Crackling - how?
Discussion
The rules for good crackling:
Well scored skin. You need a Stanley knife or similar, something v sharp. Most kitchen knives aren't up to it.
Properly dry skin - unwrap the meat, put it skin side up and let it dry for a good few hours. Uncovered in the fridge is good.
Run salt into the skin just before cooking. I use about a good teaspoon. Do not ever put oil, fat late or anything anywhere near the skin.
Pre heat the oven to 220/gas 9/ as hot as it will go. Pre heat it properly not just for 5 mins. It needs to be HOT.
Put the meat in on as high a shelf as it will fit on. Give it 15-20mins. Keep an eye on it but don't open the door all the time.
Turn down the heat and cook as usual. 180 or gas 5/6 for 30 mins to the pound for pork. It's done when the juices are clear.
Enjoy your crackling.
It's not difficult you just have to do it right. A bit of practice and your crackling will become a thing of joy and delight! Yum.
Well scored skin. You need a Stanley knife or similar, something v sharp. Most kitchen knives aren't up to it.
Properly dry skin - unwrap the meat, put it skin side up and let it dry for a good few hours. Uncovered in the fridge is good.
Run salt into the skin just before cooking. I use about a good teaspoon. Do not ever put oil, fat late or anything anywhere near the skin.
Pre heat the oven to 220/gas 9/ as hot as it will go. Pre heat it properly not just for 5 mins. It needs to be HOT.
Put the meat in on as high a shelf as it will fit on. Give it 15-20mins. Keep an eye on it but don't open the door all the time.
Turn down the heat and cook as usual. 180 or gas 5/6 for 30 mins to the pound for pork. It's done when the juices are clear.
Enjoy your crackling.
It's not difficult you just have to do it right. A bit of practice and your crackling will become a thing of joy and delight! Yum.
I've done all the salty dry-y things and it's never been reliable for me.
Scoring well and not covering helps a bit but the latter can dry the meat a bit.
My trick?
Check half an hour before you're due to serve.
If its chewing rather than crackling then remove the skin/fat layer.
Place on a baking tray (not a sheet or you'll coat the oven and waste porky goodness!)
Back in the oven for the last 20-30 mins.
Keep an eye on it as it can overcook easily.
Drain the excess fat and reserve for next time's roasties or whenever.
I'm hungry now!
Scoring well and not covering helps a bit but the latter can dry the meat a bit.
My trick?
Check half an hour before you're due to serve.
If its chewing rather than crackling then remove the skin/fat layer.
Place on a baking tray (not a sheet or you'll coat the oven and waste porky goodness!)
Back in the oven for the last 20-30 mins.
Keep an eye on it as it can overcook easily.
Drain the excess fat and reserve for next time's roasties or whenever.
I'm hungry now!
Pour a kettle of boiling water over the well-scored skin.
Dry thoroughly with kitchen paper & leave for at least 3 or 4 hours uncovered in the fridge.
Cook in a pre-heated oven at 240c for 20 minutes, then 180c for the remainder of the cooking time.
No need to bother with salt or oil.
Regardless of the joint used, this always gives a great result.
Dry thoroughly with kitchen paper & leave for at least 3 or 4 hours uncovered in the fridge.
Cook in a pre-heated oven at 240c for 20 minutes, then 180c for the remainder of the cooking time.
No need to bother with salt or oil.
Regardless of the joint used, this always gives a great result.
dontlookdown said:
That looks pretty good! I love a bit of pork belly.
Health food it is not though. Never mind eh?
Try the Ketogenic diet and you can eat it every night if you want! Health food it is not though. Never mind eh?
As for the crackling; I’m a take it off the meat man, mainly because it’s foolproof. Well scored, well salted but if it hasn’t cooked how I want it when on the meat I remove it and put it on the bottom shelf at 220 while the meat is resting. Crackly success every time - although the flavour and texture isn’t as good as when it works on the meat! You can also scrape some of the fat from underneath if you’re trying to keep it healthy(ish).
The_Doc said:
Dry the skin with paper
Score the skin lightly with very sharp knife
Rub A LOT of course salt in to the skin and cracks
Start the joint at 220c for first 30 mins, then turn down to usual temp for rest.
Bingo
More or less what I did, will use more salt next time.Score the skin lightly with very sharp knife
Rub A LOT of course salt in to the skin and cracks
Start the joint at 220c for first 30 mins, then turn down to usual temp for rest.
Bingo
Thanks for all suggestions.
It’s quite a science and there’s obviously A number of ways of achieving it.
For me it’s about good quality pork to begin with and then taking the joint and air drying it in the fridge uncovered for at least three days. No salt necessary.
Once you’re ready to roast the joint, I find that tightening skin by pouring a good litre and a half or so of boiling water over it helps with the end result. Once you’ve dried it, add a good amount of fine salt. Not Maldon or Big chunks of sea salt as the coverage is less even.
This issue with pork belly is that if you blast it full-pelt, you reach smoke point and ruin the flavour with acrid smoke compounds as the fat renders. And you ruin your kitchen in the process.
The dryer the skin the less heat it will take to bubble. I like to render the fat in the meat first until I’m satisfied it’s tender. Then a bit of gentle direct heat on the skin makes it puff up like popcorn.
If grilling, move the joint to the middle of the oven and let it happen slowly. Too close and you’ll burn it to a cinder.
I’ve got a piece drying out nicely now, almost ready to go.
For me it’s about good quality pork to begin with and then taking the joint and air drying it in the fridge uncovered for at least three days. No salt necessary.
Once you’re ready to roast the joint, I find that tightening skin by pouring a good litre and a half or so of boiling water over it helps with the end result. Once you’ve dried it, add a good amount of fine salt. Not Maldon or Big chunks of sea salt as the coverage is less even.
This issue with pork belly is that if you blast it full-pelt, you reach smoke point and ruin the flavour with acrid smoke compounds as the fat renders. And you ruin your kitchen in the process.
The dryer the skin the less heat it will take to bubble. I like to render the fat in the meat first until I’m satisfied it’s tender. Then a bit of gentle direct heat on the skin makes it puff up like popcorn.
If grilling, move the joint to the middle of the oven and let it happen slowly. Too close and you’ll burn it to a cinder.
I’ve got a piece drying out nicely now, almost ready to go.
I work in the trade.
Dry it.
Score it well with a stanley knife/boning knife (with a stanley you can adjust the blade so it just pokes out, and get the perfect scoring depth.)
Put rock salt and some fennel seeds into a pestle and mortar, bash it up.
Rub it really well into the skin, making sure you get right into the score marks.
Hot oven for the first 20-30 minutes, then cook normally. The fennel makes the crackling even more moreish.
It's funny, this works 99.9% of the time, but you get the occasional joint that just doesn't want to crackle, I don't know why.
Dry it.
Score it well with a stanley knife/boning knife (with a stanley you can adjust the blade so it just pokes out, and get the perfect scoring depth.)
Put rock salt and some fennel seeds into a pestle and mortar, bash it up.
Rub it really well into the skin, making sure you get right into the score marks.
Hot oven for the first 20-30 minutes, then cook normally. The fennel makes the crackling even more moreish.
It's funny, this works 99.9% of the time, but you get the occasional joint that just doesn't want to crackle, I don't know why.
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