Easy Roast Pork Shoulder with Crispy Crackling Recipe
This easy roast pork shoulder recipe delivers tender, juicy meat with incredibly crispy crackling. Using simple ingredients and a straightforward roasting method, the pork is cooked low and slow to ensure moisture retention, then finished off with a high-heat blast for perfectly crackled skin. A bed of onions flavors the meat gently, making it ideal for a comforting family dinner or special occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seasoning
- 2kg pork shoulder joint
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
Additional
- 1 large onion, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven: Preheat your oven to 240C (220C fan)/gas mark 9 to ensure it is hot enough to begin crisping the pork skin.
- Prep the Pork: Remove any packaging and pat the pork shoulder skin very dry with kitchen paper. Score the skin deeply in a diamond pattern using a sharp knife, cutting into the fat beneath. If already scored, ensure cuts are dry and open. Rub the vegetable oil thoroughly into the skin and scores, then sprinkle evenly with the fine sea salt, rubbing it in well.
- Set up the Roasting Tin: Scatter the sliced onions evenly over the base of a large roasting tin to create a flavorful bed for the pork. Place the prepared pork shoulder on top, skin side up.
- Initial High-heat Roast: Place the roasting tin with pork in the hot oven and roast for 20-30 minutes, or until the skin begins to bubble and blister, which initiates the crackling process. Meanwhile, boil a kettle of water.
- Add Water and Reduce Heat: Carefully pour half a kettle of boiling water around the joint into the roasting tin, making sure it does not splash onto the skin. This water helps keep the meat moist during the slow cook. Lower the oven temperature to 180C (160C fan)/gas mark 4.
- Slow Roast: Continue roasting for 2 hours 30 minutes, or until the meat is very tender when pressed. The low temperature allows the fat to render properly while the pork remains juicy. Extend cooking by up to 30 minutes if needed, depending on tenderness.
- Final Crisping: Increase the oven temperature back to 220C (220C fan)/gas mark 7 and roast for another 20-25 minutes until the skin becomes very crisp and brittle to the touch. If crackling is not quite ready, continue roasting in 10-minute increments to achieve the perfect texture.
- Rest the Meat: Remove the pork from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes in the roasting tin. This resting period allows juices to redistribute for moist, flavorful meat.
- Serve: Remove the crackling in large pieces and break into smaller chunks. Carve the pork shoulder and serve alongside the crispy crackling and your favorite side dishes.
Notes
- Patting the skin dry and scoring deeply are key steps to achieving crackling.
- Adding boiling water around the joint prevents the meat from drying out during slow cooking.
- Resting the pork after cooking helps retain the juices for tender meat.
- You can add herbs like rosemary or garlic in the onion bed for extra flavor, if desired.
Keywords: roast pork shoulder, pork crackling, easy roast pork, crispy pork skin, oven roasted pork shoulder
