Leslie Massey
Pork crackling is a popular dish in Australia, often served as a snack or as part of a traditional roast pork dinner. To make perfect pork crackling, it is recommended to start with pork skin that has a good thickness of fat underneath – at least 0.5 cm to 1 cm. The skin should be scored, either by a butcher or at home, and then placed in a colander or on a plate and covered with boiling water to open up the score marks. After drying and placing in the fridge for 1-2 hours, the skin should be rubbed with salt and flavourings such as olive oil and fennel seeds. Cooking times vary, but a general suggestion is around 50 minutes per kilogram in a moderate to hot oven, preheated to around 240°C.
Characteristics and Values table for Australian pork crackling
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of meat | Pork |
| Cut of meat | Leg, rack of pork, pork loin, pork shoulder, pork belly |
| Skin | Scored |
| Fat under the skin | Minimum 0.5 cm, ideally 0.5-1 cm |
| Boiling water | Yes, poured over the scored skin |
| Drying | Thoroughly pat dry, then place in the fridge for 1-2 hours |
| Salt | Yes, rub all over the skin, especially in the score marks |
| Oven temperature | Start at 240°C for 30 minutes, then reduce to 180-190°C for the remaining time |
| Cooking time | Around 50 minutes per kilogram |
| Seasoning | Ground fennel seeds mixed with olive oil |
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What You'll Learn
Scoring the pork skin
Step 1: Choose the Right Cut of Meat
Select a cut of meat that has a good thickness of fat underneath the skin. This is essential for achieving that juicy, moist texture underneath the crispy crackling. Look for a minimum of 0.5 cm to 1 cm of fat under the skin. Popular choices include the leg, rack of pork, pork loin (with the chine bone removed), pork shoulder, or pork belly.
Step 2: Use a Sharp Knife
Step 3: Create a Crosshatch Pattern
Hold the knife at a slight angle to the skin and make shallow cuts in one direction, approximately 5-7 mm apart. Then, turn the meat and make cuts in the opposite direction, creating a diamond or crosshatch pattern. Be careful not to cut too deeply, as you want to score the skin without slicing into the fat underneath.
Step 4: Pour Boiling Water
Once you've scored the skin, place the pork in a colander or on a plate and pour boiling water over it. This step helps to open up the score marks, making them more prominent. You'll notice that the skin starts to contract and the score marks become more defined.
Step 5: Dry the Pork Skin
After rinsing with boiling water, it's essential to dry the pork skin thoroughly. Use paper towels or a clean cloth to pat the skin dry. This step ensures that the skin is ready for the next step, which involves applying salt or other seasonings.
Tips for Scoring:
- If you're unsure about scoring the pork skin yourself, don't hesitate to ask your butcher to do it for you. They have the expertise and suitable knives to create the perfect score marks.
- When scoring the skin, focus on making shallow, precise cuts. Avoid cutting too deeply, as you want to avoid slicing into the fat layer underneath.
- Be gentle and take your time when scoring the skin to ensure even and consistent cuts. This will help create a beautiful crackling pattern.
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Boiling water over the skin
The first step to making Australian pork crackling is to score the pork skin with a very sharp knife. Be sure to only cut into the skin and fat, not the meat, as this will cause the meat to lose moisture and become dry. Make the cuts about an inch apart in a crosshatch pattern.
Next, place the pork belly on a rack over the sink and pour boiling water all over the skin. You will see the rind shrink and the cuts become more visible, exposing the fat. This is a critical step as it allows the salt to sit on the skin.
After pouring boiling water over the skin, pat the pork belly dry and place it uncovered in the fridge for a day to properly dry out the skin. This step is important because minimal moisture is key to achieving crispiness.
On the next day, remove the pork belly from the fridge and season generously with coarse sea salt, ground black pepper, and spices such as Chinese five-spice powder, fennel powder, or fennel seeds.
Finally, place the pork belly on a large baking tray with shallow to mid-height sides. Cook in the oven at a high temperature until the rind is visibly blistering, and then reduce the temperature for the remaining cooking time. The pork crackling is perfect when it's golden in colour and the skin has bubbled up.
