Porchetta di Testa

[saucisson]

Lovely, is this for a special occasion?

Dave

[cannyfradock]

Lovely, is this for a special occasion?

Dave

Nope!!! Purely a challenge taking it to it's extreems. Saying that, if it tastes good enough to give away, then I might just spark up the wood-oven and make a little soiree of it.

Regards Terry (C.F)

[wheels]

I love the way it appears to be sticking its tongue out!

[cannyfradock]

O.K.....6 weeks research, one day's boning and rolling, 2 days marinating, 14 hrs cooking and 2 day's being left to chill and I can finally carve the Porchetta di Testa. Here's the result.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/cannyfrad ... 9568264322

Not a lot to show for all that work, but it was worth every minute.

Regards Terry (C.F)

[wheels]

Well done! Did it taste as good as it looks?

Phil

[cannyfradock]

Well done! Did it taste as good as it looks?

Phil

Phil.....It did taste really good, but it was the achievement of making the dish from start to finish which gave me the best pleasure.

Terry

[cannyfradock]

Apologies for bumping this thread but I have put a few of the pictures I took while making the Porchetta di Testa together in a slideshow to show the process from start to finish. I posted it on YOUTUBE.

If anyone's interested...here's the link.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptWMvRc2n2o

All the best.....Terry

[Oddley]

I made this myself, it came out really well, I cured mine first, so it was like ham, the fat was really soft and nice.

The only thing I will do different next time, is leave out the ears, I just can't get on with the crunchy gristle of the ears.

[cannyfradock]

To be honest....I left out the ears as I think the pig had been crossed with an elephant........they were simply huge.

I believe the cured version that you made yourself sounds favourite. I did originally ask the board's advice on curing but was advised against it.......something about the meat being rolled within itself ?

Did you manage to take any pics of the process?

All the best......Terry

[Oddley]

cannyfradock, I rarely take pictures these days, can't be bothered hunting out the camera.

I dry cured it whilst it was still flat, after curing I then rolled it and cooked it immediately avoiding the pitfalls of curing a large piece of rolled meat.

[Oddley]

I have just looked through my records and below is what I did.

Porchetta di Testa

Dry cure

head = 2172 approx 40% meat = 869 + 117 - 9% 0f weight for water in fat = 986 g curable weight
+ Tongue Weight = 87 g

Total curable weight = 1073 g

Of meat weight

3% - 32 g Salt
1.5% - 16 g Sugar
0.2548% - 2.73 g Cure #1 (150 ppm)
0.03% - 0.32 g Saltpetre (298 ppm)
Total % = 4.7848 %
Total weight = 51.3409

Head cure weight = 47.2 g
Tongue cure weight = 4.2 g

Seasoning:
0.3 g Nutmeg
0.25 g cayenne
2 g pepper
1 g Rosemary
0.3 g Thyme
1 g Onion Salt
2 g garlic powder

Method:
Rub the inside with 90% of the cure and the seasoning, the rest of the cure being rubbed on the skin side. Put the cured tongue in the snout and roll the head tightly up and string. Put the head in a bag and leave in the bottom of the fridge for two days. Put the head in a stock and bring the temperature of the head to 190° F/88° C the plunge the head into iced water to rapidly bring the temperature down to 40° F/4° C now leave in the fridge overnight for flavours to develop before slicing.

[quietwatersfarm]

like a rolled guanciale! Brilliant stuff Oddley, must try this.

This site can be such a goldmine