Updated 30 September 2026
Christmas pork is a brilliant alternative, or addition, to the turkey: a big, juicy pork loin with a crown of crackling that shatters as you carve it, served with sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce and a proper gravy. It feeds a crowd for the money, and it's easy to time. Here's our butcher's recipe for a Christmas roast pork loin with crackling and stuffing.
Serves: 10–12 | Prep: 30 minutes, plus drying the skin | Cook: about 2¼ hours, plus resting
The joint
Our Boneless Pork Loin Joint 3kg (£25.99) is a 3kg boneless loin, hand cut and oven ready, with a layer of rind for crackling. It feeds 10–12, with leftovers. For a smaller table, the Pork Loin Joint 1kg (£8.99) feeds about 4.
Sage, onion and apricot stuffing
- 50g butter
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 150g fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 small bunch of sage, chopped
- 75g dried apricots, chopped
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 egg, beaten
- Salt and pepper
Soften the onions in the butter for 10 minutes. Mix them with the breadcrumbs, sage, apricots, orange zest and egg, and season well. Press the stuffing into a greased dish, or roll it into balls, to cook alongside the pork for the last 30–35 minutes. Cooking it separately keeps the timing simple and the crackling crisp.
Crackling: the secret is dry skin
- Dry the skin. Unwrap the joint, pat the rind completely dry with kitchen paper, and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight, if you can.
- Score it (if it isn't already) in lines about 1cm apart, cutting through the rind and into the fat but not into the meat.
- Salt it. An hour before roasting, rub a little oil and plenty of flaky salt into the scores.
Roasting times for a 3kg pork loin
| Stage | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Crackling blast | 220°C (200°C fan, gas 7) | 20–30 minutes |
| Roast | 180°C (160°C fan, gas 4) | About 35 minutes per kg |
| Total for 3kg | About 2¼ hours | |
| Rest | 20–30 minutes |
Pork must be cooked through, with clear juices and no pink. A thermometer in the centre should read at least 70°C. See pork internal temperature and roast pork cooking times per kg.
Method
- Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan, gas 7). Take the pork out of the fridge an hour before.
- Make a trivet. Put 2 sliced onions, 2 halved apples and a few sage leaves in a roasting tin, and sit the pork on top, skin-side up.
- Blast for 20–30 minutes, until the crackling starts to bubble.
- Turn the oven down to 180°C (160°C fan) and pour 200ml cider or water into the tin, not over the skin. Roast for about 1¾ hours more for 3kg.
- Add the stuffing to the oven for the last 30–35 minutes.
- Check the temperature. Take it out when the centre reaches at least 70°C, and the juices run clear.
- Rest it, uncovered so the crackling stays crisp, for 20–30 minutes.
Crackling not crisp? Cut it off in one piece and put it back in a hot oven (220°C), or under a medium grill, for 5–10 minutes, watching it closely.
Cider gravy
Spoon the fat from the roasting tin, then mash the onions and apples into the juices. Stir in 1 tbsp flour over the hob, then add 150ml cider and 400ml stock. Simmer for 5 minutes, scraping the tin, strain, and season. A spoonful of wholegrain mustard is a nice addition.
Apple sauce
Peel, core and chop 3 Bramley apples. Cook them with 2 tbsp sugar and a splash of water for 10 minutes, until soft, then beat until smooth.
Carving
Cut away the crackling first and snap it into pieces. Then carve the pork into slices about 1cm thick. Serve a piece of crackling with every portion.
Make ahead
- Two days before: unwrap the pork and leave it uncovered in the fridge to dry the skin.
- The day before: make the stuffing and apple sauce, and chill them.
- On the day: salt the rind, roast the pork, and use the resting time to finish the potatoes and gravy.
Leftover Christmas pork
Cold roast pork makes excellent sandwiches with stuffing and apple sauce. It also works in a pork and cider pie, or a quick stir-fry. Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate them and eat within 2 days, or freeze them.
The rest of the Christmas table
Serve the pork with goose fat roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, red cabbage, sprouts and carrots. For a bigger spread, pair it with a glazed gammon: see our Christmas gammon with apricot and ginger glaze. For more ideas, see our Christmas meat guide.
Browse pork joints, all pork and our Christmas trimmings.
Christmas pork FAQs
How long do you cook a 3kg pork loin?
About 20–30 minutes at 220°C, then about 35 minutes per kg at 180°C, so roughly 2¼ hours in total. Rest it for 20–30 minutes.
How do you get crispy crackling on pork loin?
Dry the skin thoroughly, ideally uncovered in the fridge overnight, score it, rub it with salt, and start it in a very hot oven.
What temperature should roast pork be?
At least 70°C in the centre, with clear juices and no pink.
Should stuffing be cooked inside the pork?
It's easier and safer to cook the stuffing separately, in a dish or as balls, for the last 30–35 minutes.
How much pork do I need for Christmas?
Allow about 200–250g of raw boneless pork per person. A 3kg loin feeds 10–12.