Porcelet Porchetta

NOTE: For best results, remove the net and tie securely with butcher’s twine at 1 to 2-inch intervals. If butcher twine is unavailable, the porchetta can be cooked with the net. Take extra care to remove it without disrupting the skin. Follow instructions below.

1. Preheat oven to 275F. If convection, set oven to high fan.

2. Remove porchetta from bag and carefully wipe away excess gelatin. This can also be accomplished by placing the porchetta in a roasting pan and transferring it to the oven for 5 minutes to allow gelatin to melt off. Reserved gelatin can be discarded or used in a sauce for serving.

If using butcher's twine: When porchetta is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the elastic net. Securely tie porchetta at 1 to 2-inch intervals.

3. Place porchetta on a wire rack in a roasting pan with the seam side facing down. Roast until internal temperature reaches 120F, approximately 2 hours. Rotate at least once halfway through the cooking process to ensure even browning.

Without butcher’s twine: Approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours into the reheating, remove porchetta from oven. When cool enough to handle, cut away and discard the elastic net, taking care not to tear the skin. Return porchetta to the oven to continue reheating.

4. Remove from oven. If further browning or crisping is needed, increase oven temperature to 375F and return porchetta to oven for 10-20 minutes more. Monitor browning closely.

5. Allow porchetta to rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. Skin will continue to get crispy while resting.

6. If using reserved gelatin for sauce, bring gelatin to a boil in a small saucepot. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove solids. Use the cooking liquid as you would stock or broth when making a sauce.

7. Remove butcher's twine, if used. Slice and serve.

Exclusively raised for D'Artagnan by a single-family farm in Quebec which follows European protocols for cochon de lait, or milk-fed pig. The small-scale farm raises Yorkshire breed piglets in spacious barns with the greatest of care, nourishing them with a unique feeding program.

The piglets are fed a proprietary milk solution that is warmed to the temperature of mother’s milk, on a regular schedule that matches a natural nursing rhythm. This diet allows them to thrive and grow for longer periods of time, getting larger than the average suckling pig, while maintaining the tender texture associated with a much younger pig.