Pork belly slow-roasted until the fat renders and the meat becomes silky and tender, then blasted at high heat to create a shatteringly crispy crackling skin. Worth every minute of the wait.
What You Need
- 2–3 lb skin-on pork belly, scored
- 1 tbsp coarse salt (for the skin)
- 1 tsp salt + 1 tsp black pepper (for the flesh)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Method
- Score the pork belly skin in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife — cut through the skin but not into the fat. Pat completely dry.
- Rub the skin side generously with coarse salt, working it into the scores. Flip and rub the flesh side with the remaining salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
- Place skin-side up on a rack over a roasting pan. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 6 hours (overnight is best). The air drying is what makes the crackling work.
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Roast skin-side up for 2½–3 hours until the meat is tender and pulling away at the edges.
- Increase oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) — or use the broiler on high. Roast a further 20–30 minutes, watching carefully, until the skin bubbles, blisters, and turns deeply golden.
- Rest 10 minutes before slicing. Use a sharp, heavy knife — the crackling requires force.
Tips & Notes
- Dry skin is the single most important factor for crackling. If you are pressed for time, pat it dry and blast with a hairdryer for 3 minutes.
- Place foil loosely over any areas of skin that are browning too fast before the rest catches up.
- The fat that renders off is pure lard — save it in a jar for frying and cooking.
- Slice between the scores for individual portions with perfect crackling on each piece.
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