![]() | |
Course | Main course |
---|---|
Place of origin | Minnesota |
Region or state | Iron Range |
Serving temperature | Hot |
Main ingredients | pork, fennel, garlic |
Porketta, also known as Iron Range porketta [1] is a unique type of porchetta hailing from Minnesota, [2] it is an important part of the local cuisine. The dish consists of slow roasted, heavily seasoned pork. It was invented by Italian immigrants in the Iron Range, and was likely created because traditional porchetta ingredients and techniques were not available. Fraboni Sausage, in Hibbing, produces porketta. The dish is similar to pulled pork. [3]
Traditional porchetta often uses pork belly with the skin on. While porketta uses pork butt or pork shoulder. additionally, porketta is usually butterflied and rolled. [1] [2] [3]
Porketta always uses fennel and garlic, while Italian porchetta uses a wide variety of seasonings and sometimes stuffs the pig with liver. [1] [2] [3]
Italian porchetta is roasted, while porketta can baked, smoked, or cooked in a crockpot. [4]
One of the most popular ways to enjoy porketta is on a sandwich. Typically placed on ciabatta or a hard roll. It can be served with mustard, banana peppers, roasted red peppers, or provolone cheese, but is commonly served plain. [5] [2]
Another popular way to serve porketta is the iron range pot roast, this consists of porketta cooked in a crock pot, and served with mashed potatoes. [6]