We asked our pork-loving followers for their top tips on how to make the perfect South African pork roast.

Nothing beats the rich, crispy crackling and succulent meat of a perfectly roasted pork. If you want to achieve the perfect pork roast, these tips will ensure you get crispy crackling, juicy meat, and incredible flavour every time. Whether you’re cooking for a Sunday lunch, a festive gathering, or just because you love a good roast, these tried-and-tested tips will help you achieve the ultimate pork roast. So, get your roasting dish out, chop up your veggies, and let’s get roasting!

Perfect Crackling Starts with Dry Skin

Pat dry the pork roast and score the skin at 1cm intervals, trying not to cut into the meat. Leave it in the fridge for an hour to dry out the moisture and create beautifully crispy crackling. Before roasting, rub the pork with oil and salt, and infuse it with aromatics like garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Towards the end of cooking, add some pieces of Granny Smith apples and serve with roasted potatoes, kumara, pumpkin, and carrots for a classic pork roast feast. – Juanita H

Quick Crackling Hack

If you don’t have time to dry the skin in the fridge, cross-score the skin, pour boiling water over it, then dry with paper towels and rub in salt. This jumpstarts the crackling process, allowing the bubbling to begin before it even hits the oven, giving you golden, crunchy crackling. – Jenny Z

Pork Belly for the Ultimate Roast

Pork belly is the king of roast pork. Dry it well, score it, salt it, and pop it in a super-hot oven for half an hour before reducing the heat and cooking it low and slow for at least two hours. This ensures a mouthwatering combination of crispy skin and juicy, tender meat. – Michelle C

Rotisserie Magic on the Braai

For the ultimate outdoor roast, cook your pork on the rotisserie over the braai. The slow rotation ensures even cooking, resulting in perfectly crisp crackling and succulent, moist meat. – Thabo

The Secret Ingredient – Milk

For an incredibly tender roast, leave the pork uncovered in the fridge for a few hours, then cut the skin criss-cross, rub in salt, and sear at high heat. The magic trick? Slow cook it in milk. The result is a soft, delicate texture with a mild sweetness that enhances the pork’s natural taste. – Julie A

Inject Flavour for Extra Juiciness

For an ultra-tender and flavour-packed roast, inject the pork with your choice of marinade. This keeps the meat juicy and adds an incredible depth of taste. The caramelised, juicy pork that emerges from the oven will melt in your mouth. – Anton R

The Ultimate Gravy Trick

Take your pork roast gravy to the next level by adding applesauce or apple cider. This gives it a deliciously rich and slightly sweet flavour that pairs beautifully with the pork. – Savannah