Chef John's Mini Porchetta Roast
Chef John's Mini Porchetta Roast features tender pork perfumed with fennel, rosemary, sage, and garlic, all hugged in smoky bacon that crisps beautifully in the oven. Each slice is juicy and aromatic with bright lemon zest and a gentle heat from red pepper flakes. Serve it for a cozy weekend dinner or a special gathering when you want big porchetta flavors in a smaller, manageable roast.
- Prep1 hr 25 mins
- Cook25 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Mini Porchetta Roast, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 60 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 10 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 90 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 22
- Heart Health
- 74
- Metabolic
- 32
- Digestive
- 28
- Inflammatory
- 56
- Performance
- 49
- General Wellness
- 1
Crush the fennel seeds in a mortar with a pestle for 1 minute. Add the garlic, sage, black pepper, rosemary, lemon zest, salt, and red pepper flakes; pound into a thick paste for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the olive oil and pound until the rub is evenly blended.
- 2
Lay the pork tenderloin flat on your work surface. Cut a horizontal slit about three-quarters of the way through the middle of the tenderloin, leaving 1 inch uncut at each end, taking care not to slice all the way through. Spread 1 tablespoon of the fennel seed rub inside the slit; close the tenderloin. Spread the remaining fennel seed rub evenly over the tenderloin. Wrap bacon strips around the tenderloin, keeping the seams on the bottom as much as possible.
- 3
Wrap the tenderloin in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour.
- 4
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- 5
Unwrap the tenderloin; place it in the center of the prepared baking sheet.
- 6
Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 134 degrees F (57 degrees C), about 25 minutes. Let the tenderloin rest until the internal temperature rises to 140 to 145 degrees F (60 to 63 degrees C), about 10 minutes.
- Calories 318.28 kcal Moderate 16%
- Protein 31.07 g Good Source 62%
- Carbohydrate 27.32 g 10%
- Total Fat 8.14 g Moderate 10%
- Saturated Fat 2.3 g Moderate 12%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 92.44 mg High 31%
- Sodium 846.92 mg High 37%
- Dietary Fiber 3.98 g Moderate 14%
- Total Sugars 1.07 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 131.86 mg Moderate 10%
- Iron 1.2 mg Low Source 7%
- Potassium 82.04 mg Low Source 2%
- Vitamin A 202.44 mcg Good Source 22%
- Vitamin C 35.56 mg Good Source 40%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Garlic 🧄
About This Recipe
Chef John's Mini Porchetta Roast is made with 11 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 1 hr 50 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Bacon, Black Pepper, Dried Sage, and Fennel Seed. Each serving provides about 318.28 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's Mini Porchetta Roast made of?
- The main ingredients are Bacon, Black Pepper, Dried Sage, Fennel Seed, Fresh Rosemary. The full list of 11 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's Mini Porchetta Roast?
- About 1 hr 50 mins in total: 1 hr 25 mins to prepare and 25 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 318.28 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's Mini Porchetta Roast easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 11 ingredients and 6 steps.
- Is Chef John's Mini Porchetta Roast healthy?
- Chef John's Mini Porchetta Roast has an easyChef Pro health score of 52/100. Per serving, it provides 318.28 calories and 31.07 g of protein, or 62% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of vitamin A and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 846.92 mg (37% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 2.3 g (12% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus and Garlic, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required