The Perfect Pork Roast

How to Make Perfect Pork Crackling

• Choose a piece of pork with a generous covering of fat and rind.
• Remove pork from Cryovac packaging the day/ night before you intend to cook it and absorb any moisture on the rind with paper towel. Wrap in a tea towel and leave in the fridge.
• Remove from the fridge and allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking.
• Make sure the pork rind is very dry, as any moisture can prevent it from crackling.
• If it’s not already scored, use a sharp knife to score the rind by making cuts to the fat layer, about 5mm apart. This allows moisture and fat to run out of the rind, which makes it crisp.
• Rub a little oil and salt over the rind and into the cuts – this helps to draw any moisture out of the rind and makes it crackle.
• Now you have two options for cooking your roast for the perfect crackle:
  • Preheat oven to 220°C. Cook for 20 minutes at 220°C then turn down oven to 180°C and cook for roast for 40 minutes per kg. Rest under foil for 5 – 10 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 100°C – 150°C and place pork shoulder or pork belly into oven on top shelf.  The skin/fat will soften and render during the slow roasting process and the skin will crackle.  You may need to turn your dish around about half way through if your oven cooks unevenly.  This method never fails for me but if the skin is not crispy enough for you, then now you can do high heat for 5-10 mins.  Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
• Place the pork belly on your chopping board skin side down as it’s easier to cut without breaking the crispy crackling too much.