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Roast Pork with Crackling

Name: Roast Pork with Crackling
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 lb pork leg or shoulder with the skin on; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp salt; 1 tsp white pepper; 4 potatoes, quartered; 2 kumara (sweet potatoes), cut into chunks; 2 parsnips, quartered; 3 apples, peeled and chopped; 2 tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp water

New Zealand roast pork recipe with shatteringly crisp crackling, roast potatoes and homemade apple sauce. The ultimate kiwi Christmas dinner centrepiece.

⏱ 15 minPrep time

🔥 30 minCook time

🍽 4Servings

🏷 DinnerCategory

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Roast pork with crackling is a New Zealand Christmas tradition, though it’s cooked all year round for Sunday roasts. The ritual of scoring the skin, rubbing it with salt, and waiting for the crackle is passed down through generations of Kiwi home cooks.

The crackling is everything: glassy, golden, and so crisp it shatters. Underneath, the pork stays moist and tender, ready for roast potatoes, kumara, and a spoonful of sweet-tart apple sauce.

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Step by stepInstructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Score the pork skin in a diamond pattern and rub with the oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce to 375°F and roast for 1 hour 15 minutes more (about 25 minutes per pound).
Add parboiled potatoes, kumara, and parsnips to the pan for the last 45 minutes.
For the apple sauce, simmer the apples with the sugar, lemon juice, and water for 10 minutes; mash and cool.
Rest the pork for 20 minutes before carving, then serve with crackling, roast vegetables, and apple sauce.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Dry the skin thoroughly and salt it well for the best crackle. If the crackling isn't crisp enough, blast it under the broiler for 2–3 minutes.

Recipe details

Prep15 min

Cook30 min

Servings4

CategoryDinner

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Roast Pork with Crackling

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

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Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

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Roast Pork with Crackling

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

Rate this recipe

Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

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