Updated 30 September 2026
Good pork crackling should shatter when you bite it, with a thin layer of soft fat underneath and juicy meat below. Most soft, chewy crackling comes down to one thing: moisture in the skin. Get the skin dry, salt it, and start it in a very hot oven, and you will get proper crackling on a pork belly or loin joint every time. Here is how to make pork crackling, step by step.
Quick answer: dry the skin overnight in the fridge, score it, rub it with oil and plenty of salt, roast at 240°C (220°C fan) for 25–30 minutes until it bubbles, then turn down to 160°C (140°C fan) to cook the meat. If it is still soft at the end, finish under a hot grill.
The best pork for crackling
You need a joint with the skin on and a good layer of fat underneath. Pork belly gives the best, thickest crackling because it has the most fat; our Belly Pork Joint 1kg (£10.29) is ideal. Pork loin gives thinner, crisper crackling over leaner meat; try the Pork Loin Joint 1kg (£8.99) or the Boneless Pork Loin Joint 3kg (£25.99) for a crowd.
How to make pork crackling
1. Dry the skin
This is the most important step. Unwrap the joint as soon as you get it home, pat the skin completely dry with kitchen paper, and leave it uncovered on a plate in the fridge overnight, or for at least a few hours. The cold, dry air of the fridge draws moisture out of the skin. If you are short of time, pour a kettle of boiling water over the skin in the sink (it tightens and opens the score lines), then dry it thoroughly with kitchen paper.
2. Score it
If your joint is not already scored, use a very sharp knife or a clean Stanley knife to cut lines about 1cm apart through the skin and into the fat, but not into the meat. Cutting into the meat lets juices bubble up and soften the crackling.
3. Oil and salt
Rub a little oil over the skin, then rub in a generous amount of flaky sea salt, working it into the score lines. Salt draws out the last of the moisture and seasons the crackling. Do not put salt on until just before it goes in the oven if you have not dried the skin overnight.
4. Start hot
Heat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan, gas 9), or as hot as it goes. Sit the joint on a rack in a roasting tin, or on thick slices of onion, so the skin is level and out of any juices. Roast for 25–30 minutes, until the skin starts to blister and bubble.
5. Then go low
Turn the oven down to 160°C (140°C fan, gas 3) and roast until the meat is cooked: about 2 hours for a 1kg belly joint, or 35 minutes per kg for a loin joint (roughly 1 hour 15 minutes for a 1kg loin, after the first blast). Keep the skin clear of foil and do not baste it.
6. Rest, then crack
Rest the joint for 15–20 minutes, uncovered, so the crackling does not steam. Cut the crackling off in one piece, snap it into shards, and carve the meat separately.
How to fix crackling that will not crisp
If the meat is cooked but the skin is still soft or patchy, cut the crackling off the joint, put the meat back to rest under foil, and put the crackling on a tray under a hot grill for 3–5 minutes, watching it constantly, until it puffs up. Or return it to a 230°C (210°C fan) oven for 10 minutes.
Pork must be cooked right through. The Food Standards Agency advises cooking pork until it is steaming hot throughout, with no pink meat and the juices running clear.
Common crackling mistakes
- Wet skin. The number one cause of chewy crackling. Dry it overnight.
- Covering the joint. Foil traps steam. Roast pork uncovered.
- Basting. Liquid on the skin stops it crisping.
- Uneven skin. If the joint is tilting, the lower side sits in fat and goes soft. Prop it level.
- Too low a start. Crackling needs that initial blast of heat to puff.
What to serve with roast pork and crackling
Apple sauce, sage and onion stuffing, roast potatoes, braised red cabbage and a good gravy made from the tin juices. For Sunday lunch, see how to cook a pork loin joint or how to cook a belly pork joint. Want crackling without a whole joint? Pork Belly Slices 700g (£6.49) crisp up in a hot oven in 35–40 minutes: see how to cook pork belly slices.
Our guide to pork cuts explained covers every joint, and you will find them all in our pork range and pork belly collection.
Shop the cuts in this guide
How we pack your order
Your order is packed at our butchery at St Stephen, near St Austell, in a double-walled box with a sealed thermal liner and gel ice packs, then delivered by DPD next-day on the day you choose. Free delivery over £85.
Extra strong boxWhite double-walled corrugated cardboard
Thermal linerAir-infused, padded and sealed
Gel ice packsRecyclable film, non-toxic food-grade gel
DPD deliveryOn the day you choose
Pork crackling FAQs
How do you get pork crackling crispy?
Dry the skin thoroughly, ideally uncovered in the fridge overnight, score it, rub it with oil and salt, and start it in a very hot oven at 240°C (220°C fan) for 25–30 minutes before turning the heat down to cook the meat.
Should I put salt on pork skin overnight?
You can, but it can draw moisture to the surface. It is safest to dry the skin uncovered in the fridge overnight and salt it generously just before roasting.
Why won't my crackling crackle?
Usually because the skin was wet, the oven was not hot enough at the start, or the joint was covered or basted. Cut the skin off and finish it under a hot grill for a few minutes.
Which pork joint is best for crackling?
Pork belly, because it has the most fat under the skin. Loin joints with the skin on also give excellent, thinner crackling.
Should you pour boiling water on pork skin?
It helps if you have not had time to dry the skin overnight. Pour boiling water over the scored skin, then dry it very thoroughly before salting.
