Jamie Oliver Festive Porchetta & All the Trimmings

This delicious Jamie Oliver’s Festive Porchetta & All the Trimmings is the perfect holiday centerpiece! Juicy, tender pork is stuffed with a rich blend of chicken livers, herbs, and dried fruits, then roasted to perfection with crispy crackling. Served with golden roast potatoes and caramelized root vegetables, this hearty dish is packed with flavor and perfect for any festive feast!

Ingredients Needed

• 1 x 5kg / 11lb higher-welfare boneless pork loin, with belly attached, fat trimmed to ½cm-thick, skin removed and reserved (ask your butcher)
• 50ml / 3 tbsp Vin Santo or sherry
• 4 carrots
• 1 red onion
• 2 sticks of celery
• 1 heaped tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tbsp plain flour / all-purpose flour
• 1 heaped tbsp cranberry sauce, plus extra to taste

Stuffing:

• 200g / 7oz free-range chicken livers, cleaned and trimmed
• 250ml / 1 cup milk
• 4 red onions
• 4-5 slices of higher-welfare smoked pancetta
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 50g / 3½ tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 heaped tsp fennel seeds
• 3 bay leaves
• 20g / ¾oz fresh rosemary
• 20g / ¾oz fresh thyme
• 200g / 7oz mixed dried apricots, cranberries, raisins, sultanas
• 50g / ¼ cup pine nuts
• 1 whole nutmeg, for grating
• 250ml / 1 cup white wine
• 200g / 7oz stale breadcrumbs

Potatoes:

• 2.5kg / 5.5lb Maris Piper potatoes or russet potatoes
• 1.5 liters / 6 cups organic chicken stock
• 1 bulb garlic
• A few sprigs of fresh rosemary

Mixed Veg:

• 6 parsnips
• 1 swede/rutabaga
• 4 small turnips
• 10 small carrots
• A few sprigs of rosemary, thyme, or sage
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar

How To Make Festive Porchetta & All the Trimmings

1. Bring the meat to room temperature: Take the pork out of the fridge before cooking. Place the chicken livers in a bowl, cover with milk, and set aside.
2. Prepare the stuffing: Peel and roughly chop the onions. Finely slice the pancetta and place in a frying pan over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp olive oil, half the butter, fennel seeds, bay leaves, and black pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
3. Add the herbs and fruit: Pick and chop the rosemary and thyme, finely chop the dried fruit, and add them to the pan along with the onions and pine nuts. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10-15 minutes until softened and caramelized.
4. Cook the livers: Make a well in the pan, add the remaining butter, and discard the milk from the livers. Add the livers, grate in half the nutmeg, season with salt, and pour in the wine. Let it cook down. Remove the bay leaves, stir in the breadcrumbs, and set aside to cool. Roughly chop the livers if preferred.
5. Prepare the pork: Place the pork loin fat-side up on a board. Score diagonally at 1-inch intervals, then season all over with salt and pepper. Pour over half the Vin Santo, massage in, then repeat on the other side.
6. Roll and tie the porchetta: Lay butcher’s string at 1-inch intervals on the board. Place the pork fat-side down, lightly score the belly, pack the stuffing tightly in the center, then roll up the pork, pressing the stuffing in as you go. Tie with the string to secure.
7. Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
8. Prepare the trivet: Scrub the carrots, peel and quarter the onion, halve the celery, and place them in a large roasting tray. Sit the porchetta on top.
9. Prepare the crackling: Score the underside of the pork skin, season with salt and fennel seeds, flip it over, and score again randomly. Place the skin on the top rack of the oven, with the porchetta underneath, so the fat drips onto the meat. Roast for 3 hours, basting occasionally. Remove the crackling after 1 hour or once golden and crisp.
10. Prepare the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut into 8cm / 3-inch chunks. Heat the chicken stock in a large pan, add the potatoes, and parboil for 14 minutes. Drain, reserving the starchy stock for gravy. Let the potatoes steam dry, then shake them in a colander to rough up the edges.
11. Prepare the mixed veg: Scrub the root vegetables but leave the skin on. Cut the parsnips and swede into chunks, cut the turnips into sixths (or eighths if large), and leave the carrots whole. Add to a tray, season with salt and pepper, and add the garlic, bay leaves, and vinegar.
12. Rest the porchetta: Transfer the porchetta to a board, cover with foil and a tea towel, and rest for 1 hour 30 minutes.
13. Roast the vegetables: Spoon a few tablespoons of pork fat over the veg trays (or use olive oil for a veggie option). Toss well, then roast at 180ºC/350ºF for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, until golden.
14. Make the gravy: Skim off excess fat from the roasting tray and save it for future cooking. Place the tray on the hob over medium heat, stir in the flour, mash the roasted carrots, and scrape up the browned bits. Stir in the cranberry sauce, then add 700ml / 3 cups of the reserved stock. Simmer until thick, stirring occasionally. Strain through a sieve, pushing all the flavor through. Adjust seasoning and add extra cranberry sauce if desired.
15. Serve: Carve the porchetta and serve with the gravy, roasted vegetables, crispy potatoes, and crackling.

Recipe Tips

• Bring the Pork to Room Temperature: Take the pork out of the fridge at least 1 hour before cooking. This helps it cook evenly and stay juicy.
• Score and Season the Skin Well: Deeply score the pork skin and rub in plenty of salt. This is key to getting crispy, golden crackling.
• Pack the Stuffing Tightly: Press the stuffing firmly into the pork before rolling. Loose stuffing will fall out while roasting.
• Use Chicken Stock for Potatoes: Parboil the potatoes in chicken stock for extra flavor, then save the starchy stock to make a rich, tasty gravy.
• Let the Meat Rest: Rest the porchetta for at least 1 hour 30 minutes after cooking. This keeps the meat juicy and allows the flavors to develop.

How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: First, let the leftover porchetta cool to room temperature. Then, wrap it tightly in foil or place it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the crackling separate in a dry container to maintain its crispiness.
• Freeze: Slice the porchetta and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight before reheating.
• Reheat: Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Wrap the porchetta slices in foil to keep them moist and place them on a baking tray. Heat for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. For crispy crackling, place it separately on a baking rack and heat for a few minutes at a higher temperature.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 449g)

• Calories: 1146
• Total Fat: 58.2g
• Saturated Fat: 20g
• Total Carbohydrate: 93.2g
• Dietary Fiber: 11.2g
• Sugars: 11.2g
• Protein: 64.4g ​​

Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver Slow-Cooker Beef Curry
• Jamie Oliver Slow-Cooker Beef
• Jamie Oliver Chicken, Sausage & Mushroom Stew
• Jamie Oliver Sticky Miso Aubergine