Basic Pork Roast with Amazing Crackle

[Akamicko]

Sunday roasts will never be the same now that I have my very own WFO.

A ~3kg pork shank cooked on a rack in a shallow pan filled with water to catch the drippings, which was later used to make a beautiful sauce (after decanting most of that heart stopping oil ).

The shank was scored, and then boiling water poured over top to open and shrink the skin. A generous amount of salt was then rubbed all over and into the cuts after pat-drying the skin.

The oven was fired up and maintined at ~220degC. The pork tray was rotated every ~30 minutes to get an all-over even crackle. The shank was cooked for about ~3 hours in total.

The shank was pulled from the oven and left to rest for 20 minutes or so and then served with a selection of seasoned vegetables - also cooked in the WFO oven (~2 hours).

[Craig308]

Re: Basic Pork Roast with Amazing Crackle

looks good Micko

[cobblerdave]

Re: Basic Pork Roast with Amazing Crackle

G'day
Tell us more about the boiling water bit, and the crackling.
Regards dave

[SableSprings]

Re: Basic Pork Roast with Amazing Crackle

Fabulous looking roast & cracklin' skin Micko! I'm truly jealous.

We visited Denmark relatives earlier this year and they made a pork roast with that wonderful cracklin' skin in their kitchen oven. They had roasted it at standard temp with the skin scored/salted and when done, took it out of the oven briefly. The oven temp was set to broil and when the oven was up to full broil they put the roast back in until the scored skin/fat browned nicely--Yum!!

I sincerely believe that superior pork products are commonly available outside the U.S. - again, I'm really jealous. I think our populace has been sold a bill of goods that very lean pork is the best (healthiest) and so we get only trimmed, lean pork roast in the grocery stores. I really wish I could get hold of a roast with that "old style" delicious internal and external fat intact (as you Australians and Europeans regularly have at the butcher shop) so I could attempt to recreate your beautiful "basic pork roast..." Thanks for sharing that gorgeous picture that brings back such tasty memories...did I mention I was really jealous?

[Akamicko]

Re: Basic Pork Roast with Amazing Crackle

Thanks for the great feedback guys !!!

Truth be told, this was my first attempt at cooking a pork roast in the WFO - I have done many in the trusty old electric oven (but not anymore ). I basically used the same cooking principles as I have always done (time, temp), but found the WFO more superior in recreating a perfect crackle due to the even heat distribution.

Dave, every time I cook a pork roast (with skin) I boil the kettle and then immediately pour the water over the scored skin, a little trick I picked up, but I think the technique it is common practice for others also?? This really opens up the rind and allows the salt to penetrate deeper into the fat and meat area. I believe it would also allow more heat to get in. One thing that helps me get a good crackle is the direction I score the skin - vertically. This allows the rendered fat to move away from the meat, as opposed to the fat pooling-up in horizontal cuts and not allowing the skin to crackle-up to its full potential - this is my experience anyway.

Mike, I'm quite fortunate to have a friend who runs a couple of butcher stores and who supplies us with most of our meat, so I haven't really had to hunt around for good produce. We always ask him to supply the pork (and most other meats) on-the-bone and with the fat on. To us it is way more flavoursome when cooked and also helps retain moisture.

I have a young family, so cooking up a roast in the WFO on Sundays will now become the norm, keeping those family values alive and well

[GrahamG]

Re: Basic Pork Roast with Amazing Crackle

Micko,

That looks amazing! Just one question, how to manage not to burn the pork, I have to cover ours with foil? How do you maintain the internal temp? Have a door on the WFO?

Thanks

Graham

[oblertone]

Re: Basic Pork Roast with Amazing Crackle

Haven't tried the boiling water trick but will give it a go now. However my top-tip for crackling perfection is the 30 min sizzle; fired my WFO up to soot free, put the door on and went to bed. The following morning it was still alight so a bit warm for the bread I was intending, so I cleared out the embers and put in a slab of seasoned (coarse salt, freshly ground pepper and sage) belly pork for 30 mins. Took that out and rested it whilst baking the bread, then when the oven had cooled to about 150c the pork went back in for about 4hrs; all uncovered. The result was the noisiest, tastiest crackling to date.

ps - I can't take credit for the 'sizzle' idea, that came from a celebrity chef popular in the UK; but it does work

[Akamicko]

Re: Basic Pork Roast with Amazing Crackle

Micko,

That looks amazing! Just one question, how to manage not to burn the pork, I have to cover ours with foil? How do you maintain the internal temp? Have a door on the WFO?

Thanks

Graham

Cheers Graham! The temp was maintained via a small fire on the side. To stop the pork from burning I rotated it regularly AND pulled it closer to the oven opening at times if I thought it was cooking too fast. I did not use foil but kept a close eye on it at all times.

I have a 50mm insulated door but did not use it. I do use it however after I've finished cooking pizzas, this way I get to cook in the oven all the next day without a re-fire

[Akamicko]

Re: Basic Pork Roast with Amazing Crackle

Your pork belly looks perfect oblertone!! I have only ever produced a slow braised pork belly in my pizza oven, Chinese style.

I think I will give the 30 minute sizzle a go next time I do a pork roast. Thanks for the tip!

[Toomulla]

Re: Basic Pork Roast with Amazing Crackle

Next time your pork does not achieve that crackle get out the hot air gun from the workshop, you will be amazed at the result

[Akamicko]

Re: Basic Pork Roast with Amazing Crackle

Next time your pork does not achieve that crackle get out the hot air gun from the workshop, you will be amazed at the result

Brilliant !!!