Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling: Simple and Delicious Recipe

The smell of pork crackling used to fill our Sunday kitchen like a warm hug. Now, this Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling brings back all those memories in half the time. Everyone’s sharing this easy recipe lately, and I can see why – tender meat, crispy skin, minimal fuss.

This is pork shoulder or loin, rubbed with simple seasonings, then air-fried until the skin crackles like autumn leaves. Salt, herbs, maybe some garlic – all pantry staples you likely have. It’s like Sunday roast met modern convenience and had the most delicious baby. Full details in the blog!

I’ve been making roasts since my girls were knee-high to a grasshopper, but this method surprised even me. The air fryer creates that perfect crackling我 spent years chasing in the oven. I tested it three times to get it just right. You’ll love the secret!

Why This Air Fryer Pork Roast Will Become Your New Sunday Tradition

There’s something magical about the sound of crackling skin that takes me back to my mother’s kitchen. This Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling captures all that nostalgia but cuts your cooking time in half. The air fryer creates the most perfect golden crackling I’ve ever achieved – crispy as autumn leaves and twice as satisfying.

What I love most is how forgiving this recipe is. The two-temperature method means your meat stays tender while the skin gets gloriously crispy. Plus, you can prep it the night before and let the salt work its magic while you sleep.

• Hands-free cooking: Once it’s seasoned, the air fryer does all the work
• Perfect crackling every time: No more soggy skin disappointments
• Pantry ingredients: Salt, herbs, and olive oil – nothing fancy needed
• Foolproof results: Two simple temperature stages guarantee success

Your Essential Ingredients and Tools

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. You likely have everything already tucked away in your pantry. The pork shoulder with skin is your star – look for one with good fat coverage and intact skin for the best crackling.

Your trusty air fryer becomes the hero here, creating that perfect circulation that makes the skin bubble and crisp while keeping the meat incredibly juicy. A sharp knife for scoring and some kitchen paper towels are all the extras you’ll need.

The Secret to Perfect Crackling Every Time

Here’s where patience pays off beautifully. The key to crackling that shatters at first bite is removing every bit of moisture from that skin. I learned this from watching my grandmother – she’d salt her pork the night before and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator.

The scoring doesn’t have to be perfect, just consistent. Think of it as creating little channels for the fat to render and the skin to puff up. The two-temperature method is pure genius – low and slow first to cook the meat gently, then high heat to crisp that skin to perfection.

• Salt draws moisture: Pat dry with kitchen towels after salting
• Room temperature start: Take pork out 30 minutes before cooking
• Two-stage cooking: 320°F for tenderness, 400°F for crackling
• Rest is crucial: 15-20 minutes lets juices redistribute

Step-by-Step: Your Path to Crackling Success

The process feels almost ceremonial – there’s something deeply satisfying about preparing the meat with such care. Start by bringing your pork to room temperature while you score the skin in gentle parallel lines. The salt goes on like a blessing, drawing out moisture while you preheat your air fryer.

Seasoning both sides ensures flavor in every bite. The flesh side gets the herbs and garlic, while the skin gets its final salt and oil massage. When you slide it into that air fryer, you’re about to witness magic happen.

When Things Don’t Go as Planned

Even the most seasoned cooks encounter hiccups, and I’ve learned to embrace them as part of the journey. If your crackling isn’t quite crispy enough after the initial cooking, simply remove it from the meat and give it a few more minutes solo in the air fryer. This prevents overcooking your perfectly tender meat.

Sometimes the skin needs a little extra encouragement. Don’t be afraid to increase that final high-heat stage by 5-10 minutes if needed. Your air fryer might run differently than mine, and that’s perfectly fine – we’re cooking by feel and sound as much as by timer.

• Soft crackling: Return skin alone to air fryer for 5 more minutes
• Uneven browning: Flip or rotate halfway through final stage
• Dry meat: Check internal temp – don’t exceed 160°F
• Not fitting in air fryer: Cut roast in half and adjust timing

Making It Your Own

This recipe is like a trusted friend – wonderful as is, but always ready for your personal touches. I’ve tried rosemary instead of sage when my garden is overflowing, and the results are equally divine. Some days I add a whisper of smoked paprika for warmth.

The beauty of this Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling is its adaptability. Smaller roasts work beautifully too – just adjust your timing down. Larger families might want to double up, cooking in batches if needed.

