Paging the cooks.

Why is my pork crackling not crackling?

Piece of belly pork, rolled and stuffed. Patted dry, skin scored with
very sharp knife, salt rubbed in, high temp to start then turned down.

That's how I was taugt to do it, I was brought up eating perfect
crackling. Mine's not.

Why?

 

Did you swear at it? Seems to work for Ramsay.

 

Up at the end?

--


Nige,

Honda VTR1000 SOLD!
BMW K1200S
Range Rover Vogue
Aprilia RSV Mille

 

I've always found it works better if you roast the belly flat on a bed
of veg, rather than roll and stuff it.

 

Looks OK.

Not enough salt? Broken thermostat?

 

Try rubbing the skin with vinegar.

And/or - buy better quality meat.

 

I don't know, but when you find out, please let us know. IME it's often
down to the quality of the meat. eg if we get a piece of pork from the
likes of Tesco it almost never yields good crackling, whereas if you
buy a much more expensive joint from the butchers it frequently will.

 

I think its an alchemy thing. Michael suggests that my cauldron needs
servicing.

This was from the very good butcher round the corner.

 

It was a lovely piece of pork, just sans crackle.

 

Lots of salt. Suppose the oven is getting on a bit. Still, aren't we
all.

 

Noted for next time. Better off flat on a bed rather than rolled and
stuffed. If only I'd known that years ago.

 

When I saw it hadn't crackled I tried half an hour of up at the end as
well but had to stop before the meat dried.

 

Once the meat's cooked, while it's resting take a long sharp (carving) knife
and "peel" the skin away from the joint.

Then place the skin on a tray and flash it under the grill on both sides,
it'll crispen up a treat. Keep an eye on it though as because it's fat laden
it'll burn in a .... erm ... flash

--
Steve Parry
BMW R80RS, 03 BMW R1100S Boxercup, 07 K1200GT SE
95 BMW F650, 87 Yamaha FS1, Sukida SK90PY, 91 Kawasaki AR50,
BMW 330Ci
www.gwynfryn.co.uk

 

No, I stomped. Next time I'll go into Nige mode.

Although I'm aware he's a sweary **** I don't think I've ever watched
any of his programmes.

 

That's what I did last time and it did indeed get a tad scorched in
places.

 

Hmmm I don't think our oven really gets hot enough either. I think it's
supposed to be 'smokin'.

Maybe his pigs were on a low fat diet.

 

We used to do it every time with pork joints to save the faffing around.
Using that method you can seal the meat so the juices stay in then worry
about the crackling afterwards

--
Steve Parry
BMW R80RS, 03 BMW R1100S Boxercup, 07 K1200GT SE
95 BMW F650, 87 Yamaha FS1, Sukida SK90PY, 91 Kawasaki AR50,
BMW 330Ci
www.gwynfryn.co.uk

 

My advice -

1) Go and sample the best crackling ever - at the Black Horse.

2) Ask Mu how she does it.

 

I've found it's easier and more effective to let someone else cook it

--
Lozzo
Versys 650 Tourer
Fireblade 929 (For sale)
CBR600F-W trackbike
SR250 SpazzTrakka,
SR250 wivva topbox
TS250C
RD400F, somewhere
I see a bright new future, where chickens can cross the road with no
fear of having their motives questioned

 

Is the correct reason Same with that crap brine pumped bacon ... dry
cured EVERY time, and streaky is best for flavour rather than back, yet
everyone buys back?

--
Steve Parry
BMW R80RS, 03 BMW R1100S Boxercup, 07 K1200GT SE
95 BMW F650, 87 Yamaha FS1, Sukida SK90PY, 91 Kawasaki AR50,
BMW 330Ci
www.gwynfryn.co.uk