The perfect pair takes a lot of effort, from finding the complementing balance to making sure the match is correct. Whether this is a food pairing or the perfect romantic pair, we want to help bridge these two worlds together by creating the ultimate date night recipe for you and your loved one.
Porchetta is quickly rising in the ranks of popular dishes, though many times it is more appetizing when dining out rather than being made at home. Not for this recipe though. The porchetta pork shoulder with salsa verde recipe below pairs excellently with our Opaque Darkness wine, a hand-crafted artisan blend that reveals ripe flavors of raspberry and blackberry with notes of spice and vanilla.
Click here to purchase Opaque Darkness from our online store.
Porchetta Pork Shoulder Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 3 ½ pounds pork shoulder
- Cooking string
- For the herb rub:
- 2 teaspoons flat leaf (Italian) parsley
- 2 teaspoons rosemary
- ½ teaspoon sage
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- For the salt rub:
- 1/8 cup salt
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Zest of 1 lemon
- For the salsa verde:
- 1 heaping cup fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted fennel seed (ground)
- 1 teaspoon toasted coriander (ground)
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice of 1 lemon, zest of ½
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions: Begin preparation 24 hours in advance.
- In a food processor, combine salt rub ingredients then pour out into a bowl. Combine herb rub ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Remove any bone from pork shoulder, then butterfly cut pork.
- Spread out pork and score skin in a crosshatch pattern.
- Once pork has been scored, spread out skin side down. Spread herb rub evenly on the inside of meat, followed by 2 teaspoons of salt rub.
- Tightly roll meat,so skin is covered. Try to avoid having any skin wrapped inside, as it will not crisp.
- Tightly wrap porchetta with cooking string.
- Rub remaining salt mixture into pork shoulder skin and place on a plate with paper towel. Let it sit uncovered in fridge for 24 hours.
For Salsa Verde: Prepare while porchetta is cooking.
- To toast fennel and coriander in a dry pan on medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Grind fennel and coriander using food processor or mortar and pestle.
- Combine all salsa ingredients in food processor until even mixture is formed.
- Heat oven to 275°F. Place porchetta in a roasting pan and slide onto middle oven rack.
- Roast pork for 2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Once pork has reached temperature, increase oven heat to 450°F, roasting until skin turns golden brown. Be sure to watch as it can burn quickly.
- Depending on oven, you may need to rotate porchetta to evenly cook crackling.
- Once cooked, let rest for 20 minutes and serve with salsa verde.
Click here to purchase Opaque Darkness from our online store to enjoy with this delicious recipe and be sure to post your photos on social media and tag us, @SanAntonioWinery! For more recipes and pairing suggestions, click here !