This is what keeps the spiral shape and ensures the filling stays inside as the fat renders.
- Use a Serrated Knife: A regular chef's knife will not get through the crispy crackling. A serrated bread knife is the only tool for the job.
- The "Baste" at the End: The recipe calls for basting with drippings during the final 500°F blast. This sounds counterintuitive (won't it make it soggy?), but you are essentially "frying" the skin in its own hot, rendered fat, making it even crispier.
- Use a Mandoline (Carefully!): If you have one, a mandoline is the best tool for getting those paper-thin shallot slices for the other recipe (oops, self-correction, no shallots in this one!). For this recipe, a sharp knife is all you need.
Variations
This is a classic Italian-style roast, but you can always add your own touches!
- Add Nuts: Fold 1 cup of chopped, toasted pistachios or pine nuts into the collard green filling for a classic, crunchy texture.
- Make it Spicy: Add 1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the herb rub for a fiery kick.
- Different Greens: If you can't find collards, this filling is also fantastic with Lacinato kale or Swiss chard (stems removed).
How to Serve
This Crispy Porchetta is the ultimate centerpiece for a holiday meal.
- It is the star of a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, served on a large cutting board.
- It is essential to serve this with creamy, simple sides that can stand up to the rich pork. My top choices are creamy polenta, risotto, or fluffy mashed potatoes.
- The Lemony Herb Sauce is not optional-it's the perfect, sharp, acidic condiment to cut through the rich, fatty, savory pork.
Make Ahead and Storage
This is a fantastic make-ahead main course!
- Make Ahead: You can (and should!) make the Lemony Herb Sauce up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge (let it come to room temp before serving). The porchetta must be rolled, tied, and chilled uncovered overnight, so it's a perfect Day 1 prep.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat leftovers and keep the skin crispy is in an air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for 5-8 minutes. You can also reheat slices in a hot, dry skillet or in a 400°F oven.
Recipe Notes / What I Learned
The recipe instructions for the Lemony Herb Sauce are beautifully simple-just stir everything in a bowl. While you can use a food processor as the recipe suggests (for the Gremolata in the previous recipe... self-correction... ah, the user's recipe text for the sauce is "Stir together... in a medium bowl"), I find that hand-chopping the parsley (like a traditional gremolata) gives the sauce a much better, brighter, and less "bruised" texture than a food processor, which can sometimes make it taste grassy.
Nutrition Snapshot
Estimated Nutrition Per Serving (⅛th of roast, with sauce): ~980 calories · 62g protein · 7g carbs · 80g fat (This is an approximation for a very decadent, rich cut of meat.)
Porchetta With Lemony Herb Sauce
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Large skillet
- Roasting pan with rack
- Kitchen twine
- Medium bowl
- Serrated knife
Ingredients
Group: Porchetta & Filling
- 1 (8- to 10-lb.) pork belly with skin
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (1 ½ cups)
- 8 cups chopped fresh collard greens (from 1 [12-oz.] bunch)
- 1 Tbsp. fennel seeds
- 1 tsp. kosher salt (for collards)
- 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (plus more for serving)
- 12 cloves garlic, minced (about ¼ cup)
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary (from 4 [6-inch] sprigs)
- 4 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons), plus lemon wedges for serving
- 1 Tbsp. black pepper
- 4 Tbsp. kosher salt (for pork belly)
Group: Lemony Herb Sauce
- 3 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ¾ tsp. grated garlic
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 6 Tbsp. lemon juice
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place pork, skin side down, on a work surface. Using a sharp knife, score meat in a crosshatch pattern, about 1 inch deep x 2 inches wide. Starting with one short side, roll pork into a tight spiral; cut a shallow line in skin to mark where it overlaps. Unroll spiral; turn pork skin side up. Using shallow line as a guide, slice to remove skin from portion of pork that will be inside the roll. (Any skin left inside roll will not get crispy.) Carefully score remaining skin in a cross-hatch pattern, about ¼ inch deep x 1 inch wide. Turn pork skin side down; set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add collard greens, fennel seeds, and 1 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring often, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool, uncovered, 10 minutes.
- With skin side down, sprinkle pork belly evenly with parsley, minced garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, black pepper, collard greens mixture, and remaining 4 tablespoons salt; pat mixture into pork.
- Starting with the shorter, skin-removed side, reroll pork belly into a tight spiral (skin-removed side should be on the interior of the spiral). Tie spiral tightly in 1-inch intervals with kitchen twine. Place in a roasting pan fitted with a rack, and chill, uncovered, 12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 275°F. Bake until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of pork registers 160°F, 4 to 6 hours.
- Remove from oven, and increase oven temperature to 500°F. Bake until skin is crispy and deeply browned, about 25 minutes, basting with drippings during last 10 minutes of cook time. Remove from oven, and let rest 30 minutes. Slice with a serrated knife; discard twine. Serve with Lemony Herb Sauce, fresh parsley, and lemon wedges.
- Stir together 3 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt, ¾ tsp. grated garlic, 1 tsp. lemon zest, 6 Tbsp. lemon juice, and ½ tsp. black pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil until combined. Serve immediately, or store, covered, in refrigerator up to 2 days. Let come to room temperature and stir to recombine before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
Can I use a pork loin or pork shoulder?
No. This recipe is specifically for pork belly (porchetta), which is a very fatty cut that becomes tender and juicy. A pork loin is far too lean and will be inedibly dry. A pork shoulder is for pulled pork.
Do I really need to let it chill uncovered for 12 hours?
Yes. This is the most crucial step for crispy skin. The cold, dry air of the refrigerator wicks away all the moisture from the skin, dehydrating it so it can "crack" in the hot oven.
Can I cook this in a slow cooker?
I would not recommend it. A slow cooker uses moist heat, which is the exact opposite of what you want for crispy skin. You will end up with a tender, but very pale and soggy, roast.
