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Pork crackling


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Old 23-03-2015, 22:32
postit
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Generally I achieve good crackling, except that it doesn't crackle uniformly. I have heard that stripping the crackling and putting it in the microwave for a minute or two works, and I've tried this, except that if you leave it too long, you're left with crackling as hard as cement.

Any tips?
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Old 24-03-2015, 08:05
Jambo_c
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Never heard of microwaving it.

I just score the crackling with a sharp knife as far as the meat (or get the butcher to do it) and then plenty of oil and salt. Cook it on high for around 20 mins first before lowering the temperature for the rest of the cooking time. I think this is a pretty standard method though but I've never had any issues.
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Old 24-03-2015, 15:21
wildpumpkin
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Make sure that the pork joint is at room temperature before rubbing it with salt (this eliminates any moisture left from it's coldness from the fridge) and as previously said put it into a very hot oven before reducing the temperature for cooking.
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Old 25-03-2015, 11:02
postit
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Thanks for all the replies. I do all the things you mentioned. My only problem is when the crackling isn't consistent. Most of it crackles nicely, but I'm generally left with a small piece in the middle that is still relatively soft and refuses to crackle! Hence the microwave, which does indeed get the soft part to crackle, but makes the rest of it too hard.
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Old 25-03-2015, 11:23
indianwells
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Peel it off, whack the oven up to full and put it back in for 10-15 minutes.
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Old 25-03-2015, 20:02
misha06
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Make sure the skin is dry, pat it with some paper towel, score two ways so you get cubes or diamond shapes and rub in plenty of salt.

If it is still a bit soggy after cooking, putting it in the microwave rescues it.

But it makes a hell of a noise and will come out reactor hot if one is not careful.
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Old 26-03-2015, 12:24
Lainiomonkio
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I often have this problem too but a few weeks ago I tried Yotam Ottolenghi's slow roasted belly pork. He advised the usual thing of putting the meat in at a high temperature to start the crackling off, then roasting it for a few hours at a lower temp. He then advises you to turn the oven down very low for the last hour of cooking to completely dry the crackling out. I have to say, I've never achieved such amazing crackling before.

Otherwise, you could try my Mum's trick of blasting the skin with a hair dryer for a few minutes before it goes in the oven to get it really, really dry? She is crackling queen!
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