Perfect Rolled Roast Pork (Porchetta)

An absolute game-changer, because the secret to the best pork belly lies in the rotisserie feature of the air fryer! The rotisserie ensures even cooking, resulting in juicy, melt-in-your-mouth meat encased in a crisp, golden skin. It's the perfect roast, requiring minimal hands-on effort as the air fryer oven does the heavy lifting.

Ingredients
For the Pork and Roast Potatoes
2kg Boneless Pork belly, skin scored by the butcher
1 Tbsp Vinegar (white wine, or apple cider)
1 tsp baking powder
1.5 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1.5 tsp chilli flakes
Zest of 1 lemon
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1.5 tsp rosemary, sage, or thyme leaves
1 Kg potatoes
Oil, salt and pepper as needed

Herby Salsa
Half red onion, finely diced
2 spring onions, finely diced
2 tbsp capers
Handful of parsley
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper


Instructions

1.) Start by scoring the pork belly's skin with a sharp knife, creating a crisscross pattern. Ensure it goes through the skin but not into the meat.

2.) Brush vinegar over the skin of the pork and rub in 1/2 tsp fine sea salt and a generous pinch of pepper, getting the seasoning into the cuts of the skin. Finally rub a drizzle of oil over the skin along with the baking powder.

3.) Crush in a pestle & mortar the fennel seeds, 3 black peppercorns (or a good pinch of ground black pepper), chili flakes, garlic, sea salt, and zest of 1 lemon, plus your choice of rosemary, sage, or thyme leaves, until you have a coarse mixture.

4.) With a sharp knife lightly score the flesh of the pork belly in a diamond pattern. Spread the spice mixture evenly over the flesh side of the pork belly, ensuring it's well-coated, then roll the seasoned pork belly tightly, skin side out, and secure it with kitchen twine at regular intervals.

5.) Skewer the pork wiht the rotisserie spit and place into the air fryer oven. Ensure a tray is in the base to capture the pork juices as it cooks.

6.) Select roast for 1 hr 15min at 140°C, and activate the rotisserie function to rotate the pork as it cooks. Once cooked, the internal temperature will be at 71°C and the skin will be lacquered and shiny but not yet puffed and crisp at this stage.

7.) Meanwhile, Peel, quarter and boil your potatoes until soft. Then drain and toss them lightly in the colander to rough the exterior.

8.) About 15 minutes after the pork went in to roast, add parboiled potatoes to the air fryer to roast underneath the porchetta. Toss the potatoes in the drippings from the pork and roast for the remaining time (1 hour) or until they are golden and crispy.

9.) After 1hr 15min of roasting the pork, increase the temperature to 200°C and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes to puff up the skin.

10.) Once puffed and crispy, open the door of the oven and leave the pork to rest for 15 minutes.

11.) While the porchetta is resting, prepare the salsa. In a bowl. Combine the finely diced red onion, spring onions, capers, and a handful of parsley, then drizzle with oil and red wine vinegar and season with salt & pepper.

12.) Drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

13.) Slice the porchetta, serve it with the crispy potatoes, and top it with the salsa. Enjoy your homemade air fryer porchetta!