Overview

Skin-on pork belly rolled with fennel, garlic, and herbs, smoked steady for render and finished hot for glassy crackle—without showering the skin in ash.

Ingredients

• Skin‑on pork belly, 5 lb (2.3 kg), squared
• Kosher salt at 1.25–1.5% of meat weight (about 28–34 g for 5 lb/2.3 kg)
• Fennel seed, 2 tbsp (14 g), lightly toasted and cracked
• Fresh rosemary, minced, 2 tbsp (6 g)
• Garlic, 8 cloves (30 g), grated
• Black pepper, freshly ground, 2 tsp (6 g)
• Red pepper flakes, 1 tsp (2 g), to taste
• Lemon zest, 2 tsp (4 g)
• Olive oil, 2 tbsp (30 ml), to bind paste
• White vinegar, 1 tbsp (15 ml), optional for a final skin wipe

Equipment

• Smoker capable of steady 275°F/135°C and clean airflow
• Oven or gas grill capable of 475–500°F/246–260°C for finishing
• Instant‑read thermometer and leave‑in probe
• Butcher’s twine
• Wire rack and sheet pan
• Sharp boning knife and serrated slicer
• Fine skewer or pork skin pricker
• Heat‑resistant gloves
• Drip pan or heat deflector

Wood

Post oak with a chunk or two of apple

Time & Temp

Time & Temp
Smoke temp: 275 °F (135 °C)
Target internal: 185 °F (85 °C)
Approx duration: 5 hours

Why Porchetta on the Smoker

Porchetta is an herbed pork roast traditionally cooked hot and dry; the smoker adds depth without turning the skin sooty. The plan is simple: dry the skin hard, render the belly at 250–300°F (121–149°C) for flavor and tenderness, then finish in a clean, very hot environment so the skin blisters and shatters without ash sticking to it.

Sourcing and Trimming

Choose a skin-on pork belly, 4–6 lb (1.8–2.7 kg), about 1.5–2 in (4–5 cm) thick and fairly rectangular so it rolls evenly. Trim stray thin edges that would overcook, and square the slab to a neat rectangle. Leave the skin intact; do not score it. Lightly score only the flesh side in a 1 in (2.5 cm) crosshatch to help the rub grab.

Season, Roll, and Dry

Blend a fennel‑forward paste and season the flesh side only; keep the skin completely free of moisture, oil, and aromatics. Roll the belly up as tight as you can, skin on the outside, and tie every 1–1.5 in (2.5–4 cm) with butcher’s twine so the log is uniform. Set the porchetta uncovered on a wire rack over a sheet pan, skin side up, and refrigerate 24–48 hours. This dry‑brine time salts the meat and dehydrates the skin for blistering later.

Fire Setup: Clean Smoke, No Ash

Run the cooker at 275°F (135°C) indirect with a heat deflector or drip pan to catch fat and keep flare‑ups down. Burn a clean, small fire—thin blue smoke only—using post oak with a touch of apple for a balanced, not aggressive, profile. Keep airflow steady and avoid stirring the coal bed mid‑cook; sudden air rushes kick up ash that glues to sticky skin.

Cook: Render First

Just before the meat goes on, prick the skin all over with a fine skewer or specialized pork skin pricker, taking care not to pierce into the meat. Dust the skin very lightly with fine salt. Place the porchetta on the smoker, skin up, over the drip pan. Smoke at 275°F (135°C) until the center reads 180–185°F (82–85°C) and a probe slides in with only slight resistance, typically 4–6 hours depending on diameter. Do not spritz or baste; moisture is the enemy of crackle. Rotate the roast once or twice for even color.

Finish: Crackle Without Ash

For the cleanest blistered skin, move the porchetta to a preheated 500°F (260°C) oven or a gas grill running 475–500°F (246–260°C) over indirect heat. Crisp until the skin blisters, turns glassy, and crackles audibly when tapped, about 10–25 minutes, rotating as needed. If you choose to finish on a charcoal pit, first let the fire run clean and hot for 10 minutes with the lid closed, add no fresh fuel, open top vents fully, and avoid slamming the lid—any ash swirl will stick to the skin. Do not tent with foil at any point; steam will soften the crackling.

Doneness, Rest, and Slicing

Target internal temperature is 185°F (85°C) at the core for sliceable-tender belly with rendered fat. Visual and tactile cues: blistered, glassy skin; rendered fat ends; and a probe that meets light resistance in the center. Rest 15–20 minutes on a wire rack so air can circulate under the roast and keep the skin crisp. Slice into 1/2–3/4 in (12–20 mm) rounds with a sharp serrated or granton slicer.

Food Safety

Handle raw pork with clean hands and boards, and keep it refrigerated under 40°F (4°C) until cooking. Because the roast is rolled, former exterior surfaces end up inside; cooking to 180–185°F (82–85°C) ensures full lethality beyond the USDA 145°F (63°C) whole-muscle minimum. Do not spritz or brush during the cook to avoid cross‑contamination. Serve promptly or hold above 140°F (60°C). Cool leftovers within 2 hours, refrigerate up to 4 days, and reheat slices to 165°F (74°C) before recrisping briefly in a hot oven.

Troubleshooting

Rubbery skin usually means the skin was wet or the finish wasn’t hot enough; extend the high‑heat finish or use a convection oven. Sooty or ashy skin means dirty smoke or ash swirl—stabilize the fire before finishing, or move to an oven/grill for the final blast. Blowouts during slicing mean a loose roll or wide tie spacing; tie tighter and closer next time. If the meat tastes overly salty, reduce total salt to 1.25% of meat weight and avoid salting the skin more than a light dusting right before cooking.

Serving

Porchetta loves acidity and herbs. Serve with lemon wedges and an Italian salsa verde, on crusty rolls with arugula, or alongside simply dressed beans and roasted peppers. Keep the slices on a wire rack if they need to sit a few minutes so the crackling stays crisp.

Notes

• Salt math: total kosher salt at 1.25–1.5% of trimmed meat weight; mix most of it into the herb paste for the flesh, and keep the skin nearly bare (only a light dusting right before cooking).
• Dry the skin 24–48 hours uncovered; airflow matters. A wire rack prevents soggy bottoms.
• Do not oil the skin. Oil inhibits blistering and attracts soot.
• Diameter sets time. A tight 4 in (10 cm) roll finishes faster than a loose 6 in (15 cm) roll; plan 4–6 hours at 275°F/135°C to reach 180–185°F/82–85°C.
• For a smoker finish without ash: run a clean, hot fire, add no fresh fuel, fully open top vents, and avoid slamming lids. If ash swirls, abort to a preheated oven.
• Rest on a rack, not a board, and never tent with foil if you want the crackle to stay crisp.
• Serving tip: a bright salsa verde (parsley, capers, anchovy, lemon) cuts the richness without masking the smoke.