Easter just isn’t Easter without a Crunchy Pork Roast
Check out our tips and tricks so you can prepare a perfect Pork Roast for your Easter Celebration!
How do you keep your roast tender? What’s the secret to crunchy crackle? How do you make fluffy and crispy potatoes to die for? What’s the trick to rich and glossy gravy you won’t forget?
Look no further, all the secrets are here…
Super Crispy Pork Crackle Roast
If you’re aiming for some serious crackle on your roast here’s what you will need.
The rind needs to be dry; you will need oil and salt and the oven needs to be hot! Here’s a step-by-step guide to the crunchiest pork crackling roast.
Prep Time: 15 mins Cook: up to 4hrs Serves: 8
What You’ll Need
SunPork Fresh Foods Boned & Rolled Pork Leg Roast
2 Tbsp. oil
¼ cup salt
1 L boiling water
How to Make It
1. Remove pork from packaging and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Score the rind at 1cm intervals with a sharp knife, taking care not to cut into the meat.
3. Leave the roast uncovered in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight.
4. When ready to cook, pre-heat fan forced oven to 220OC.
5. Transfer pork to a wire rack over the sink then pour a jug of boiling water over the rind and pat dry.
6. Rub 1 Tbsp. of oil and a generous amount of salt into the rind and score marks.
7. Transfer the roast onto a baking tray and into the oven for 1.5 hours, or until rind starts to crackle.
8. Reduce heat to 180OC and cook for an additional 20 mins per kg.
9. Rest before carving.
Hot Tip: Turn your roast crackle upside down and use a heavy knife to cut through the crunchy rind.
What You’ll Need
Pork Roast Drippings
2 Tbsp. flour
Water
2 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)
Knob of butter
How to Make It
1. Remove the roast from the pan and set aside.
2. Tilt the pan letting the juices pool in a corner and use a large spoon to gently skim any fat from the pan drippings so you don’t end up with an oily gravy.
3. Combine flour and a little water in a small cup to make a watery paste, this will ensure that there aren’t any lumps.
4. Place the pan with drippings over low heat on the stovetop and add flour paste and stock.
5. Gently with a flat-edged wooden spoon stir all the flavour from the drippings into the gravy until thickens.
6. When the gravy has thickened add a knob of butter to enhance the gravy.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Strain into a jug for serving.
Seriously Crunchy Roast Potatoes
Crunchy roast potatoes are an essential part of any roast dinner. No need to be gentle when roasting your potatoes, this is one of the key secrets to achieving the ultimate crispy yet deliciously fluffy roast potato.
Difficulty: Easy
Cook: 45 min
Serves: 4
What you’ll Need
700g potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 Tbsp. oil
Fresh Herbs
Flaked salt
1. Pre-heat fan forced oven to 180OC.
2. Run potatoes under water to remove starch, water will run from milky to clear.
3. Boil a large pot of water and place potatoes in to cook until tender (approx. 20 mins)
4. Drain and toss roughly in colander so that the edges are rough and well textured. Use a fork if needed to rough up the potatoes, without breaking them.
5. Toss potatoes through oil and ensure well coated.
6. Roast in the oven for 40 mins or until crunchy, turning throughout to ensure all sides crisp up.
7. Add herbs to potatoes 10 minutes before removing from oven for added flavour.
8. Remove from oven and sprinkle with flaked salt.
Heirloom Roasted Carrots with Honey & Thyme
The perfect family roast needs balance and carrots develop deep, concentrated flavour with golden caramelized edges as they roast in the oven. These sweet sticky fancy carrots will add a welcome jolt of colour to your Easter table and make you look like a pro.
Difficulty: Easy
Cook: 45 mins
Serves: 4
What you’ll Need
1 kg of heirloom rainbow carrots (mix of purple, yellow, orange, white)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1. Pre-heat fan forced oven to 180OC.
2. Trim carrots, leaving about 3cm of stem attached.
3. Gently scrub carrots to clean and pat dry.
4. Combine oil, honey, cumin, garlic and thyme in a large mixing bowl.
5. Season with salt and pepper and toss carrots through.
6. Arrange carrots in a single layer on lined baking tray.
7. Roast for approximately 20-30 mins, pending size of carrots.
Tips & Tricks
- Turn your roast crackle upside down and use a heavy knife to cut through the crunchy rind.
- If time allows, leave the scored roast uncovered on the bottom rack of the fridge for 1 hour, or ideally overnight. This process further dries the rind and aids the crackling process
- The drier the rind the better the crackle
- Salt is your friend, make sure you are very generous when rubbing into your rind
- Soak potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch before cooking. This will help with crisping up your potatoes.
- Get a little rough with your potatoes, the fluffy edges turn ultra-crispy
- If your carrots are starting to look limp, refresh in cold water in the fridge overnight and they should be nice and crisp in the morning ready for roasting
- Give your carrots a good scrub, but don’t peel them – all the goodness is right near the surface
- Dissolve your thickener in cold liquid before adding to the pan to avoid lumps.
- Strain gravy through a sieve into a clean pan, then return to the boil and serve.
