Porchetta has always struck me as a funny word. The first time I heard it I immediately began dissecting it into its parts, and now will forever be referring to it as “little pork”… at least in my head. In reality, pork is an English word, the Italian word of course being maiale, and the porchetta is so much more than simply “little pork”- it’s a delicious street food from central Italy that simply can’t be beat.
Though we may be partial to the Umbrian variety, the idea of cooking a whole hog for a group of people to enjoy together isn’t unique to any part of the world. From the pig pickin’s of the Carolina lowcountry to the suckling pig roasts in Hawai’i, whole pig preparation is a global phenomenon, the cooking theories of which are as diverse as its geographical reach. In Italy, the traditional method is to debone the whole pig, and then roll it back together before slow roasting it at a high temperature. The reasoning behind this is simple: as the meat cooks, the fat keeps it moist and the skin crisps, adding a complexity of textures alongside the rich and fatty flavors.
Over time, as porchetta has evolved from a feast food into a street food, people have found ways to simplify the process, one of the most common of which is simply to wrap the boneless pork loin in the pork belly. Occasionally, the liver and some other pieces of the whole hog are still included, but with or without those parts the fat from the belly keeps all the meat from drying out and amplifies the flavors of the meat. As for seasoning, like any ancient culinary tradition, every region, town, and even family has their own way of doing things–all swearing they are the best and most traditional version. Here at Via Umbria, we keep it simple using only fennel, salt, and pepper to season—and we cut out the middle man and just eat the best part: the pork belly. Sliced thickly and served on bread as a sandwich, our porchetta is so rich and flavorful on its own that you don’t even need condiments.
We serve our rustic porchetta sandwiches every Friday and Saturday and if you’re lucky we sometimes have a little extra in the case for you to take home. Looking for the perfect cut of meat for dinner? Never hesitate to give me a call and we’ll happily have something waiting for you to pick up. Whether you need sandwiches for a picnic lunch, a cooked chuck for an evening when you’re frantically trying figure out dinner, or even a prepared porchetta ready to be cooked at home for guests (only the ones worth treating, of course) we’ve got just the thing! You’ll have to excuse us if we’re a little bit biased in our suggestions though, while we love all types, cuts, and preparations of meat, Porchetta will always be a particular favorite for us and is a gospel that we want to spread.
