Cracking the crackling
Nothing, but NOTHING will make you glow with domestic pride like bringing a crackling-topped pork roast to the table. It’s virtually The Meaning of Life. Try our easy steps to crispy-crackly-porky nirvana and tell us we’re wrong. We love cooking a belly roast because the crackling-to-flesh ratio is high; there’s plenty for everyone. And there aren’t too many watchpoints here except making sure you dry your pork skin super-well, and don’t cut your arms off with the box cutter. Those things are sharp.
1. Using a Stanley knife, score deep cuts, about 1cm apart, through the skin and fat of a 1kg piece of belly, being careful not to cut into the flesh.
2. Place the belly on a rack over a deep dish, then pour boiling water all over the skin. This helps the fat render out when the belly roasts.
3. Using paper towels, wipe the skin all over until it is completely dry.
4. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, then use your hands to rub it evenly all over the skin.
5. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp sea salt flakes.
6. Use your fingers to press the salt all over the scored skin and into the cuts.
7. Place the belly on a rack over a roasting dish. Refrigerate it overnight, uncovered, to dry out.
8. Heat the oven to 220˚C. Roast the pork, on the rack over the dish, for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180˚C. Roast for another 60 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through and the skin is golden and crispy-crackly.