Frenching and trimming the bone-in pork loin at home gives you fatty, flavorful scraps to season the aromatics and renders luscious pan juices. Finishing the pork on a slow roast gives it time to cook through without drying out and gently caramelizes the tender fennel, onion, and shallots.
Ingredients
- 1 (8-pound) bone-in pork loin, chine bone removed
- 4 large shallots, halved lengthwise
- 2 fennel bulbs, cored, cut into eighths, and separated into 1-inch petals; fronds reserved
- 1 yellow onion, cored, cut into eighths, and separated into 1-inch petals
- 1 garlic head, halved crosswise
- 8 large rosemary sprigs
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 8 cups lower-sodium chicken broth (such as swanson), vegetable broth, or water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups uncooked polenta or cornmeal (such as anson mills)
- 7 ounces parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated (about 2 packed cups)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces)
Instruction
- At least 1 day and up to 3 days before serving, place pork on a cutting board; pat dry with paper towels. Have a sharp, thin knife and butcher’s twine at the ready.
- About 1 inch from tips of rib bones, make a crosswise incision the length of the loin, pressing the knife until it scrapes the bones. Turn the knife, and use a filleting motion to cut a strip of belly from bones. Cut belly strip crosswise into 1-inch pieces; reserve.
- Score a line in membrane across exposed portion of bones (about 1 inch from tips of bones and running the length of the loin). Slice down the rib bones, make a U-turn at the loin, and slice up the next rib. Repeat to remove all meat between exposed rib bones.
- To ensure that the fat cap remains over the loin and bastes it as it roasts — and so the meat maintains a uniform shape for even cooking — tie the roast, looping twine between bones.
- On the membrane side of exposed rib bones, make a vertical slit in membrane to expose bones beneath. Use a towel to grip membrane and remove as much as possible.
- With rib bones placed against the cutting board, use a downward scraping motion to remove any membrane or meat that is stuck to exposed rib bones.
- Combine vegetables and rosemary in a roasting pan. Top with pork, scattering reserved pork belly pieces around pan. Sprinkle pork evenly with salt. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 36 hours.
- About 3 hours before serving, remove pan from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in center of oven. Sprinkle loin evenly with pepper.
- Roast pork until golden brown, about 45 minutes, rotating pan occasionally. Remove from oven; using tongs, toss aromatics to coat in rendered fat. Add wine to bottom of pan.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F; roast until a thermometer inserted in loin reads 140°F, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven, tent with foil, and let rest until pork reaches 150°F, 10 to 30 minutes.
- Place roast on a carving board. Remove butcher’s twine. Carve pork between bones into chops. Discard rosemary; serve pork with vegetables, pan juices, and polenta. Garnish with fennel fronds.
- Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high. Stir in salt and pepper; remove from heat. Gradually add polenta, whisking constantly. Cover and let stand 45 minutes.
- Add cheese and butter, whisking vigorously to break up any lumps. If desired, serve with pork loin and vegetables.
