Proper Crackling

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We get asked quite regularly how do you get proper crackling. Clearly the answer always starts with making sure you have some good pork. The joy of rare breed pork is the extra fat compared to a modern pig and that helps no end. So here is what we do to get that crackling perfect.

At the Blue Pig Company we always score the skin prior to sale. That is not to help the cooking, its to help you carve it afterwards. If you have time, take your pork out of its packaging and sit it on a plate, uncovered, in the fridge, preferably overnight. This will help the skin dry out which is a good thing. Then place the meat in your roasting tray and rub the skin with a little oil or butter. This is to help the salt, that you add very, very, generously, to stick to the skin. Then roast at 180C till done which will be about half an hour per old fashioned pound. The other way to tell is to poke a knife into the middle of the joint for 30 seconds and when you pull it out, if the knife point is too hot to hold, its cooked.

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If you find the meat is cooked but the crackling is not crispy enough, turn up your oven as high as it will go and give it another 15 minutes blast. We find that usually does the trick. You will see lots of fat from this roast loin. Save it and use it to roast your spuds and they will be the crispest ones ever.