DH brought a pre-seasoned piece of porchetta home to try. The label
said to roast it on a rack with 1/2" water in a tray with the meat not
touching the water. Timing was 2 hours at 375 F convection oven. The
meat itself was covered in pork rind. The meat was very tender and
pleasant however it did not go over well with DH and the kids. One kid
took the left overs home for sandwiches. I kept all the pork rind. I
love that stuff! So I'd have to say this pre-seasoned piece of meat was
more of a dud for

~patches~ wrote:

> DH brought a pre-seasoned piece of porchetta home to try. The label said
> to roast it on a rack with 1/2" water in a tray with the meat not touching
> the water. Timing was 2 hours at 375 F convection oven. The meat itself
> was covered in pork rind. The meat was very tender and pleasant however
> it did not go over well with DH and the kids. One kid took the left
> overs home for sandwiches. I kept all the pork rind. I love that stuff!
> So I'd have to say this pre-seasoned piece of meat was more of a dud for
>

"Very tender and pleasant" sounds pretty good to ME!

In the unlikely event that your husband ever brings another porchetta roast
home, you might try incorporating it into what the Italian-Americans call
"Sunday gravy." (It's a meat-based tomato sauce served with spaghetti.)

Bob

Bob Terwilliger wrote:

> ~patches~ wrote:
>
>
>>DH brought a pre-seasoned piece of porchetta home to try. The label said
>>to roast it on a rack with 1/2" water in a tray with the meat not touching
>>the water. Timing was 2 hours at 375 F convection oven. The meat itself
>>was covered in pork rind. The meat was very tender and pleasant however
>>it did not go over well with DH and the kids. One kid took the left
>>overs home for sandwiches. I kept all the pork rind. I love that stuff!
>>So I'd have to say this pre-seasoned piece of meat was more of a dud for
>>
>
>
> "Very tender and pleasant" sounds pretty good to ME!
>
> In the unlikely event that your husband ever brings another porchetta roast
> home, you might try incorporating it into what the Italian-Americans call
> "Sunday gravy." (It's a meat-based tomato sauce served with spaghetti.)
>
> Bob
>
>
Hmm, that does sound good. How do they do it using the roast?

~patches~ replied:

>> In the unlikely event that your husband ever brings another porchetta
>> roast
>> home, you might try incorporating it into what the Italian-Americans call
>> "Sunday gravy." (It's a meat-based tomato sauce served with spaghetti.)
>>
> Hmm, that does sound good. How do they do it using the roast?

Sear it and then just dump it in the pot with the rest of the stuff and
simmer until cooked. Sunday gravy is very informal. Here's how I'd make
it:

Chop up a bunch of onions. Put them into a big pot with some olive oil and
start them cooking over medium-low heat. (I like to add chopped carrots
and/or fennel bulb, but it's not necessary.)

Get a shallow pan big enough to hold the roast. Heat more oil over
medium-high heat and when it's just reaching the smoke point, put the roast
into the pan, turning to sear it all over.

Remove the roast from the shallow pan and put it into the big pot. Add a
lot of canned tomatoes: I use whole canned tomatoes and squash them with my
hands. You'll need at least two or three big cans. Add a generous amount
of oregano and garlic, and add dried crushed chile flakes to your taste.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, cover the pot, and lower the heat
until the sauce is at a very low simmer, i.e., there should only be a bubble
about every five seconds or so.

Make meatballs, following whatever meatball recipe is your favorite. (I make
a pretty basic meatball recipe but add toasted pine nuts to get an extra
flavor and a bit of crunch. And the meatballs always contain Parmesan
Reggiano.) Brown the meatballs in the shallow pan, then add them to the big
pot. If the roast wasn't completely submerged, turn it over. You can add
other vegetables or meats at this point if you like. I've browned and added
chicken thighs, which was good. Spare ribs (cut into two- or three-rib
servings) are sometimes added, though it might be overkill with the
porchetta. Roasted and peeled peppers, olives, sliced zucchini,
mushrooms...whatever strikes your fancy. Add more tomatoes if necessary to
keep most of the ingredients submerged.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the interior of the roast hits 155F or
about 15 minutes to cook the meatballs all the way through, whichever
happens last. Add a handful each of chopped basil and parsley about a
minute before taking from the heat.

Using tongs, remove the roast from the sauce and put onto a platter. Let it
rest for at least ten minutes. (This is a good time to cook the spaghetti.)
Slice the roast thickly. (Don't be too concerned if it falls apart. As I
said, it's very informal.) Surround the slices with other goodies from the
pot, ladle some of the sauce over it, and sprinkle with grated cheese.
(Parmesan Reggiano is the natural choice here, but Romano is good too.)

Serve with spaghetti, more grated cheese, and the remaining sauce. An
antipasto tray is a good precursor, and good accompaniments would be garlic
bread and a simple green salad and/or simply-cooked vegetables like green
beans or asparagus. Open a bottle of wine and celebrate life!

Bob

"Bob Terwilliger" > wrote in message
>> Hmm, that does sound good. How do they do it using the roast?
>
> Sear it and then just dump it in the pot with the rest of the stuff and
> simmer until cooked. Sunday gravy is very informal. Here's how I'd make
> it:
>

Bob has a good method.
There are many variations, all good. My MIL put in any leftover meat she
had. Could be beef, pork, or chicken. Or all three. You need a nice crusty
bread with it also.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/