How To Get Perfect Crackling

To help you cook the crispiest crackling, there are three things you need: heat, oil and salt.

• Firstly, preheat oven to 220°C
  
  
• Then pat the surface of the rind dry with paper towel
  
  
• Rub a little oil and salt well into the scored rind
  
  
• Finally, cook for 20 minutes at 220°C (this will begin the crackling process), then turn down oven to 180°C and cook for 45 minutes per kg
  
  
• Rest for 5-10 minutes and enjoy!

Great cuts for roasting Pork

• Loin chops
• Rack
• Rolled loin
• Rolled belly
• Leg
• Shoulder
• Scotch roast
• Loin
• Topside
• Mini roast

Roast Leg of Pork with Crackling

Preheat oven to 220°C. Weigh pork to calculate cooking time.

Rub rind with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place pork in an oven dish and roast for 20 minutes or until rind is golden and starts to crisp. Reduce heat to 170-180°C and cook until medium done. Allow about 25-30 minutes per 500 g for remainder of cooking.

Pork is cooked when the juices of the meat run light pink to clear when pierced in the thickest part with a clean fork or skewer. Ideally, use a meat thermometer to check temperature away from the bone. The roast is cooked when internal core temperature is 71-76°C.

Allow pork to rest for 15-20 minutes in a warm place to ensure juices settle and make it easy to carve with a sharp knife. Serve with gravy and apple sauce.

Tips:

Stud pork with a few garlic cloves before cooking.
Do not baste or cover rind-on pork during cooking as the crackling will loose its crispness.
Cooked pork ICT's will rise about 3-8°C after cooking and during resting. Avoid overcooking.

Great for Christmas.

Festive pork loin roast

Ingredients:

• 1.5-2 kg pork loin roast, scored
• Olive oil and salt for crackling

To season:

• 2 lemons zested and juiced
• ½ bunch lemon thyme
• ¼ cup sage leaves, torn
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

To serve:

• 10 fresh dates
• 5 small sprigs lemon thyme
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• ½ cup runny honey

Cooking Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 220°C.
2. Lay pork loin roast flat rind side down on a wooden board.
3. Combine the lemon zest and lemon, lemon thyme, sage leaves, olive oil, salt and pepper together in a mortar and pestle to a rough paste.
4. Spread the mixture over the surface of the pork, roll and string in a log shape. Allow to marinate refrigerated for up to 48 hours.
5. Place loin roast onto a rack inside a baking dish and rub the rind with olive oil and flaked salt.
6. Roast the pork loin in the pre-heated oven at 220°C for 30 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 180°C for a further 45 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and allow rest for 10-15 minutes prior to slicing.
8. In a small saucepan place the dates, thyme, sliced lemon and runny honey. Heat over a low heat for 10 minutes.
9. Slice pork and serve with sweet dates and hot roasted vegetables.

Notes: fresh dates may be replaced with plums, figs or dried muscatels to create the perfect Christmas.