Porchetta

For other uses, see Porchetta (disambiguation).

Porchetta [porˈketːa] (or sometimes "porketta") is a savory, fatty, and moist boneless pork roast of Italian culinary tradition. The body of the pig is gutted, deboned, arranged carefully with layers of stuffing, meat, fat, and skin, then rolled, spitted, and roasted, traditionally over wood. Porchetta is usually heavily salted in addition to being stuffed with garlic, rosemary, fennel, or other herbs, often wild. Porchetta has been selected by the Italian Ministero delle Politiche Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali as a "prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale" ("traditional agricultural-alimentary product", one of a list of traditional Italian foods held to have cultural relevance).

In Italy

Although popular in the whole country, porchetta originated in central Italy, with Ariccia (in the Province of Rome) being the town most closely associated with it. Elsewhere, it is considered a celebratory dish. Across Italy porchetta is usually sold by pitchmen with their typically white-painted vans, especially during public displays or holidays, and it can be served in a panino. It is also eaten as a meat dish in many households or as part of a picnic.

Porchetta is one of two iconic culinary products of the Lazio region, the other being the sheep cheese pecorino romano.

Porchetta from Umbria is stuffed with the pig's chopped entrails mixed with lard, garlic, salt and plenty of pepper and wild fennel.

Porchetta trevigiana (from Treviso) was born in 1919. In it, pig is slaughtered when one year old, then its meat is stuffed with salt, pepper, wild fennel, garlic and white wine. It is then roasted inside a oven for seven hours at 200 °C. The porchetta is today a popular dish in Venetian cuisine.

Abroad

Porchetta with black pepper served in Australia

Porchetta was introduced to the USA by Italian immigrants of the early 20th century, and is sometimes referred to as "Italian pulled pork". It is in many places served on a sandwich with greens (broccoli raab or spinach) and—controversially—provolone cheese.

Porchetta is celebrated in the form of a Sagra every July in Austin, Texas.

Porchetta is also very popular in Northern Ontario (notably Sudbury)and Southern Ontario (in areas such as Toronto, Hamilton and St. Catharines) and the term "porchetta" is widely used by Italian-Canadians, instead of simply "roast pork". Porchetta (porketta) is also popular in the upper Midwest having been brought to the Michigan and Minnesota Iron ranges by Italian immigrants.

The Porchetta culture in Sudbury, Ontario runs deep and perhaps deeper than anywhere outside of its native Italy - with a near cult-like reverence observed and practiced not only by local generational Italians, but also crossing every culture and demographic. Descendents of early Italian settlers religiously passed on their passionate love for this most famous of porcine roasts to their children and friends, and this rustic Italian carnivore classic has maintained deity status for generations in this region. Ancient family secrets of spicing, rolling and roasting are passed on and kept alive through faithful offspring and extended family, extending commercially into the butcher-shop realm as well as in the form of excellent fast food sandwiches offered in various excellent locally owned shops. 'Porketta' Bingo is a popular Saturday afternoon activity at establishments in Sudbury, Ontario and frequented and enjoyed by all - granpas and grandmas, college students and suits, hipsters and beyond. Players typically donate $2 per round and receive a laminated set of three regular playing cards. Cards are drawn until a player matches their three cards. Game winners receive 1 pound of porketta roast and a sourdough bun. Each round lasts six games and there are usually between four to seven rounds depending on the establishment. Proceeds of 'Porketta' Bingo usually go to a local charity or are donated to local hockey associations.

In Australia and New Zealand La Porchetta is an Italian restaurant chain that specialises is pizzas and pastas.

External links

• Porchetta recipe, with video
• Simplified porchetta recipe
• Duguay, Tracey (7 January 2004). "Porketta Bingo illegal". Northern Life. http://www.northernlife.ca/PDFedition/2004/January/07/1.pdf. 
• A complete how to page on making Porchetta