How to get crispy pork crackling this Christmas
The perfect pork belly is a treat on any dinner table. Follow these 8 tips and you’ll be on your way to creating pork crackling that’ll be a hit this Christmas.
Choosing a pork cut
Crackling is all about skin and fat. The meat underneath is a question of taste. Pork belly is the safest choice (you can ask the butcher for the boneless part for easy carving), as the meat is marbled with fat and is harder to overcook. Neck or shoulder (with or without bone) are also good choices as they have a good ratio of fat. Pork loin is very tender and sweet but is leaner, so must not be overcooked.
How to score pork belly
Scoring the fat helps it bubble up to the surface while roasting to baste the skin. Make sure the pork is cold when you score as it’s easier to cut through firm fat. Use a Stanley or craft knife or a very sharp kitchen knife to score horizontal or diagonal lines about 0.5cm to 1cm apart. Cut all the way through the skin and fat but not into the meat or the juices will run when roasting, steaming and softening the crackling and drying out the meat.
How to dry pork belly
You want the skin and fat to be as dry as possible. If time allows, chill the piece of pork uncovered for 4 hours or overnight (the air in the refrigerator is very dry). If there’s no time, pat the meat dry with paper towel and finish off with a hair dryer (but make sure it’s on the cold setting!)
Marinating
If your recipe calls for a marinade, make sure it doesn’t touch the fat and skin. With a round piece of pork, you need to cut away the fat and skin and set aside while you marinate the meat, then reassemble and tie with kitchen string when ready to roast. If using a flat piece of pork belly, make sure the level of marinade stays below the level of fat.
Seasoning pork
Salt gives flavour and helps absorb any remaining moisture. 5 minutes before roasting, rub the piece of pork very generously with salt, ensuring it goes right into the scoring. You can use a mix of regular table salt (which will penetrate the skin) and salt flakes (for a crisp crust). You can use oil to help the salt stick to the meat but if you really rub the salt in, you don’t need the extra fat.
How to cook pork belly
Starting off the cooking process with a blast of heat is the second most importing thing after drying the meat. Preheat your oven to 250C (230C fan-forced) and roast the pork for about 20 minutes. You want to achieve about 75% of the crackling at this stage (keep an eye out to check that it doesn’t start burning). Then reduce oven to 180C (160C fan-forced) to finish cooking the meat.
How to get crispy pork crackling
Don’t over-focus on the crackling and forget the meat – if your meat is cooked but you’re not happy with the skin, cut it away and perfect it in a hotter oven while you rest the meat.If you’ve missed a step along the way and the skin hasn’t crackled, don’t give up. Cut it away from the meat and place it on a baking tray lined with foil, then brush with oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook under a preheated grill until the magic happens. Keep a close eye on it as it can easily burn.
Experimenting with crackling
If there happens to be any leftover crackling (as if), cover the precious item in foil and chill. Bring to room temperature and place under a preheated grill to heat up and crisp. Serve as a special treat with a fried egg breakfast or sprinkle over a salad or soup.
Top recipes using pork crackling
Crispy roasted pork leg with crackling
Curtis Stone’s slow roasted pork leg with crackling and smoky salsa
Crispy pork crackling
Spook pork with crackling, parsnip puree and green lentils
Mustard pork with crackling and butter-bean smash
See also
19 succulent pork belly recipes that are impossible to resist
The secret to perfect pork crackling
Masterclass with Curtis Stone: pork crackling recipe
Understanding pork cuts
Spiced roast pork – BEST RECIPES
FAQs
Rub the roast with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and half a tablespoon of salt (more if you like salty crackling), making sure the oil and salt penetrate the scores. Place the roast on a wire rack inside a baking tray and cook at 240°C (max 250°C conventional) until the rind crackles, up to 50 minutes.
Should you put oil on pork for crackling? ›
There are a few key steps to sure fire pork crackling:
- Pick the right pork — shoulder, pork belly, rolled loin or rack are my picks. ...
- It is important to dry the pork skin and fat before roasting. ...
- Rub the skin with olive oil, and either vinegar or lemon juice, to help conduct the heat of the oven to the skin.
Pour a cup or more of boiling water over the skin. This will shrink the rind, allowing the incisions to open and enabling the heat, salt, and oil to penetrate deeper. Try to only pour the boiling water over the rind and not over any exposed meat on the roast, as this will dry the pork out.
What salt is best for pork crackling? ›
You can use a mix of regular table salt (which will penetrate the skin) and salt flakes (for a crisp crust). You can use oil to help the salt stick to the meat but if you really rub the salt in, you don't need the extra fat.
Why won t my pork crackling go crispy? ›
There are several reasons why you might not be getting perfectly crisp crackling. Not enough salt - use the full amount specified in the recipe to cover the pork belly rind when dry brining as this is what causes the crackling to puff up and become crispy when the salt reacts with the fat.
Does vinegar help pork crackling? ›
Using Smeg's 'Ferrari' function, supercook and apple cider vinegar results in exceptional, toothsome crackling with meltingly tender pork. For best results, rub with salt and vinegar the day before and dry thoroughly before roasting.
Does lemon juice help pork crackling? ›
Salt, Oil and Lemon Assault – Vigorously rub oil, lemon juice and salt deep into the slits of the scored rind and season generously. The reaction between the salt and the fat layer under the skin is what makes the skin puff up and crisp into an ear-shattering crackle!
How to get the best pork crackling on a spit? ›
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.
How do you keep pork crackles crispy? ›
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.
Why is my pork crackling chewy? ›
Make sure you get the salt into the slits of the score marks. The fat under the rind reacts with the salt, and makes the skin puff up and become crispy. If you don't take the time to rub the salt in properly, the crackling will have that chewy texture.
Apple cider vinegar: Adds a little tanginess and helps to tenderize the pork. Without it, the pork tastes flat. Adding the vinegar wakes everything up. Fish sauce or Worcestershire: Seasons our cooking liquid and adds a nice burts of umami, which makes the pulled pork even more delicious.
Why is my crackling too hard? ›
The heat at which you cook pork cracklins can also cause them to become hard. If the temperature is not high enough, the skin won't crack properly, resulting in a rubbery texture.
How to get the best pork crackling ever? ›
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. Keep the skin surface level by using scrunched up balls of foil. Because level surface = even high-heat distribution = better crackling!
Do you roast pork skin side up or down? ›
Place an oven-proof wire rack onto a baking tray and brush the rack with a little oil. Place the pork on top, skin side up and roast in the oven for 90 minutes. Then turn the heat up to 240°C/460°F and roast for a further 30-40 minutes or until the skin is super crispy.
How to stop crackling from burning? ›
Get it hot! An initial hot blast is absolutely key to giving the crackling a headstart. 220°C, 230°C, maybe even more, at this stage of cooking the joint will be able to take it and not burn as the heat is transferred through the meat. Usually 30 minutes is a good time to aim for with this stage.
How do you keep pork crackling from getting soft? ›
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.
Should I cover pork crackling joint? ›
Nope. The best crackling needs dry air, and covering will keep condensation on the skin. Covering a joint of meat when cooking does generally help to ensure a juicier joint, but if you use a joint of pork with some fat marbling, this fat will help to keep the meat tender without the need to cover.
How to fix rubbery crackling? ›
Pork crackling is rubbery
Be prepared: Dry out the pork skin in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Remove any packaging and rinse the pork with cold water, then pat dry. Place the scored pork, uncovered, on a wire rack to elevate it. Rub generously with sea salt, as this will help dry it out too.
