Crackling Roast Pork & Vegetables
Crackling Roast Pork & Vegetables
This crackling roast pork with vegetables is a classic comfort meal, built around crisp, golden crackling and tender, juicy pork. With a little preparation the day before, the skin dries out properly, ensuring maximum crunch once roasted.
The pork is removed from its packaging and the skin thoroughly dried, then left uncovered in the fridge overnight with clean paper towel over the skin. This step is key to achieving proper crackling. On the day of cooking, the pork is brought to room temperature and the skin scored into neat lines, making the crackling easier to portion after cooking.
Just before roasting, oil is rubbed firmly into the skin, followed by generous salt worked deep into the scores. The pork is cooked on a wire rack set over a roasting pan, keeping the meat out of the juices so the crackling stays dry and crisp.
An initial high-temperature blast renders the fat and starts the crackling, before the oven temperature is reduced to gently cook the pork through. Vegetables are added for the final hour, soaking up flavour while roasting until golden and tender. This is an easy, reliable roast that works equally well for Sunday lunches or relaxed family dinners.
The pork is removed from its packaging and the skin thoroughly dried, then left uncovered in the fridge overnight with clean paper towel over the skin. This step is key to achieving proper crackling. On the day of cooking, the pork is brought to room temperature and the skin scored into neat lines, making the crackling easier to portion after cooking.
Just before roasting, oil is rubbed firmly into the skin, followed by generous salt worked deep into the scores. The pork is cooked on a wire rack set over a roasting pan, keeping the meat out of the juices so the crackling stays dry and crisp.
An initial high-temperature blast renders the fat and starts the crackling, before the oven temperature is reduced to gently cook the pork through. Vegetables are added for the final hour, soaking up flavour while roasting until golden and tender. This is an easy, reliable roast that works equally well for Sunday lunches or relaxed family dinners.
Ingredients
- ~1.5 kg pork roast (shoulder or leg with skin on)
- Olive oil, for rubbing
- Salt, for crackling
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
- Low-carb potatoes or pumpkin, cut into chunks
- Carrots, cut into pieces
- Broccoli or cauliflower, cut into florets
- Optional: onion wedges or garlic cloves
Method
- Day before cooking: Remove pork from packaging. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towel. Place uncovered in the fridge with clean paper towel laid over the skin overnight.
- On cooking day, remove pork from fridge and allow to come to room temperature for 30–60 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 220 °C.
- Score the pork skin in straight lines, cutting through the skin but not into the fat and meat.
- Rub oil firmly into the skin, then generously salt, working it into the scores.
- Place pork on a wire rack set over a roasting tray to keep it out of the juices.
- Roast at 220 °C for 30 minutes to start the crackling.
- Reduce oven temperature to 160 °C and continue roasting for approximately 30-35 minutes per kg, depending on thickness.
- With 1 hour remaining, add vegetables to a second tray. Lightly oil and season them.
- Remove pork when internal temperature reaches ~68-70 °C.
- Rest pork uncovered or loosely tented for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with roasted vegetables and pan juices or gravy if desired.
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Pro tip: If the crackling isn’t fully crisp near the end, turn the oven back up to 220 °C for 5–10 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
Shopping List
- Pork roast with skin
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Low-carb potatoes or pumpkin
- Carrots
- Broccoli or cauliflower
- Optional onion or garlic
Nutrition
Energy680 cal / 2845 kJ
Carbs16g
Net Carbs10g
Fibre6g
Protein48g