Roast Pork

Nigel Slater's Roast Pork recipe looks great. I am longing to try it but first please clarify this point. The recipe says lay the pork skin side down when rubbing in the seasoning and cooking on the upper oven shelf but the accompanying photo shows the pork skin side up on the shelf. Can you please confirm which way it should be?

Thank You

Mike Smyth

I think the recipe is wrong. It must be skin side up if you want it to become crackling. If the skin was on the bottom it would be continually covered in fat and juices and would not be at a high enough temperature. Skin side up.

I agree Braces, can't see how it would work the other way up!

According to the recipe the meat in not in the pan at all,it is directly on the shelf above the roasting tin of veggies, best way to get really seriously good crackling is to make sure the skin is dry, season well, and put straight into a very hot oven.

Even directly on the shelf though I have my doubts that the crackling would crisp skin side down.

Everyone else knew there was no pan betsy. Its the wording of the method about upside down or not is the question. doh

The skin shouldnt be dry sexey betsey it is seasoned. read the recipe

I think sexy betsy was trying to help. Was the tone of your reply really necessary Mi Casa, especially the "doh" at the end?

And russell I think sexy betsy has read the recipe and was commenting on how she didn't think it would work, and what is normally the best way to get good crackling.

Mo

Hum?

Best pork crackling I ever made was when I followed a tip (I think by Ainsley Harriot) that said it's better to remove the skin for the main roast, boil it for a good while, dry it as much as possible and then fry it!

goodness me, what a lot of crosspatches!!

Yes I read the recipe thankyou and doh backatcha Mi Casa, if YOU read my reply it does make that clear!

and russell you will never get good crackling with wet skin.....seasoned does not imply wet, are you confusing seasoned with marinaded?

and a happy wet Bank Holiday to all!! and thanks celtic mo for reading the post as intended. mwah!!

Sorry Sexy Betsy but I found your post as confusing as the original recipe too, and it looked to me as if you hadn't read it, or the posts, as you mentioned it not being in a pan, which no one had said it was, and mentioned having the skin dry, which I don't think is the case at all, and who said wet?

Is the seasoning or marinade, as I think in this case it is the same, massaged into the skin or not?

Should the meat be skin side up or down in the oven?

I think the recipe needs clarifying.

yes I think the recipe does need clarifying.

russell is the one implying the pork is wet, if you read his post.

I was quibbling about his understanding of seasoning, to my mind a application of dry spices ( a rub) etc as opposed to a marinade, a selection of spices in oil or other moist medium.

and once again I think this recipe....and MANY others on this site need clarifying, this is an issue which appears on a disappointingly frequent basis.

Peace to all!!

I didnt imply the pork was wet, i said it shouldnt be dry, even without the marinade as it is in this case, not a dry rub, there should be oil and salt. Not dry. How rude to doubt my understanding. Qibble if you like, but not with me.

frightfully sorry russell , fail to see how "The skin shouldnt (sic) be dry" can be interpreted any other way really.

and am still rofl at the recipe footnote


"foolproof results"

You are now being rude and arrogant with your (sic) sexy betsy, offensive even.
Russell is correct, to produce good crackling the skin of pork should not be dry, oil should be applied as he has said. Even dry rubs contain salt and sugar that produce moisture so the skin still isn't dry.
I find a lot of your posts absolute rubbish sexy betsy but I would never be rude enough to point your errors out in the way you have to others.
Have some grace.

I thank you for your extreme politeness jvm1.

I have been more polite than you sexy betsy and more informed in my post too. So I hope that comment is genuine and not of sarcasm or meant to be offensive again.

Whoa, calm down everyone.

I haven't even looked at the recipe but I've always worked on the basis that as soon as you get your joint of pork home - you take off whatever covering it's in so that the skin can breathe. The scoring is important - deep enough but not through to the meat. I've never used oil on the skin - only salt - and even this should only be applied just before the joint goes in the oven. Doing it in advance allows moisture to be drawn out and this is what will prevent the skin from crackling. I give the joint a good half hour at the hottest temperature my oven will heat to and then turn it down for the balance of the cooking.

Hope you all manage to roast a good joint and get crackling on your joint without spitting at each other too much.

Thanks to all for the informative comments. I'm now convinced that the pork goes in the oven skin side up - however I treat the crackling issue! One big problem I overlooked... Trencherlass of Laceby informs me that nobody is putting meat of any description directly onto her oven shelves unless they give a solemn undertaking to ensure that they are cleaned properly when the exercise is completed!!!
Regards to all.

Have just read this discussion and thought I might throw a spanner in the works. Has anyone tried Rick Stiens Belly of Pork with the kettle of boiling water, skin dried and then spread with the spices before roasting over the pan of water?
The skin must always be top side up to get crsipy result. Am not going to apologise for owning a new Aga, but 1/2 hour roasting in the hotest oven and then as long as you like in the simmering oven (5 - 7hrs) still produces the most succulent, crispy skinned pork ever.

Definitely skin side up - the picture in the book (as Braces said) shows the pork skin side up. I have cooked this pork about 10 times and it is gorgeous - every time skin side up !!