Expert Insight: Mastering Air Fryer Pork Roast With CracklingAchieving perfect crackling in an air fryer requires dry skin and high heat to render fat quickly, creating that signature crunch. This method enhances the pork roast’s texture and flavor while keeping the meat juicy, making air fryer pork roast with crackling a simple yet impressive dish to master.For more delicious recipes and cooking inspiration, follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Reddit!The Journey to the Perfect Air Fryer Pork Roast With CracklingIt took several attempts to master this Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling, often learning the hard way about timing and seasoning. I remember one evening when the crackling stubbornly refused to crisp, teaching me patience and respect for the process. Today’s recipe is the result of those lessons, delivering the crackling and tenderness my family loves.FAQs ( Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling )

Your New Sunday Roast TraditionThis Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling delivers everything you’ve been hoping for – tender, juicy meat crowned with crackling that shatters like glass. In just over an hour, you’ll have Sunday dinner magic without heating up the whole kitchen. The two-temperature method never fails me, and I know it won’t fail you either.Try swapping sage for fresh rosemary when your garden’s abundant, or add a pinch of smoked paprika for warmth. Store leftovers wrapped tightly for up to three days – though honestly, there rarely are any! Serve alongside roasted vegetables or creamy mashed potatoes for the complete comfort meal experience. This recipe adapts beautifully to smaller cuts too.I’d love to see your crackling creations – tag me when you make this! Did your family have special Sunday roast traditions? There’s something so satisfying about passing down these simple pleasures. Make this once, and I promise it’ll become your go-to recipe for impressing loved ones.

Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling

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This air fryer pork roast delivers succulent, tender, and juicy meat with irresistibly crispy crackling, requiring minimal prep and almost hands-free cooking, perfect for a delicious dinner centerpiece.

• Author: Julia Royale
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6
• Category: Dinner, roast dinner
• Method: Air Fryed
• Cuisine: American, British

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3lb kg Pork shoulder with skin about 1.5kg
• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Dried sage
• ½ Tablespoon Garlic granules
• 1 Tablespoon coarse salt divided into 2
• fine cooking salt use as desired
• ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Bring out the pork half an hour from the fridge before you cook it. Unroll the pork and score the rind with a sharp knife a few times without cutting into the flesh. Sprinkle the rind with ½ Tablespoon coarse salt, ensuring all the surface is covered, and cover immediately with a kitchen paper towel.
2. Set it aside until you are ready to air-fry the pork. Doing this process above will not only bring the meat to room temperature but will help draw the moisture from the pork, which will enhance your getting a better crackling.
3. If you have time, place the salted pork in the fridge for up to 24 hours uncovered.
4. Preheat the air fryer to 400F/200C for 5 minutes.
5. Flip the pork on a flat plate (the flesh side facing you). Drizzle olive oil on the pork, followed by salt and black pepper, sage and garlic granules. Rub the seasoning into the nooks and crannies of the meat.
6. Flip the pork (skin side facing you), drizzle with olive oil and rub it on the skin. Sprinkle the sea salt all over the pork’s skin, ensuring no part is left out.
7. Carefully place the seasoned pork into the air fryer basket. Cook at 320F/160C for 50 minutes.
8. Increase the heat of the air fryer to 400F/200C for 15-30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 155F – 160F.
9. If the crackling is not crispy to your liking after this time, remove it from the pork meat (not to overcook the pork). Return the crackling to the air fryer and cook for another 5 minutes or until crispy to your liking.
10. Rest the pork for at least 15-20 minutes before carving it. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

• Please bear all this information in mind before you cook your pork for a juicy and tender pork roast with a fantastic bubbly crispy crackling! Unroll the pork before you put it in the air fryer
• Depending on the shape and size of your air fryer
• Cooking the pork on an even level helps you achieve the best pork crackles you can hope for
• Take your time to draw out enough moisture from the pork skin before you cook it
• If you forgot to do this step or don’t have the time, pat the pork skin dry before cooking
• This is important! Cook the pork at two different temperatures
• First, on a low temperature enough to cook the meat beautifully while it slow cooks and is infused with flavors
• Lastly, on a high heat to give it that final irresistible crackling worthy of a centerpiece
• There is no need to score the skin for this recipe, yes, you read that right
• You can cook before roast pork without scoring the skin if done right
• i
• e keeping the skin dry before cooking
• Make sure your meat can fit into your air fryer
• If you will be scoring the skin yourself, make sure you don’t cut through the flesh, as this may cause the meat to dry out as it cooks
• Allow 25 -30 minutes per lb plus 15-30 minutes for crispy crackling
• Don’t rush to carve the meat once it is cooked
• Let it rest for at least 15 minutes with a foil tent over it for the juice to redistribute back into the pork
• Don’t worry
• it won’t be cold, nor will the crackles get soft before you serve it
• Don’t waste the pan drippings caught at the bottom of the air fryer basket
• Make some gravy!

Nutrition

• Calories: 332 kcal
• Sugar: 0.02g
• Sodium: 123mg
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9g
• Trans Fat: 0.03g
• Carbohydrates: 1g
• Fiber: 0.1g
• Protein: 51g
• Cholesterol: 136mg