Summer Roast Pork & Crackling Recipe

Right, so this one—this Summer Roast Pork & Crackling—is not your average weeknight throw-together. It’s the kinda thing you make when you want a bit of theatre on the table. Crispy pork skin, tender fennel, a bubbling gratin full of beans and garlic and cheese… Honestly? Worth every pan. It’s rich but not heavy, has that herby edge, and the crackling—mate—the crackling.

Ingredients Needed

For the Filling:

• 1 x 6-rib loin of higher-welfare pork (2.25kg), French-trimmed
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 whole nutmeg
• olive oil
• 1 bunch of fresh sage (20g)
• 2–3 bulbs of fennel (with tops)
• 2 spring onions
• 1 bulb garlic

For the Gratin:

• 1–2 fennel bulbs (again, with tops)
• 1 onion or 1 bunch of spring onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 125ml dry cider
• optional: 3 anchovy fillets in oil
• 1 x 600g jar chickpeas
• 1 x 600g jar cannellini beans
• 1 x 600g jar butter beans
• 4 tablespoons crème fraîche
• 100g Parmesan

How To Make Summer Roast Pork & Crackling

1. Prep the Pork: Get that skin off in one go—cut around the fat, peel it gently. Score it both sides. Score the fat on the joint too. You want shallow grooves for flavour to settle in.
2. Season Everything: Grind fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and a bit of grated nutmeg together. Rub it everywhere. On the skin, on the fat, under folds—don’t skimp.
3. Brown the Pork; Heat oil in a big ol’ pan. Put the pork fat-side down. Let it do its thing, baste it as it starts to glisten. Toss in sage and let that do the work.
4. Start Roasting: Get the pork into a tray with sage, halved garlic, chopped fennel and onions. Skin goes above it—directly on the oven bars so it rains down fat. That’s the trick. Roast 1 hour at 200ºC.
5. Make the Gratin: In that porky pan, cook chopped fennel, garlic and onion till soft. Add cider, let it reduce. Add anchovies (if using). In go beans with their juices. Stir in crème fraîche and most of the cheese.
6. Final Oven Bits: After pork’s done, rest it. Crackling comes out too. Bake gratin 30 mins till golden. Roast the veg tray another 5–10 to caramelise.
7. Carve + Serve: Cut between ribs or slice thin. Crack the crackling. Plate with the bubbling gratin, those sticky roast fennel bits, garlic, maybe a drizzle of the porky juices. Scatter those feathery fennel tops if you’re feeling cute.

Why I Love This Recipe

Made it for a family lunch last August—everyone went weirdly quiet at the table after the first bite. That kinda silence you only get with really good food. The sage, the pork, the beans bubbling in cider—it’s like a summer roast with actual personality.

Recipe Tips

• Use a Stanley knife for the crackling. Not joking.
• Don’t skip the cider in the gratin, it lifts the whole thing.
• Got no anchovies? Add a splash of Worcestershire or miso paste.
• Leave the bean juice in—adds creaminess.
• The fat dripping onto the pork? Absolute genius. Don’t skip it.
• Let the pork rest properly or it’ll dry. Ten minutes at least.
• Gratin leftovers = heaven with fried eggs the next day.

How To Store Summer Roast Pork & Crackling

• At Room Temperature: Cover and eat within 2 hours.
• In the Fridge: Wrap pork tightly. Store gratin in a sealed container. Eat within 3–4 days.
• In the Freezer: Gratin freezes fine (airtight container). Pork does too, but crackling? Nah.
• Reheating: Gratin: 180ºC for 20 mins or microwave in batches. Pork: gently in foil. Crackling: dry fry or air fryer.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: ~650 kcal
• Carbs: 42g
• Protein: 47g
• Fat: 32g
• Sugar: 8g
• Fibre: 9g
• Sodium: Moderate (anchovies + cheese)

Let’s Answer a Few Questions!

• Q: Can I make this ahead of time?
  A: Absolutely. You can do all the prep the night before and bake it fresh the next day.
• Q: What can I use instead of anchovies?
  A: Miso paste or a dash of soy sauce works. Just want that salty, umami punch.
• Q: Is the skin really worth the effort?
  A: Yep. It’s 30 minutes of effort for something that gets people fighting over the last piece.