How To Nail the Perfect Pork Crackle Every Time

Everyone wants some good crackle when they eat pork, It’s no surprise. So I’m here to let you in on a few hints and tips to perfect this. The secret to achieving the pork crackle is dry skin, salt, and high heat. Also, give yourself at least 24hrs for the best results.

Use a rolled shoulder/neck/belly with all skin in tact. These cuts, in my opinion, produce the best results.
Score the skin at approximately 1cm intervals. Only cut as deep as the skin, and a little underlying fat is fine. Do not score the meat as this will cause moisture to escape and the meat to dry out. Use a razor-sharp knife, or my favourite, a box cutter/ Stanley knife with a lockable blade length to prevent going too deep.
Boil the kettle, yes, but not for a cup of tea. Pouring boiling water over the skin causes it to shrink, soften, and open up the rind, allowing the salt and oil to penetrate more deeply. Pour the water only on the skin side, avoiding getting it on the meat side.
After patting the skin dry, place it on a rack in a baking tray. Wipe the skin’s surface with a wet vinegar cloth. This helps to dry out the skin and can also help to reduce any pork odour.
The initial salting. With so many salts on the market (believe me, I’ve tried the vast majority), I believe Kosher salt is the best option, followed by Malden salt. Only apply this to the skin. AT THIS STAGE, DO NOT USE ANY OIL. Place the tray in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 24 hours. Arranging the pork at an angle, so the moisture can drain.
The Second Salting. The next day (24hrs later) Take the pork out of the fridge, wipe down all excess moisture and reapply a light even layer of salt. Pop it back on the rack (on an angle again) and back in the fridge. If you are in a rush, you can skip this second salting and go straight to the cooking.
The next day, take the pork out of the fridge, pat it dry and season the meat section of the pork with your favourite Pork Rub alternatively a light salt and a bit of pepper is all your really need. Apply another layer of salt to the skin and let’s get this party started!
So now comes the time to get the crackling well…crackled. The main thing to remember is HIGH HEAT from the start, whether over natural lump charcoal, wood or gas (but seriously why gas??). As the crackling starts to form pat it dry so no moisture stays on the skin. My preference is to do this on a small spit roaster, it makes it quick and easy to adjust heat via the height of the spit from the charcoal. If you are cooking in the oven, make sure you put the pork in only when the oven it is above 220°c and cook it for at least 30 minutes, after that, you can turn the temperature down to 180°c
When the pork had reached an internal temperature of 75°c it is safe to take off however you can leave it in for a little longer to let a bit more fat render out. An instant-read meat thermometer is a must if you want to achieve consistent results when cooking meat, When you remove it from the spit or oven, let it rest for 15 minutes uncovered before you cut the meat and serve. CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH!!! Enjoy!