Decent Crackling?

[UnderOpenSky]

I'm having a go at doing Roast Pork tonight. Anybody got any tips on making sure I get decent crackling on it?

Cookery book suggests scoring it and rubbing salt it, but wondered it if anyone had any other suggestions?

 

[TitanSound]

Score and salt is the best way. If all else fails, stick it under the grill when finished cooking

 

[weltweit]

hmmmmm crackling .. yummm

 

[xes]

Score and salt is the best way. If all else fails, stick it under the grill when finished cooking

scald it too. Score, then pour a kettle of boiling water over it, then salt it. (or pour cider/apple juice over it)

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I just stick it an oven on a low heat and cook it for hours. Every single square centimetre of crackling is crunchy with no hint of chewy. No scalding, no salt. The meat is tender and melting.

 

[trashpony]

http://www.urban75.net/forums/threa...-my-life-made-properly-good-crackling.299604/

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Nice one folks - what does the scalding do to it?

 

[joustmaster]

Nice one folks - what does the scalding do to it?

i'm not sure.
the idea of crackling is to not have any water left in it.

 

[Addy]

+1 for a slow cooked pork shoulder for the best crackling.
I usually score the rind very heavilly with an uber sharp knife, salt it well with sea salt then in the oven @ 220c for 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 160 and cook for another 4-5 hrs.

 

[spitfire]

+1 for a slow cooked pork shoulder for the best crackling.
I usually score the rind very heavilly with an uber sharp knife, salt it well with sea salt then in the oven @ 220c for 20 minutes, then turn the heat down to 160 and cook for another 4-5 hrs.

That's the way to do it. Use a Stanley knife if you have one.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

5 hours!

I've got a 1.2kg bit and was aiming for closer to 1.5. Was panicking a bit a the crackling hasn't really got there yet, despite deep grooves and salt, so took it of to put back in the oven whilst the rest of the meat rest, only to find out it was still bleeding.

Roasts feel like a proper grown up meal to cook...nothing indervidually is hard, it's just getting it all to come together at the right time.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

That's the way to do it. Use a Stanley knife if you have one.

It even gave my global pause for thought!

 

[wayward bob]

i cheat i salt and oil the top, then once it starts to crisp carefully slice the whole thing off the top. salt inside the crackling and on the fat exposed on the joint. balance the skin on top of the joint, turning over occasionally until done

 

[Addy]

5 hours!

I've got a 1.2kg bit and was aiming for closer to 1.5. Was panicking a bit a the crackling hasn't really got there yet, despite deep grooves and salt, so took it of to put back in the oven whilst the rest of the meat rest, only to find out it was still bleeding.

Roasts feel like a proper grown up meal to cook...nothing indervidually is hard, it's just getting it all to come together at the right time.

You can't beat a proper slow roasted pork joint, deliciously uncarveable moist meat, full of flavour that melts in your mouth.
As others said, add a pint of scrumpy cider and a couple of quartered bramley apples to the tin its cooking in.
4-5 hrs is relatively quick a real slow roast is 9+ hrs

 

[xes]

i'm not sure.
the idea of crackling is to not have any water left in it.

the water runs off as you scald it, none is left on the joint by the time it's in the oven.

And the idea is to slightly sear the skin with boiling water, which apparently helps with yer crackling. Not sure if there's any actual reason, or where I heard it, but it works.

 

[joustmaster]

the water runs off as you scald it, none is left on the joint by the time it's in the oven.

And the idea is to slightly sear the skin with boiling water, which apparently helps with yer crackling. Not sure if there's any actual reason, or where I heard it, but it works.

maybe something to do with releasing some fat. So it gets going quicker?

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Hmmm...pork was proper tasty and the crackling was almost there, but spots weren't quite right...ended up grilling the fat for 5 mins whilst I served everything else. Might try a much slower cooking method next time. Thing that vexs me the most is that normally after I've tried something like this I've got a clear idea what do next, but this feels like I need to change everything...can't keep in any longer as will dry the meat out to much.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

You can't beat a proper slow roasted pork joint, deliciously uncarveable moist meat, full of flavour that melts in your mouth.
As others said, add a pint of scrumpy cider and a couple of quartered bramley apples to the tin its cooking in.
4-5 hrs is relatively quick a real slow roast is 9+ hrs

Do you still get crackling with all that fluid?

 

[ringo]

Bah, I had a 1.75kg shoulder of pork. It was already deeply scored. Poured boiling water over it, patted it drym, then salted and rubbed with herbs, garlic and little olive oil. Half hour at 220 degrees in a fan assisted oven, then an two hours at 170 degrees. The meat was lovely but the crackling wasn't. The outside was rock solid but the inner half was still soft, jelly like fat.

Urban crackling experts - what did I do wrong and how do I get it right next time?

 

[ringo]

Just reread the thread - perhaps I should stop reading Hugh Fearnley-wotsits timings and do it for another coupe of hours.

 

[underurnose]

i score and salt then sandwich between two oven trays/dishes with a bit of weight on top.
oven piping hot.
the result is flat evenly cooked crackling with very little fat left in.

 

[tarannau]

Crackling with little fat is not crackling, but I want this marvellous substance anyhow.

 

[DieselBar]

Nice one folks - what does the scalding do to it?

i'm not sure. the idea of crackling is to not have any water left in it.

Before the moisture can come out the connective tissue in the skin needs to break down, the boiling water would help start this off, any surface water will dry off quickly once in the oven. Similarly you can add a small amount of bicarbonate of soda to the skin for a couple hours, the alkali will help break down the tissue and also aid browning.

Best result I've had was a pork shoulder, plenty of salt, low and slow cooking then turn up the oven to maximum to crisp