Roasting pork with crackling is a culinary journey that’s all about achieving the perfect balance of crispy skin and juicy meat. Here’s a simple recipe to get your taste buds tingling:
Ingredients:
- 1.5-2 kg pork belly, skin-on
- Sea salt
- Olive oil
- Optional: herbs and spices of your choice (rosemary, thyme, fennel seeds, garlic powder)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 220Β°C (425Β°F).
- Prepare the pork belly: Pat the pork belly dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the pork belly in a criss-cross pattern, making sure not to cut into the meat. This helps the fat render out and the skin to crisp up.
- Season the pork belly: Rub a generous amount of sea salt all over the skin and into the scores. If desired, you can add other herbs and spices at this stage for extra flavor.
- Let it rest: Place the pork belly on a rack set over a roasting pan, skin-side up. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This helps to dry out the skin, which is crucial for crispy crackling.
- Roast the pork: Drizzle a little olive oil over the skin and rub it in. Place the pork in the preheated oven and roast for about 30 minutes, or until the skin starts to blister and crackle.
- Lower the heat: Reduce the oven temperature to 180Β°C (350Β°F) and continue roasting for another 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and the skin is golden brown and crispy. If the skin is not crisping up as desired, you can increase the temperature again for the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.
- Rest and serve: Once cooked, remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in juicier meat. Slice and serve with your favorite sides, and enjoy the crispy, crackling goodness!
Remember, achieving perfect crackling can be a bit of an art form, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t turn out perfect the first time. Practice makes perfect, and even imperfect crackling is still delicious!
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