Roast Pork and Crispy Crackling

Roast pork really does produce the best crackling and the key is to place it in a very hot oven at first, to crisp up the crackling, then continue cooking at a lower temperature until the meat is thoroughly cooked through.  You can always cover the meat with some tin foil if it begins to burn on top for the last part of the cooking process.  

How to cook for crispy crackling:

• Make a rub for the skin from coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper adding dried or freshly chopped herbs such rosemary or lemon thyme and crushed garlic. 
• Score the skin with a sharp knife and thoroughly rub a little olive oil over the skin.  Now massage your salty ruba all over the skin, getting in to the score marks.
• Place in an roasting tin with chopped onions and other vegetables of your choice and cook thoroughly.

To cook:

• Preheat your oven to 220'c /425'F / Gas Mark 7, then reduce the heat to 180'c / 350'F /Gas Mark 4.
• Roast for 30 minutes, then roast for a further 25 minutes per 450g (1 lb), plus an extra 20 minutes on top.
• Allow the meat to rest for 20-30 minutes before calving.

To serve:

• When thoroughly cooked the meat juices will and must run clear and your thermometer should read 80-90 'C /or 175-195 'F.
• Cut the crackling into ideal serving sizes then carve the meat into slices.