The secret to perfect Christmas pork crackling

Roast pork is a staple in most households over the Christmas period because of just how delicious it is. However one of our favourite parts of roast pork, and we’re sure most people would agree, is not the meat but the salty, crunchy crackling on top.

Crackling sounds simple enough, score the fat, rub salt and lemon onto it and roast in the hot oven. But perfecting pork crackling isn’t as simple as it seems and that crunchy skin can end up soft and rubbery if it’s not prepared the right way.

Starts at 60 previously spoke with Melbourne-based Italian chef Matteo Tine to find out how to get a deliciously crisp crackle every single time.

How to make pork crackling

For the perfect pork crackling, the first step, according to Matteo, is to season and score the skin.

Using a sharp knife, score the skin in a criss-cross shape or simply by running your knife across the width of the skin with each cut about 1-centimetre apart. Then pour boiling water over the skin and rub it with a generous amount of salt and squeeze lemon over it.

Leave the meat to air-dry, uncovered, in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. This combination of salt and air-drying will help to ensure your crackling ends up seriously crunchy.

Roast the the pork belly skin-side up, and if you’re cooking to impress, add some veggies of your choice in the tray for extra flavour.

If you leave the pork on high for too long, you could risk burning your crackling, though. Instead, roast the pork belly on low at 160 degrees celsius for roughly 30 minutes.

Pushed for time?

Sydney butcher Adam Stratton from Tender Gourmet Butchery has an alternative solution. According to Adam, this technique is “so easy” and will ensure everyone can make mouth-watering crackling this Christmas.

So what’s the secret? Use a hairdryer. Yep, it sounds crazy but this is a sure-fire way to make your pork crackle perfectly.

All you need to do is score the skin and pour boiling water over it to open the cuts up. Dry off as much as you can with paper towel then put your hairdryer on the hottest setting and blast away. Do this for 5 to 10 minutes and use some paper towel to check there’s no moisture left.

Then you’re right to start rubbing in a teaspoon of olive oil and two teaspoons of salt. Put it in a super hot oven and impress everyone with this amazing trick. So easy!