Roast Pork with Crackling | Succulent Roasted Pork Loin with Cider

Roast pork with crackling is a really easy recipe, and it makes a delicious meal for the whole family. Actually you get about 8 servings out of this recipe, so you can use the leftovers to make sandwiches or other meals. You will need a pork loin with the top bone left in, along with onion, flour, stock, cider, and seasonings.

Although the pork will probably already be scored, it is worth scoring some more lines in it, using a sharp knife. Then you can get more salt in between the lines and the salt is what turns the fat into crackling (according to some, the best part of the dish!) You can then add the onions and roast the pork.

How do You Know When Roasted Pork is Done?

Turn the temperature down after a while, and cook it for another couple of hours. When the pork is done, there will be no pinkness inside and the juices run clear.

The crackling with be golden brown and crispy. Let the roast pork with crackling rest for half an hour while you make the gravy and prepare any side dishes you want to have, perhaps mashed potatoes and some vegetables, for a typical British roast dinner or ‘Sunday roast‘ as it is known. If you love this you might also like to try a British fry-up for breakfast!

Do You Have to Baste Roast Pork with Crackling as It Cooks?

You might be wondering why the recipe does not tell you to baste the pork as it cooks, and the reason is there is enough fat in there to keep the meat moist during cooking, so you do not need to add more.

We are cooking the onions under the pork so they turn dark brown. Use them to add flavor and color to your gravy. This makes a filling and delicious dinner for the whole family and you will find the recipe very simple to follow.

how to roast pork loin

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Roast Pork with Crackling British Style

Crispy roasted pork loin is served with homemade onion and cider gravy. The salt helps the fat crisp into wonderful crackling. Serve this with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

  • Author: Victoria Haneveer
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours
  • Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 lbs (2¼ kg) pork loin with bottom bone removed and top bone left in
  • 1 peeled, halved white onion
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (plain flour)
  • 10 fl oz (275 ml) vegetable stock
  • 10 fl oz (275 ml) dry apple cider
  • Coarse salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (240 degrees C).
  2. Score some thin strips in the pork skin, even if it is already scored, cutting lines with a sharp knife.
  3. Cut no further than about halfway through the fat under the skin.
  4. Put the pork in a baking pan skin side up.
  5. Wedge the onion halves partly underneath it.
  6. Sprinkle a tablespoon of coarse salt over the skin, pressing it in.
  7. Roast the pork for 25 minutes on the highest rack in the oven.
  8. Now turn the heat down to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  9. Cook the pork for 35 minutes per pound (450g) minus the 25 minutes it has already had. This should work out another 2½ hours if your pork is exactly 5 lbs (2¼ kg).
  10. Insert a skewer into the thickest part of the meat to check there is no pink in there and the juices run clear.
  11. Remove the pork from the oven and put it on a platter.
  12. Cover the platter with foil and let the pork rest for 30 minutes.
  13. Spoon out and discard the fat from the baking dish, leaving the onion and meat juices in there.
  14. Put the dish over a direct low heat and sprinkle in the flour.
  15. Stir it using a wooden spoon. Turn the heat up a bit and add the stock and cider.
  16. Mix it using a balloon whisk.
  17. Once it reaches a simmer, the gravy should be rich and smooth.
  18. Grind in some salt and pepper to taste.
  19. Discard the pieces of onion.
  20. Serve the pork in slices with the gravy.

Notes

  • You can use hard (alcoholic) cider or, if you prefer, apple juice or another non-alcoholic version.
  • Roast pork is juicy and succulent. Adding plenty of coarse salt into the fat on top helps it crisp up and turn into the amazing ‘crackling’ which, according to some, is the best part of the meal.
  • Serve this flavorful pork with mashed potatoes and vegetables, along with homemade gravy.
  • Add some applesauce too.
  • This is a great meal to prepare on a Sunday afternoon so the whole family can sit down together and enjoy this wonderful dinner.
  • Unless your family is huge, you will have some pork left over. Why not enjoy it in a sandwich the following day?

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