Porketta the star of Scranton parish’s annual picnic

Cruise into a good cause this weekend, and don’t forget to grab a bite to eat while you’re at it.

Mary, Mother of God Parish at Holy Rosary Church, 316 William St., Scranton, will host its Drive-Thru Block Party on Friday, June 18, and Saturday, June 19, from 4 to 8p.m.

Known for its annual summer block party, the parish adapted the event to a drive-through format last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Since it was so successful, they opted to just do it again in 2021.

“We didn’t know where we would be with the restrictions this year,” said Mary Claire Boylan, one of the organizers. “Last year was great, and we had such support from the community, so we decided to do the drive-through thing one more time and hopefully be back to normal next year.”

Even though the event will look different than it has most years, the tastes will be the same. The food remains the star of the event, and organizers once again made sure that even if they couldn’t offer a full menu like in the past, guests could still sample their favorites. This includes the festival’s famous Porketta recipe, which will be available on Saturday only.

The dish – created on a whim by organizer and Mary Claire’s daughter, Erin Boylan – earned the festival a $50 gift card to Riccardo’s Market, 1219 Wheeler Ave., Dunmore.

Erin Boylan took over with her own recipe one year after a longtime volunteer who used to make the Porketta couldn’t do it any longer.

“Porketta is a really big seller at our block party, so I said, ‘We can do this,’ and decided to take over the job,” she said. “The recipe is pretty simple and tastes great.”

The end result is pork tenderloin seasoned in a blend of spices and slow-cooked to perfection. Erin Boylan said she typically makes anywhere from 80 to 120 pounds of porketta.

“It always sells out, too,” Mary Claire Boylan added. “It’s definitely one of our most popular items.”

Organizers switch up the menu, too, to keep guests coming back. While Porketta is only available on Saturday night, the parish will sell steak and cheese as Friday night’s special item. Both nights the event also will feature haluski, sausage and peppers, pizza, potato pancakes and pizza frita.

Guests can pre-order food for pickup by calling the rectory at 570-342-4881, ext. 122, or ordering through links on the parish’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. Orders also can be placed on its website, marymotherofgodparish.org. Guests also can drive up and place a food order the night of the event.

The streets in front of the church will be blocked off in order to accommodate guests and traffic in both directions. Guests never have to leave their cars for anything, including the event’s basket raffles.

Given the events of the past year, anything that brings a sense of normalcy back to daily life is worth it, Mary Claire Boylan said. This event aims to help brighten community spirits and give back to Mary, Mother of God Parish at Holy Rosary Church in the process.

“This is the single biggest fundraiser for the church, and we know how much everyone looks forward to this event,” Mary Claire Boylan said. “We’re always going to do whatever we can to make sure this block party happens. It’s a huge part of what we do.”

If you go

• What: Drive-Thru Block Party
• When: Friday, June 18, and Saturday, June 19, 4 to 8p.m.
• Where: Mary, Mother of God Parish at Holy Rosary Church, 316 William St., Scranton
• Details: Guests can order food for pickup by calling the rectory at 570-342-4881, ext. 122, or by visiting the parish’s Facebook and Instagram accounts or its website, marymotherofgodparish.org. For more information, visit Mary, Mother of God Parish on Facebook. Guests also can drive up and place a food order the night of the event.

 

Mary, Mother of God Parish at Holy Rosary Church’s Porketta

Ingredients:

• 8 pounds pork tenderloin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1/2 cup fennel seeds
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup garlic powder
• 1/2 cup onion powder
• 32 ounces chicken broth

Directions:

1. Put tenderloin in baking pan and rub with salt, pepper, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder. Add chicken broth to the pan, covering half of the tenderloin.
2. Cover and cook in oven at 350 F for 3 hours.
3. Remove from oven and slice tenderloin on a slicer.
4. Place back into the pan to continue to soak up juices.