Help in achieving crackling on my pork roast

[Kerala]

@Duvel method worked beautifully for pork belly...I haven't mastered crackling yet but I am so much  further on in my journey!

[Kerala]

Nope. Every publican in the UK can do this every flipping Sunday, but I still can't do it reliably after more than 25 years of cooking.

 

[Kerala]

OK, still persevering with @Duvel method. I asked the butcher to score the skin, my mistake. I sliced off the nipples because the kids don't need to see that. Unfortunately my oven malfunctioned at the last phase so I think temperature wasn't high enough.

The skin was crispy and very tasty, but not puffy. Just insane that I can't get this right!

 

 

Edited March 13, 2022 by Kerala (log)

[Duvel]

It sure does look delicious !

 

At which stage is the 4th picture taken ?

Edited March 13, 2022 by Duvel (log)

[gfweb]

When I do duck breast I SV first ...cool a little...then scored fat side down in a carbon steel pan (Darto).  It takes a lot of tong-holding and some time to get bubbly and crispy, but it is reproducible.

[Kerala]

4 hours ago, Duvel said:

It sure does look delicious !

 

At which stage is the 4th picture taken ?

@Duvel
that was just before the joint went in the oven the first time.

It was indeed delicious and crispy, just not puffed up skin. I think if the oven had not failed, it would have worked. I will keep trying!

Edited March 13, 2022 by Kerala (log)

[Kerala]

4 hours ago, gfweb said:

When I do duck breast I SV first ...cool a little...then scored fat side down in a carbon steel pan (Darto).  It takes a lot of tong-holding and some time to get bubbly and crispy, but it is reproducible.

Duck breast no problem! It's the popcorn crackling on the pork that I have trouble with. It's comforting to know others have difficulty with this seemingly simple goal.

[Duvel]

12 minutes ago, Kerala said:

@Duvel
that was just before the joint went in the oven the first time.

It was indeed delicious and crispy, just not puffed up skin. I think if the oven had not failed, it would have worked. I will keep trying!

Do you mean the very first time ? If so, the skin needs to be on the bottom (inside the liquid) for the first part of the cooking time, to hydrate the skin properly. 

[Kerala]

2 minutes ago, Duvel said:

Do you mean the very first time ? If so, the skin needs to be on the bottom (inside the liquid) for the first part of the cooking time, to hydrate the skin properly. 

No, I was wrong, that was directly after the first session in the oven. Just at the point,@Duvel

that you scored the skin. I had the skin scored at the butcher's which might have been a part of the problem. Or it might not.

[Duvel]

1 minute ago, Kerala said:

No, I was wrong, that was directly after the first session in the oven. Just at the point,@Duvel

that you scored the skin. I had the skin scored at the butcher's which might have been a part of the problem. Or it might not.

Ok, that sounds about right.

 

From what I can see the skin appears only to be scored at the surface. On the sides it looks like there is almost no scoring. It definitely helps to cut deeper, and maybe make a finer score pattern. Remember you want to do three things:

1) Hydrate the fat layer. It is the water that later expands and puffs up the crust.

2) Render some fat out. Fat inside the skin inhibits the „puff“

3) Create a superficial „dry“/tough layer, that traps in the steam while it generates under high heat before breaking and releasing all steam in the „puff“

 

For the last part you need to get much heat/IR radiation as possible, so oven on full whack with broiler on (but keep your distance).

 

Hope this helps 🤗

[Kerala]

Thanks @Duvel

I've had instruction from many, including friends whose greatest dish is a great cooked full English breakfast. Apparently they can whip out a roast pork with crackling without any difficulty. "Just remember to rub in the salt!" they say. Thank you. There must be something in the wrist.

I think your method will work, Duvel. It's the small details that will make the difference. When you posted your technique, you didn't specify that for the second phase in the oven you drained off the liquid. Obvious from the pictures.

I will try again, hopefully without oven failure.

I post these failures so others may learn and avoid the same mistakes.

[Kerala]

The scoring was deep enough, @Duvel Down to the muscle or almost there throughout.