Crispy Homemade Pork Crackling Recipe: Must-Try Savory Snack

Crafting the perfect pork crackling requires patience and a few clever culinary tricks.

Seasoned cooks know that crispy skin starts with dry surfaces and precise temperature control.

Salt becomes your secret weapon in creating those irresistible golden-brown edges.

Professional chefs recommend selecting cuts with substantial fat layers to ensure maximum crunchiness.

We'll walk you through a method that guarantees phenomenal results every single time.

A simple technique can turn an ordinary piece of meat into a spectacular dish that sparks conversation.

Prepare to wow everyone at your next gathering with crackling so addictive, they'll be asking for your recipe.

Why James Martin Pork Crackling Is Extra Crispy

• Craft Crispy Perfection: Achieve restaurant-quality pork crackling with simple techniques that transform ordinary pork into a show-stopping dish with incredible texture.
• Minimal Ingredients: Requires just a few basic pantry staples like salt, creating a delicious meal without complicated shopping or extensive preparation.
• Crowd-Pleasing Comfort: A hearty, traditional recipe that brings families together with its rich flavors and classic presentation of meat with homemade apple sauce and gravy.
• Simple Skill Building: Offers home cooks an opportunity to master a technique that elevates a basic protein into a gourmet-style meal with professional-looking results.

Ingredients You’ll Need For James Martin Pork Crackling

• Pork: A succulent cut of meat with crispy skin that becomes the star of this classic dish.
• Pork Skin: The outer layer that transforms into delightful crackling when prepared correctly.

• Sea Salt: Helps to draw out moisture and create a crispy, flavorful exterior for the pork.

• Apples, Sugar, Butter, Cider: Combine to create a sweet and tangy apple sauce that complements the rich pork.
• Stock, Cider: Form the base of a rich and flavorful gravy to enhance the dish.

• Potatoes, Butter, Cream: Essential for creating smooth and creamy mashed potatoes as a side dish.

How To Make James Martin Pork Crackling Perfectly

Step 1: Prepare Pork Skin

Score the pork skin using a sharp knife, creating diamond-shaped patterns. Rub the surface generously with sea salt, ensuring even coverage. This technique helps break down fat cells and create a crispy exterior.

Step 2: Initial High-Temperature Roasting

Place the seasoned pork in a deep roasting pan with high sides. Set the oven to an intense 240°C/475°F. Roast uncovered for 30 minutes, allowing the skin to start transforming into a golden, crunchy layer.

Step 3: Slow Cooking for Tenderness

Lower the oven temperature to 150°C/300°F. Continue cooking for two hours or until the meat becomes incredibly tender and develops a rich golden-brown color. Once done, remove from the oven and let the meat rest for half an hour, allowing juices to redistribute.

Step 4: Create Homemade Apple Sauce

• Apples
• Sugar
• Butter
• Cider

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for four to five minutes until the fruits break down. Stir occasionally and add a pinch of salt for enhanced flavor.

Step 5: Prepare Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Warm mashed potatoes in a pan, incorporating butter and cream. Season to taste, creating a smooth and luxurious side dish.

Step 6: Craft Rich Gravy

Pour stock and cider into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the liquid by half and finish with a pat of butter for a glossy, flavorful sauce.

Step 7: Serve and Enjoy

Plate the crispy pork with creamy mashed potatoes, homemade apple sauce, and rich gravy. Garnish as desired and savor the delicious combination of textures and flavors.

Tips To Nail James Martin Pork Crackling

• Score the skin deeply and evenly to help fat render perfectly, creating a crunchy golden surface that shatters when cut.
• Rub sea salt generously into scored skin before cooking to draw out moisture and enhance flavor penetration during roasting.
• Allow meat to rest for thirty minutes after cooking, which helps redistribute juices and ensures tender, succulent pork slices.
• Start with high heat to activate fat cells, then lower temperature to slowly cook meat, preventing burning while achieving perfect golden-brown color.
• When making apple sauce, watch fruit decomposition carefully and season minimally to complement the rich pork without overwhelming its natural taste.

Tasty Variations On James Martin Pork Crackling

• Dairy-Free Variation: Replace cream and butter in mashed potatoes with coconut milk and olive oil for a lactose-free option.
• Gluten-Free Adaptation: Use gluten-free stock and ensure all ingredients are certified gluten-free for individuals with celiac disease.
• Low-Carb Version: Substitute apples with roasted cauliflower and use sugar-free sweetener in sauce to reduce carbohydrate content.
• Herb-Infused Alternative: Add fresh rosemary and thyme to pork skin before roasting for enhanced aromatic flavors and additional depth.

