Crisp, golden crackling is the highlight of any roast pork, but getting it just right takes a little know-how.
From choosing the right cut to drying, scoring and roasting, these simple steps will help you achieve reliably crisp, crunchy results every time. Serve alongside all the trimmings including roast potatoes, greens and plenty of gravy.
Score the meat. We're using a family sized shoulder joint for a balance of juicy meat and crispy crackling. Using a very sharp utility or paring knife, score the rind of the joint in a diamond criss-cross pattern. Be very careful at this stage to only score the rind and part of the fat; cutting into the meat will release moisture and prevent the crackling from crisping up.
Prepare the meat. Pat the meat dry with clean kitchen towel and rub 1-2 tbsp salt over the surface of the rind. Return the meat to the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour to allow any excess moisture to be released (this can also be done overnight if needed). 3 hours before cooking, remove the joint from the fridge, brush off the salt and pat dry, ensuring you get into all the cuts. Rub the entire joint with vegetable oil, then lightly re-season, ensuring both salt and oil are in the cuts.
Start hot. Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C Fan) / Gas Mark 7. Transfer the joint to a heavy duty roasting tin fitted with a trivet (you can also lay the joint on a bed of sliced onions). Roast the joint for 30 minutes to start the fat bubbling beneath the skin, puffing up the crackling. Lower the temperature to 180°C (160°C Fan) / Gas Mark 4 and roast for 25 minutes per 500g of raw meat, plus an additional 20 minutes. The internal temperature once cooked should reach a minimum of 65°C using a meat thermometer.
Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before gently removing the crackling. To avoid softening whilst you carve and serve, keep the crackling warm in a low oven, turned upside down on the trivet, ensuring the crisp skin doesn't touch anything moist.
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