Its your dream come true: The best ever Pork Roast with ultra-tender flesh and ultra-crispy pork crackling!
This pork shoulder roast uses a simple but highly effective method to make pork crackle really crispy.
Time.Andwithout scoring the skin!
Using foil balls to level the pork skin during the final blast is key to achieving perfect bubbly, crispy crackle from end to end. This is because the highest points crackle better and faster than dips and crevices!
Its simple to make without any special equipment,and works Every.
(But you dont need to take my word for it.
Read the reviews!)
Skip to the recipe
My secret tips for perfect Pork Roast with Ultra-Crispy Pork Crackle!
Forget all the fussing other recipes recommend for perfect pork crackling!
Just follow these easy steps:
Unrolled bonelesspork shoulder (skin-on of course, for the crackling!
).Give pork loin a miss it doesnt crackle nearly as well!
Dry skin Ensure skin is dry
No scoring No need to score the skin.
In fact, scoring can compromise crispy skin if not done properly!
Using foil balls to level the pork skin during the final blast is key to achieving perfect bubbly, crispy crackle from end to end. This is because the highest points crackle better and faster than dips and crevices!
Ever notice how the sides of rolled pork never gets as crispy as the top?
Thats because the highest part gets best exposure to heat.
So for perfect crispy crackle all over, LEVEL THE PORK using balls of foil!
But if its already scored, its fine.
But dont worry!If your pork is rolled/netted or pre-scored, this recipe still works perfectly.
The meat becomes tender and juicy because its a slow cooking cut of meat.
A freshly cut piece of pork shoulder from the butcher. Boneless, 3 kg / 6 lb.
See thisChinese Crispy Pork Bellyrecipe.
Hands down the best method for crispy pork belly.
Salt and pepper Most of the salt goes on the skin.
You need a LOT of salt on the skin.
the meat juices and fat that drips from the pork).
If the roasting pan juices burn, this will turn your gravy bitter.
Nobody wants bitter gravy with their pork!
Creates a steamy environment for the flesh so it doesnt dry out during the slow roast.
We also use the pan juices which is loaded with pork flavour.
Do not venture to speed things up by increasing the temperature, and do not skimp on salt.
Just follow the recipe as written!
(Pretty hey )
1.
Remember, salt = the desirable crispy bubbles rather than hard/flat skin.
So dont leave any unsalted patches!
This is the slow roasting time during which the flesh becomes tender and juicy.
Level the pork (secret to evenly crispy crackle!!)
The extent to which you will need to do this depends on how much your pork buckles.
Sometimes, one edge of the pork can twist so its almost vertical!
Blast it and then rest it
Now its time to CRANK THE HEAT!
Blast the pork for 30 minutes, rotating the pan as needed to encourage even crackling.
HERE YOU GO!!
Resting is essential!
Restingis when you let cooked meat sit out of the oven for a while before cutting it.
Rest the pork loosely covered with foil to keep it warm.
The crackling is so crispy, it won’t soften even in the slightest if you rest it covered with foil.
The crackling is that thick and crispy!!
If you do not cover with foil, the meat dries out on the outside during the rest time.
I specifically tried it once to check.
Serve with gravy for pork roast!
The gravy is gold!
So dont skip it!
And surely it goes without saying… never pour gravy onto crispy crackling!
All that effort for epic crackling only to douse it and make it soggy??
Move the crackling to the side,thendouse in gravy!!!
Best way to reheat pork crackling
If youre like me and always over-cater, youll have leftovers.
Thebest way to store pork crackling is to separate it from the flesh.Yep, stay with me on this.
Ordinarily I would now move straight onto the recipe video and the recipe.
Theres a lot of detail, so its strictly for fellow food nerds!!!
If you just want to get cooking,skip straight to the recipe!
How rubbery bits tend to be in the valleys and creases on the skin or the lower edges.
Cook it too fast and it will be tough and chewy.
Skip straight to the recipe!
If youve made it this far, get ready for an onslaught of some pretty detailed information!
Heres the background to why I make my pork roast the way I do.
No need to score the skin.
But if its already scored, its fine.
Pork roast crackling midway through roasting at a low temperature. Bubbles have started forming but the skin is still rubbery.
You do not need to score for crispy, bubbly crackling.
The crackling of this recipe is based around that very fact!
Scoring helps because with scored skin, the fat under the skin bubbles up while baking.
This is often the cause for crackling that ends up with rubbery patches.
Dry skin = superior crackling
This isnt a ground breaking stuff here, its pretty common knowledge.
The dry skin test:Run your fingers across the surface.
Does it glide smoothly?
Great, its dry.
Is it tacky like when you touch your own skin on a hot, humid day?
Its still wet keep dabbing/drying!
Infuse flesh with flavour and keep it moist.
I rub the flesh with salt, pepper and fennel (because pork loves fennel!)
Prevent screen from sleeping
I also add a liquid into the pan which keeps the flesh extra moist.
My first choice is white wine, followed by dry apple cider.
This is what the pork looks likepartway through roasting,before crisping up the crackling:
7.
And that is why shoulder is usually sold rolled and tied/netted!
Most of it has bubbled up beautifully and the small parts that havent are still ridiculously crispy.
And the flesh is so tender!
And with that, I am done!
post, to share with the world!
Soooo … whats on the menu for supper this weekend??
Just the usualSpag Bol… or a crazy-juicy Pork Roast with Crispy Pork Crackling…..?
Updated with new photos, new recipe video and rewritten post.
No change to recipe but writing has been tidied up!