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Rubbing salt into the skin
Once the skin is dry, it's time to rub in the salt. Generously sprinkle salt over the entire surface of the skin, ensuring it gets into the score marks. You can use regular table salt or sea salt, but it's important to use a generous amount and really work it into the skin. The salt plays a vital role in drawing out any remaining moisture and creating a crispy texture during cooking. After salting, the pork skin can be placed back in the refrigerator for a while to let the salt work its magic and further draw out moisture.
It is important to note that the thickness of the fat under the skin plays a role in achieving perfect crackling. When purchasing pork skin, ensure there is at least 0.5 cm to 1 cm of fat underneath. This juicy fat, contrasted with the crispy skin, is what makes pork crackling so delicious. The combination of well-scored skin, proper salting, and the right amount of fat will help ensure a crispy and crunchy crackling.
Additionally, some people choose to add other seasonings at this stage, such as ground fennel seeds mixed with olive oil, to enhance the flavour of the pork crackling. However, it is essential to ensure that the skin is thoroughly dry and well-salted before adding any other seasonings to avoid interfering with the crackling process. The salt and seasoning can be rubbed vigorously into the skin to ensure an even distribution and to help the mixture penetrate the surface for maximum flavour.
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Cooking at a high temperature
Cooking pork crackling at a high temperature is essential to achieving the perfect crackle. The key steps in this process are scoring the pork skin, applying boiling water, drying, seasoning, and then roasting at a high temperature.
Firstly, it is important to start with the right cut of meat. Popular choices include the leg, a rack of pork, pork loin, pork shoulder, or pork belly. Ensure the pork skin has a good thickness of fat underneath, at least 0.5 cm to 1 cm, as this is vital for achieving perfect crackling.
Next, use a sharp knife to score the pork skin in a criss-cross pattern. This step is crucial as it allows the heat to penetrate the skin evenly and promotes the rendering of fat during cooking. It is recommended to ask your butcher to do this step for you, as they have the appropriate knives.
Then, place the scored pork skin on a plate in the kitchen sink and pour over boiling water. This step helps to open up the score marks, allowing the salt to penetrate the skin better. After this, pat the pork skin dry with paper towels and place it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to thoroughly chill and dry the skin.
Once the pork skin is dry, remove it from the refrigerator and season it generously with salt, making sure to rub the salt into the score marks. You can also add other seasonings at this point, such as ground fennel seeds mixed with olive oil, to enhance the flavour.
Now it's time to roast the pork. Preheat your oven to a high temperature, between 220-240°C. Place the seasoned pork skin-side up on a roasting rack set over a baking tray to catch any dripping fat. Roast the pork for approximately 30 minutes at this high temperature, keeping a close eye on it to ensure it doesn't burn.
Finally, after the initial high-temperature roast, you can reduce the oven temperature to around 180-190°C for the remaining cooking time. This will allow the pork to cook through without drying out the meat. The total cooking time will depend on the size of your pork roast, generally recommended as around 50 minutes per kilogram.
By following these steps and cooking at a high temperature initially, you will achieve a crispy, golden, and perfectly crackled pork crackling.
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Choosing the right cut of meat
The most popular choices for pork crackling include the leg, a rack of pork, or pork loin with the chine bone removed. The pork shoulder and pork belly are also excellent options for achieving that desirable crackling. If you're purchasing a pork roast, ensure it has the skin left on. If not, you can always buy the pork skin separately from your butcher.
When selecting a butcher, opt for a local one who can provide advice and expertise. Ask them to score the pork skin for you, as they have the right knives for this task. Scoring the skin is an important step in the process, as it allows the salt to penetrate and ensures even cooking.
Once you've chosen the right cut of meat and had the skin scored, the next step is to prepare the pork skin for that perfect crackling. Place the scored pork skin in a colander or on a plate and pour boiling water over it. This step helps open up the score marks, allowing the salt to sit nicely on the skin. After this, pat the skin dry and place it in the refrigerator for an hour or two.
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Frequently asked questions
First, get pork skin that has quite a bit of fat still under the skin. There should be a minimum of 0.5 cm of fat.
Put the scored pork skin in a colander or on a plate in the kitchen sink and pour boiling water over it. This will open up the score marks.
Dry the pork skin thoroughly and then place it in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
Remove the pork skin from the fridge and rub salt all over it, making sure to get it into the score marks.
Place the pork skin in the oven at a high temperature, around 240 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes or until the skin is visibly blistering. Then reduce the temperature to around 180-190 degrees Celsius for the remaining cooking time.
