Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 11 pound piglet (after cleaning weight), cleaned by your butcher according to the instructions in the TFD BBQ God post
- 1 large jar stone-ground mustard (TFD likes Kosciusko brand)
- Inner flesh seasoning blend made from equal amounts of garlic and fresh thyme, blended
- 3 large bunches fresh sage leaves
- Stuffing Ingredients:
- 3 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into thick slices
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 orange, sliced
- 6 garlic heads, papery outer skins removed
- ***
- 10 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
- 1 lemon
- 1 pound pork fat or salt pork, in one piece
- ***
- Finishing glaze:
- 1 3/4 cups dry white wine
- 1/4 cup minced garlic
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- Finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 3 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
- 1/2 cup smoked paprika
- butter
- 1 pouch CERTO Fruit Pectin
- ***
- Dried herb twigs, thyme, oregano, mint, basil, apple wood chips, bay leaves, and marjoram to throw on the coals
- Myrtle leaves (strongly preferred) or a mixture of sage and bay leaves
Instructions
- Make the glaze:
- Mix wine, garlic, vinegar and rosemary in a 3 or 4 quart saucepot. Stir in sugar. Add butter or margarine to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil that can’t be stirred down. Take the pot off the heat briefly and add the package of Certo and paprika. Boil for a minute exactly. Take off the heat and start to stir again for an additional five minutes. Use an immersion blender and make a smooth mixture with no chunks. Let cool and refrigerate.
- For the pig, coat the inside flesh of the pig with stone-ground mustard and then the herb blend made with garlic and thyme. Add Sage leaves on top of the herb blend. Pork tenderloins are inserted to replace the rib cage and ensure the proper shape of the porchetta when sitting belly-down. Add the other stuffing ingredients. Stitch up the pig per the master recipe instructions and place a lemon in its mouth.
- Cut small slits made all over the pig skin and stuff the garlic slivers pushed all the way in.
- Prepare a hardwood fire in a fire pit, grill, or smoker and let it burn for 3 hours, replenishing as needed with wood, until you have a good supply of hot coals – TFD prefers a fire made juniper and myrtle for his recipe. Do not use wood made of composite materials. You can also use regular lump charcoal of the highest quality, and add some well-soaked juniper and myrtle chips to the coals periodically to provide flavor.
- Affix the pig to a straight hard stick that you should be able to find lying around (this might take you 15 minutes) and place 20- inches in front of the fire, chest side towards the fire – TFD prefers a modern spit roaster for this. The pig should be leaning slightly towards the fire. Make sure there is a drip pan under the pig to catch the dripping fat. Again, please check the BBQ God post to see how to do this properly!
- Cook for 3 to 4 hours, basting with the salt pork or pork fat affixed to a meat fork. Dried herb twigs, thyme, oregano, mint, basil, apple wood chips, bay leaves, and marjoram should be on hand to periodically throw on the coals – all should be well-soaked to produce lots of smoke.
- Turn and continue roasting for another 3 to 4 hours. In the last 30 minutes or so, baste carefully with the paprika glaze – make sure it doesn’t burn! Test for doneness by pulling on one of the ears; it should almost come off. Let the pig sit for 30 minutes on a bed of myrtle or bay leaves before carving and serving.
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