What To Pair With James Martin Pork Crackling

• Pair Sweet Apple Cider Punch: Create a refreshing drink that mirrors the cider used in the recipe, blending local apple cider with light spices like cinnamon and a touch of bourbon for depth.
• Enhance Creamy Potato Side: Match the rich mashed potatoes with a crisp green salad featuring toasted walnuts and a tangy vinaigrette to balance the meal's heaviness and provide textural contrast.
• Complement Fruity Apple Sauce: Select a bright white wine like Riesling or Gewürztraminer that echoes the sweet-tart apple notes, cutting through the pork's richness and cleansing the palate.
• Highlight Herbal Green Garnish: Add fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs as a garnish to both the plate and drinks, connecting the earthy pork flavors with aromatic herbal undertones.

How To Store James Martin Pork Crackling Properly

• Store leftover pork in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking. Keeps fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
• Wrap sliced pork tightly in freezer-safe plastic wrap, then place in a sealed freezer bag. Freezes well for up to 3 months.
• Place pork slices on a microwave-safe plate, cover with a damp paper towel. Heat in 30-second intervals, checking temperature to prevent drying out.
• Warm pork in a preheated 150C/300F oven, covered with foil to retain moisture. Cook for 10-15 minutes until internal temperature reaches 74C/165F.

James Martin Pork Crackling FAQ Guide

• How do I get crispy pork skin?

Start with dry skin by patting it completely dry with paper towels. Score the skin in diamond patterns to help fat render out. Rub generously with sea salt before roasting at a high initial temperature to encourage crackling.

• What type of salt works best for crackling?

Sea salt is recommended because its coarse texture helps draw moisture from the skin and creates better crispiness. Apply salt generously and evenly across the entire surface of the pork skin.

• Can I prepare this recipe if I have never made crackling before?

Absolutely! The key steps are scoring the skin, drying it thoroughly, using high heat initially, and maintaining patience during cooking. Follow the temperature instructions carefully for best results.

• Why is high temperature important at the beginning of cooking?

The high initial temperature of 240C helps break down fat cells and starts the crackling process.

Crispy Pork Crackling Recipe

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4.8 from 29 reviews

• Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Pork crackling is all about texture – perfectly crisp and salty, it adds something bold to a simple roast.

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Ingredients

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Meat:

• 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds) shoulder of pork, boned and rolled

Herbs and Seasonings:

• Salt to taste
• 2–4 tablespoons light brown sugar

Fruits and Liquids:

• 2 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 50 grams (1.8 ounces) butter
• 75 milliliters (2.5 fluid ounces) cider
• 200 milliliters (6.8 fluid ounces) cider
• 300 milliliters (10.1 fluid ounces) stock

Mashed Potatoes:

• 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) mashed potatoes
• 100 grams (3.5 ounces) butter
• 100 milliliters (3.4 fluid ounces) double cream
• Knob of butter

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to an intense 240C/475F/Gas 9, preparing for crispy crackling transformation.
2. Using a sharp knife, meticulously score the pork skin into diamond-shaped patterns, then vigorously massage sea salt across the surface to enhance flavor and texture.
3. Position the pork in a deep roasting pan, allowing uncovered exposure to high heat for 30 minutes to rupture fat cells and initiate the crackling process.
4. Dramatically reduce oven temperature to 150C/300F/Gas 2, continuing the cooking journey for two hours until the meat achieves tender, golden-brown perfection.
5. After removing from oven, let the pork rest for thirty minutes, allowing internal juices to redistribute and flavors to intensify.
6. Combine apples, sugar, butter, and cider in a saucepan, simmering for four to five minutes until fruits disintegrate into a smooth, rustic apple sauce.
7. Gently warm mashed potatoes with butter and cream, seasoning to elevate the creamy side dish.
8. Create a rich gravy by bringing stock and cider to a rolling boil in a saucepan, reducing by half and finishing with a luxurious butter flourish.
9. Serve the sliced pork with creamy mash, homemade apple sauce, and a generous spoonful of cider gravy for a meal that’s both comforting and full of flavor.

Notes

• Ensure the pork skin is completely dry before scoring to achieve maximum crunchiness and prevent sogginess during roasting.
• Use coarse sea salt generously and press it into the scored skin to help draw out moisture and create that perfect crackling texture.
• Keep the initial high heat critical for rendering fat and creating crisp skin, then lower temperature to tenderize the meat without burning.
• Allow the meat to rest after cooking to redistribute juices, ensuring each slice remains succulent and flavorful.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: British

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 702
• Sugar: 10 g
• Sodium: 620 mg
• Fat: 52 g
• Saturated Fat: 22 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 28 g
• Trans Fat: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 18 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 38 g
• Cholesterol: 135 mg