If you're after a perfectly succulent pork roast with super crispy pork crackling, then you have come to the right place! My roast pork recipe gets the perfect pork crackle every time. I guarantee you'll be coming back for more!



Best pork for crackling
The best pork for a crispy crackle is a boneless pork shoulder or pork leg. You preferably want the skin to be flat (so not vacuum pre-packed) as this will ensure an even crisp. As I don't make huge quantities, I typically pick up the pre-packed portion and forego some of the crackle.
Roast pork with crackling ingredients
Salt. Salt is what makes the pork crackle. And you need A LOT of it. The salt helps dry the skin out and create the bubbly look on the skin. If you don't use enough salt, you'll end up with the hard skin that is basically inedible.
Liquid. You can use water, wine, cider or stock. This sits at the bottom of the roasting pan to stop the pan juices from burning, and creates moisture to ensure the meat doesn't dry out at the high heat required to crackle the skin.
Fresh Herbs, Garlic, Onion. You'll place these at the bottom of the pan (and then place the pork on top). They're used to add flavour to the pork and ensure the pork doesn't touch the liquid.
How to make roast pork
- Dry skin
Remove the pork roast from its packaging and pat the fat of the pork dry with a paper towel. Place on a dish and into the fridge, fat side up, for at least 1 hour.
- Score & Salt
Using your hands, massage the salt into the fat of the pork. Make sure it is well distributed. Let it sink in for at least 15 minutes.
Cut the pork fat into a criss-cross pattern, about ¼ inch deep. But, be careful not to puncture the flesh as this will seep moisture into the skin (which is not what you want).
You don't need to score the skin of the pork roast to get crackling, but it gives it a stunning pattern and makes the crackling easier to remove. - Cook
Place the pork on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. Add the rosemary, garlic and onion (this helps flavour the pork) and pour the water at the bottom of the pan.
Place pork in the oven at 250C for 30 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 180C and bake for 30 minutes per kg or until it reaches an internal temperature of 70C. You can check this with a meat thermometer by pushing it into the thickest part of the flesh.
No need to cover the pork as this will allow the skin to stay dry (and give you maximum crackle). - Rest
After the pork reaches an internal temperature of 70C, let the pork rest for at least 15-30 minutes before cutting it. This allows the fibres to relax in the flesh, giving you a more succulent meat.
Roast pork in air fryer
You can make roast pork in the air fryer that comes out with crackling, but it won't be quite as good as the oven. This is because the temperature of air fryers often doesn't exceed 200C, and you want it hotter to really get the crispy skin.
I've successfully done smaller pork roasts with crackling in the air fryer multiple times, but because you have to curl the skin, not all of it crackles.
Roast pork in weber or BBQ
You absolutely can cook your roast pork in the weber or BBQ. This would involve a very similar process to the oven to ensure an even cook. Blast high with the lid on initially, and then lower the heat to ensure an even cook throughout the flesh.
Roast pork meal prep
Roast Pork can be quite big so you're likely going to have plenty of leftovers. I love to meal prep with mine. In addition to the vegetables or a delicious side, you will have a fantastic meal prep recipe. You can store leftover pork in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
You could also make my Sweet and Sour Pork recipe with the leftover pork to keep things interesting or pair it with some Honey Mustard Dressing.
What to serve pork roast with
There are so many yummy recipes that you can make to accompany your roast pork. Here are some of my favourites!



Frequently Asked Questions
The internal temperature of a roast pork should be 70 degrees Celsius. The best way to check is insert a meat thermometer into the fattiest part of the pork.
There are a few reasons why your roast pork may not be crispy:
Skin not dry. One reason is that the skin may not have been dried properly before cooking. To ensure that the skin is crispy, be sure to pat it dry with a paper towel before cooking. You can also score the skin with a sharp knife to help it crisp up.
Not hot enough. In order to get crispy skin, roast the pork at a high temperature for the first 20-30 minutes of cooking. You can then reduce the temperature to finish cooking the pork through.
Deep score. By scoring the pork too deeply you will hit the flesh which allows moisture to be exposed to the skin. Therefore, it won't allow it to crisp.
Yes, you can make roast pork in the air fryer. If you don't have a big enough air fryer to make it whole, you'll need to cut it up and adjust the cooking times for smaller portions.
You can cook the entire roast by preheating the air fryer to 200 degrees Celsius, placing the pork skin side up and cooking for 30 minutes. Afterwards, lower the heat to 160C for 30 minutes per kg or until the internal temperature is 70 degrees Celsius.
The cooking time for roast pork will vary depending on the size and thickness of the pork. But, a general rule of thumb is to cook the pork for 30 minutes per kilogram (after the initial 30 minutes on high). You can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork to ensure that it is cooked properly.
I'd love to hear from you! Sign up for my email list and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube or Pinterest. If you loved my recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and comment down below.
Recipe

Roast Pork with Crackling recipe
Ingredients
- 2-5 kg Pork Leg/Shoulder roast
- ¼ cup Salt
- 1 cup liquid (See Note 1)
- 1 bunch fresh herbs (See Note 2)
- 6 cloves garlic
- 3 onions peeled, halved
Instructions
Dry
- Remove the pork roast from its packaging and pat the fat of the pork dry with a paper towel. Place on a dish and into the fridge, fat side up, for at least 1 hour.
Score & Salt
- Using your hands, massage the salt into the fat of the pork. Make sure it is well distributed. Let it sink in for at least 15 minutes.
- (Optional) Cut the pork fat into a criss-cross pattern, about ¼ inch deep. Be careful not to puncture the flesh as this will seep moisture into the skin (which is not what you want).
Cook
- Place the pork on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. Add the rosemary, garlic and onion (this helps flavour the pork) and pour the water at the bottom of the pan.
- Place pork in the oven at 250C for 30 minutes.
- Then reduce the heat to 180C and bake for 30 minutes per kg or until it reaches an internal temperature of 70C.
Rest
- After the pork reaches an internal temperature of 70C, let the pork rest for at least 15-30 minutes before cutting it.
Leave a Reply