Roast Ham with Crackling
Submitted by janna
Roast ham with crackling slow-roasts a fresh ham or pork shoulder at low temperature, scoring the rind into a crackling-crisp golden crust. Three ingredients, no basting required.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
4 hrsREADY
5 hrsRoast ham with crackling is the ancient British and Australian way of cooking pork, where the goal is twin perfection: silky, fork-tender meat underneath, and a sheet of golden, shattering crackling on top. Three ingredients only (fresh ham or pork shoulder, salt, and pepper) prove that great roasts come from technique, not ingredient lists.
The scoring is the move that determines success. Cutting through the rind and fat in a tight ½-inch crosshatch pattern allows the fat to render out during the long roast, while the rind dehydrates and puffs into that signature shattering crackling. Skip the scoring or cut too shallow, and you’ll get tough, leathery rind instead of crackling.
No basting is correct. Basting wets the rind, which is the exact opposite of what you want. Wet rind cannot crackle; it stays soft and rubbery. Trust the dry oven heat to do its work.
Pro Tips
- Use a heavy, sharp chef’s knife or a clean utility knife to score. Dull knives slip on pork rind and you risk cutting yourself or making uneven gashes that crackle inconsistently.
- Rub the salt aggressively into the score lines, not just on the surface. Salt drawn into the fat layer is what dehydrates the rind and creates true crackling.
- Pat the rind completely dry with paper towels before scoring and seasoning. Surface moisture is the enemy of crackling.
- Let the roast rest the full 10 to 15 minutes uncovered after roasting. Covering with foil traps steam and softens the crackling you worked so hard to build.
Variations
- Stuff a sliced garlic clove into a few of the deeper score lines for an aromatic boost without compromising the crackling.
- Rub the rind with fennel seeds, sage, or rosemary along with the salt for an Italian-leaning porchetta-style roast.
- For an extra-crisp finish, blast the oven to 425°F (220°C) for the final 15 minutes after the meat thermometer hits temp.
Serve with apple sauce, roasted potatoes, and a sharp mustard for the full traditional plate.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 300℉ (150℃)
Using a sharp, heavy knife, cut deeply through the rind and fat until you reach the meat, making the incisions ½ inch apart lengthwise and crosswise.
Rub salt and pepper liberally into these gashes.
Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the ham and place it on a rack set in a shallow roasting pan just large enough to hold the meat comfortably.
Roast slowly 4 to 4½ hours or until the meat thermometer reads 180F.
Do not baste the meat.
When roasted, the meat should be moist and tender and the rind (or crackling) very crisp.
Let the roast rest outside the oven for 10 to 15 minutes for easier carving.
A little of the crackling should be included in each serving of meat.
Comments
Broken is crap, doesn't look anything like in pic. The stuff is garbage.