How to make pork crackling (2024)

FAQs

How do you get the perfect crackling on pork? ›

Preheat oven to 230°C, 210°C fan or Gas Mark 8. Put the joint in a roasting tin on the top shelf for 20 minutes. This sudden blast of heat is the key to crispy crackling. Reduce the temperature to 180-190°C, 160-170°C fan or Gas Mark 4-5 and follow the cooking times below to ensure the joint is cooked through.

boiling water trick

This helps to prep the skin to crackle as its now "pre-cooked" so to speak. Make sure to pat dry with paper towel to further dry afterwards.

A close cousin to pork rinds, cracklins are essentially what happens when you leave a little bit of fat on the pork skin and fry it up. The result is a heavier, chewier product with a meatier crunch. Though they don't puff up like pork rinds, they're addictively satisfying in their own right.

If you've missed a step along the way and the skin hasn't crackled, don't give up. Cut it away from the meat and place it on a baking tray lined with foil, then brush with oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook under a preheated grill until the magic happens. Keep a close eye on it as it can easily burn.

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 or belly with all the skin still in tack. I find using these mentioned cuts yield the best results.

Proper Pork Crackling 100g pot - Classic Sea Salt

Our sea salt crackling is perfect for enjoying with a pint, or your favourite tipple, whenever, or wherever you are.

How to make cracklins from scratch? ›

Fill a cast-iron pot halfway with oil and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees F. Add the pork belly to the oil and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown and the skins begin to float, crack and pop, about 1 hour. Drain on a sheet tray lined with paper towel and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

The secret to Crunchy Pork Crackling Rub is its balance of salt, umami, citrus and herbs, using fennel seed, lemon myrtle, bay leaf and garlic. Rubbed into the cuts of pork skin, it creates the crunchiest, tastiest crackling you may have ever tasted.

HIGH HEAT. “A searing hot oven to start is the best way to get crisp crackling,” says Valli Little, of delicious. Between 220C and 240C for 20 to 30 minutes is the recommendation, then reduce the temperature to a range of 160C to 180C. Pork meat is at its best when it's just pink verging on white.

While there are a few different ways to keep your pork cracklin fresh, one of the best is to store it in an airtight container. This will help to keep the moisture out and prevent the cracklin from drying. You can also try storing it in the fridge, but be sure to wrap it tightly so that it doesn't dry out.

The heat at which you cook pork cracklins can also cause them to become hard. If the temperature is not high enough, the skin won't crack properly, resulting in a rubbery texture. Make sure to cook pork skin in oil that has a smoke point of 400 degrees.

Do not cover pork crackling joints while they're cooking, or you'll be left with soggy crackling. There's no need to baste pork while it's cooking as the fat should keep it moist, but some cooks like to brush the crackling with a little extra oil once or twice.