Reminiscent of Italian porchetta, my Chilean version is filled with chorizo and a popular vegetable in Chile—sweet potato, or camote. Forming the chorizo into a rectangle with a rolling pin helps more evenly distribute the meat. If you’d rather not flatten the pork yourself, simply ask your butcher to butterfly it for you.
Ingredients
- One 2 1/2- to 3-pound pork loin roast
- 1 pound fresh (raw) chorizo
- 1 pound sweet potatoes
- 3 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as sage, rosemary, and thyme, plus extra sprigs for garnish
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Step 1
Butterfly the pork loin: Place the pork loin on a cutting board. Using a long slender knife, create a slab about 3/4 inch thick by cutting horizontally from one side of the pork loin to the other, leaving a “hinge.” Roll open the pork and repeat the horizontal slicing. Continue unrolling and slicing until you have a flat piece of pork about 1/2 inch thick. Use a kitchen mallet to flatten any uneven spots.
Step 2
Place the chorizo between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, shape the chorizo into a rectangle about 1 inch shorter on each side than the pork; place in the freezer for 30 minutes. In the meantime, transfer the pork loin to a rimmed sheet pan. Cover with paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Step 3
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a saucepan with enough cold salted water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender but not soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Step 4
Heat the oven to 375°F. Take out the pork and chorizo and discard the wrap. Position the chorizo over the pork loin. Evenly sprinkle with the herbs and sweet potato cubes, then drizzle the potatoes with olive oil. Roll the pork loin tightly (like a jellyroll), enclosing the filling. Tie at 2-inch intervals with butcher’s string. Generously brush the outside of the pork loin with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a rack in a roasting pan.
Step 5
Roast the pork until an instant-read thermometer reaches 150°F, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Step 6
Remove the roast from the oven. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Snip and remove the strings. Carve into 1-inch slices and shingle on a platter for serving. Garnish with fresh herbs.
Serves 6