Can someone please tell me how I can make great crackling on my roast pork it never seems to crisp up
Crackling
Originally Posted by jarryhack:
“We Score the skin into Diamond shapes, then rub with olive oil and sea salt. Best crackling ever.”
“We Score the skin into Diamond shapes, then rub with olive oil and sea salt. Best crackling ever.”
I do similar but then peel it off in one slab once the meat is cooked and bung it back in the oven to really crisp up.
what cut are you using? It does make a difference.... I always use pork shoulder for roast dinner. rinse and pat dry the skin, score through the fat, not quite to the flesh. And rub in some salt and oil (not olive - waste of money and has a low smoke rate, just veg or sunflower etc). And then rub more salt in. Even if it seems too much. And cook the joint on high (220-240c) for the first 30 mins.. When to joint is cooked, cut the crackling off, let the meat rest and pop the crackling back in the oven to crisp up a little more. Job done.
I always had trouble with crackling but what I do now is take the pork out to rest for 20 minutes and then grill the crackling for 5 minutes just before serving.
You do have to keep your eyes on it to make sure it doesn't burn but the crackling does really bubble up and get crispy. I tried the oven method but it never really worked for me.
You do have to keep your eyes on it to make sure it doesn't burn but the crackling does really bubble up and get crispy. I tried the oven method but it never really worked for me.
Originally Posted by orangebird:
“what cut are you using? It does make a difference.... I always use pork shoulder for roast dinner. rinse and pat dry the skin, score through the fat, not quite to the flesh. And rub in some salt and oil (not olive - waste of money and has a low smoke rate, just veg or sunflower etc). And then rub more salt in. Even if it seems too much. And cook the joint on high (220-240c) for the first 30 mins.. When to joint is cooked, cut the crackling off, let the meat rest and pop the crackling back in the oven to crisp up a little more. Job done.”
“what cut are you using? It does make a difference.... I always use pork shoulder for roast dinner. rinse and pat dry the skin, score through the fat, not quite to the flesh. And rub in some salt and oil (not olive - waste of money and has a low smoke rate, just veg or sunflower etc). And then rub more salt in. Even if it seems too much. And cook the joint on high (220-240c) for the first 30 mins.. When to joint is cooked, cut the crackling off, let the meat rest and pop the crackling back in the oven to crisp up a little more. Job done.”
^^^ This. I think the key thing is that it needs removing from the joint while the joint rests and then either pop back in oven at high temp or at a pinch you could put it under the grill.
I concur with the above:
Score skin in diamonds and rub with oil and salt.
Start it off on a high temp then turn down
Separate from meat and finish off in oven.
Score skin in diamonds and rub with oil and salt.
Start it off on a high temp then turn down
Separate from meat and finish off in oven.
After scoring, scald the pork rind with a kettle of boiling water. Leave to dry for a couple of hours (or if time pressed, pat dry with kitchen towels and give it a blast of the hair dryer) then rub in plenty of salt and oil just before putting into the oven.
Put it in the hottest your oven will go until the rind starts to bubble, then turn down to moderate. Keep a close eye on the bubbling stage, it can burn pretty quickly if you get distracted for a moment.
ETA: I don't remove the crackling, but carve it with the meat. For that reason, I score straight across and not diagonally. I can't see who posted this, but the recommendation to use shoulder is spot on. A shoulder or belly are my preferred joints for roasting. Like duck, tasty roast pork needs plenty of fat to flavour the meat.
Put it in the hottest your oven will go until the rind starts to bubble, then turn down to moderate. Keep a close eye on the bubbling stage, it can burn pretty quickly if you get distracted for a moment.
ETA: I don't remove the crackling, but carve it with the meat. For that reason, I score straight across and not diagonally. I can't see who posted this, but the recommendation to use shoulder is spot on. A shoulder or belly are my preferred joints for roasting. Like duck, tasty roast pork needs plenty of fat to flavour the meat.
Another technique along with salting, oiling or pouring boiling water over, is to rub it with vinegar.
Originally Posted by indianwells:
“I do similar but then peel it off in one slab once the meat is cooked and bung it back in the oven to really crisp up.”
“I do similar but then peel it off in one slab once the meat is cooked and bung it back in the oven to really crisp up.”
Yup, the simplest way to get proper crackling. If anything I make mine a bit too crunchy and worry about cracking a tooth. Less time in the oven, I think.
Originally Posted by indianwells:
“I do similar but then peel it off in one slab once the meat is cooked and bung it back in the oven to really crisp up.”
“I do similar but then peel it off in one slab once the meat is cooked and bung it back in the oven to really crisp up.”
I do this as well.
I also leave the meat uncovered in the fridge the night before cooking it then take it out of the fridge an hour or so before it goes in the oven.
No oil or anything, just a little sea salt over it.
Crispy, crunchy, teeth breaking crackling every time
