Pork loin with crispy crackling, pickled fennel and celeriac purée

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Pick up a pork crackling joint and follow this recipe for juicy roast pork with incredibly crunchy crackling. Jesse serves his with a creamy celeriac purée and a fresh pickled fennel, but traditional roast trimmings also apply.

To make the celeriac purée you will need a blender.

• 1.5kg/3lb 5oz boneless pork loin, skin on (skin ready scored, if available)

• 2 tbsp salt

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large or 2 small celeriacs, peeled and chopped into 2.5cm/1in chunks

• 4–6 small fennel bulbs

• 1 red chilli (optional)

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 500ml/18fl oz apple cider vinegar

• 170g/6oz sugar

• salt and pepper

Method

If your pork isn’t already scored, score the skin as deeply as you can without cutting into the meat. A sturdy utility knife is best for this, but any sharp knife will do. Cover the skin with an even layer of salt. Place the meat on a trivet or rack over a roasting tin and leave uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours. 1.

Preheat the oven to 240C/225C Fan/Gas 8½. 1.

Wipe off the excess salt, then coat the pork and skin with a light layer of olive oil. You can add seasoning here like cracked black pepper or crushed toasted fennel seeds, but I usually stick to just salt. 1.

Put the celeriac in the roasting tin that will sit beneath the pork. Top with the pork on a rack or trivet. 1.

Roast for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3 and cook for a further 1hr–1hr 15 minutes for medium or until the pork reaches your desired doneness. Ovens and cut sizes do vary, so it’s best to use a cook’s thermometer (pork should reach an internal temperature of 70C). 1.

Meanwhile, make the pickled fennel. Trim any dark green stems from the fennel, then cut in half and slice into thin pieces (like you would an onion). If you’re using chilli, slice it and add to the fennel. 1.

Lightly toast the fennel seeds and peppercorns in a dry pan for about a minute, or until fragrant. Add the vinegar, 250ml/9fl oz water and sugar. Bring to a boil, then pour over the fennel. Leave at room temperature until cooled. 1.

Once the pork is cooked to your liking, let it rest for 10 minutes while you make the celeriac purée. 1.

Transfer the roasted celeriac to a blender. Add a few tablespoons of just-boiled water and blend until smooth. If the blender is struggling, add a little more water. Taste and add some of the rendered fat and drippings from the tray. Blend until smooth, then season with salt and black pepper if needed. 1.

Drain the pickled fennel and serve alongside the pork and celeriac purée. Add a few pieces of crackling to each plate.

Recipe tips

Taking the time to dry out the pork skin is the key to great crackling. Rubbing it in salt and leaving it uncovered overnight in the fridge is the easiest way of doing this. You don’t need to use fancy salt for this, the cheapest table salt works just as well. Take the time to really rub the salt into the skin so it gets inbetween the scored lines.

Even if your pork skin comes ready scored you might want to add a few more cuts. Lots of 1–1.5cm wide lines of crackling are what you want.

You don’t need any extra oil for roasting the celeriac as the fat from the meat will drip down into the tray.

The pickled fennel is easy to make and adds a bright, sweet crunch that cuts through the richness. The recipe makes a lot but it can be stored in the fridge in an airtight jar for up to a week. If you sterilise the jar first, it can be kept for up to 3 months.