Italian Porchetta (Butterflied Pork Shoulder with Sausage and Fennel Stuffing)
Ingredients
¼ cup Cold Pressed Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion, thinly sliced
1 Fennel Bulb, cored and thinly sliced, 2 tablespoons fronds chopped and reserved
2 pounds Italian Sausage, casings discarded
2 tablespoons Fennel Seeds
2 tablespoons Rosemary, de-stemmed and chopped
6 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Black Pepper, freshly ground (plus more for seasoning)
Sea Salt, to taste
2 Organic Pastured Eggs, beaten
4 medium Red Onions, peeled and halved
One 5-pound, Organic Boneless Pork Shoulder, butterflied 1 inch thick
(roughly a 10×14-inch rectangle – Have your butcher do this)
Directions
1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering
2. Add the yellow onion and sliced fennel and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 minutes
3. Add the sausage, fennel seeds, rosemary, garlic and the 1 tablespoon of pepper and cook, breaking up the meat, until the sausage is browned, about 5 minutes
4. Season with salt
5. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool
6. After mixture is cooled, stir in the eggs and fennel fronds
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
8. Place the red onions in a large roasting pan
9. Arrange the pork on a work surface and season with salt and pepper
10. Spread the sausage mixture over the pork, leaving a 1-inch border all around
11. Starting at a long side, roll up the pork and tie with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals
12. Rub with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and place on top of the red onions
13. Roast the pork for about 2½ hours, basting occasionally with any pan juices, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers 160 degrees
14. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes
Before serving, discard the strings
15. Cut the pork into 1-inch-thick slices and serve with the red onions