Pork Roast With Crackle (2024)

FAQs

How to get good crackling on pork roast? ›

Heat the oven to a high temperature: 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Roast the pork for 15 mins to allow the heat to penetrate quickly. Turn the heat down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and roast for another 1 hr 30 mins. If the crackling has not properly formed, turn the heat up again and check every 5 mins until the skin has crackled.

Shoulder (spare rib)

It has a really excellent flavour, as meat from nearer the head of the pig is always more succulent, with a little more fat to keep it moist. The skin is dry with a reasonable layer of fat underneath, making this one of the best joints to get good crackling from.

There's no need to baste pork as there is enough fat to keep the meat moist. The way to tell if the meat is cooked is to insert a skewer in the thickest part and the juices that run out should be absolutely clear without any trace of pinkness.

High heat is the final key to pork crackling. Don't rush the process at the final hurdle, let the oven preheat for at least 20 minutes to 230°C. Put the pork in quickly but carefully so the oven stays hot. Depending on the size of your meat, it can take between 30-50 minutes to crisp up completely.

Overcooking any meat dries it out. A pork loin roast is more tender and juicy when cooked to medium than when it is well done. If you're talking about a pork shoulder or pork butt, it is best braised low and slow to let the collagen soften. As soon as the meat pulls apart with a fork, it is done.

After degreasing your crackling using a paper towel, place the cracklings in an airtight container. You can also settle for a food-storage bag that can be sealed and not permeable to air. It's best to avoid paper bags as they'd soil up in the fridge or freezer and ruin your pork crackling.

boiling water trick

This helps to prep the skin to crackle as its now "pre-cooked" so to speak. Make sure to pat dry with paper towel to further dry afterwards.

Now the pork is ready to cook, but there's another trick to follow here, to get even better crackling. Always start with high heat, to get the crackling going! Try 20-30 minutes at 220c-240c then reduce the temperature to a medium heat for the remainder of the cooking (170-190C).

Tenting can be suitable for some cuts of meat, but if you want a crunchy crust on your roast, then it's best to leave it uncovered. If you notice that the roasted pork is browning too much, you can lightly cover it with aluminum foil. However, do not cover it for the last 5-10 minutes in the oven.

How long does it take for pork to crackle? ›

Place the roast on a wire rack inside a baking tray and cook at 240°C (max 250°C conventional) until the rind just starts to crackle, up to 50 minutes. If the roast is over 2kg, take 10 minutes off this initial crackling time.

No scoring – No need to score the skin. In fact, scoring can compromise crispy skin if not done properly! Roast uncovered for the whole time (to keep the skin dry) Long and slow – Roast on a low first to slow-cook the flesh until tender, then high to finish the crackling.

Seasoning pork

Salt gives flavour and helps absorb any remaining moisture.

Place the pork, rind-side up, in a roasting pan. Drizzle the oil over the pork, then rub the salt mixture into the cuts. Rub a little oil and salt into the scored rind and place in the oven.

Another technique to get the perfect pork crackling is after you have pricked your pork skin, wipe it down with white vinegar before you apply the salt and let it rest uncovered in the fridge. Please note that we are only applying salt to the skin side, not the meat side.

After degreasing your crackling using a paper towel, place the cracklings in an airtight container. You can also settle for a food-storage bag that can be sealed and not permeable to air. It's best to avoid paper bags as they'd soil up in the fridge or freezer and ruin your pork crackling.

If there are areas of skin that have not crackled, you can place them under a hot grill or use a kitchen blowtorch. Be careful in either case as these methods can easily burn the crackle. To avoid burning under the grill, place the pork on the lowest shelf of the oven and leave the door open. Watch it like a hawk.