Anthony’s cracker crackling secret

It’s all about the how you treat the skin – and a lot of salt. “You’ve really got to dry the skin out and shrink it,” says Anthony. “Start by pouring hot water over the pork skin to shrink it and start the cooking process. This gives the skin a head- start, meaning the meat is less likely to dry out in the oven. Wipe the skin absolutely dry with kitchen towels, then rub a bit of vinegar into it – I use rice wine vinegar – then rub flaked salt into it. Its coarse texture helps break down the surface and lets pockets of fat come to the top. “My newest method is then to add an even layer of flaked salt on the top. Bake the pork at 180 degrees C for 35 minutes if it’s in strips, or about an hour if it’s a good- sized slab. The salt acts like an incubator, drawing out the moisture and creating a higher heat in a drier environment, like a pizza oven. “Then lift the salt off – by that stage it should be one piece – and put the whole pork, skin side up, under the grill for 15 minutes until it crackles like crazy.”