
Additionally, we frequently use water pans to add more moisture inside a smoker.
MR BUBBLE CRACKLE SKIN
But, the prolonged exposure to low temperatures won’t give you the crisp skin you’re after - that takes heat, and a lot of it. So, what are the “worst practices”? (You never hear that one in board meetings.) Say No to the Smoker We’ve covered the “best practices,” as office people love to say. You can certainly try it if you want, but I’d suggest applying it as a baste later in the cook instead of as part of the prep. To me, though, you’re asking the oil to do the salt’s job.Īfter much research, thought, and grilling, my mind remains unchanged - you don’t need oil to get the skin crispy, and it may actually be detrimental to achieving true crackling. In theory, the oil will help the fat render out from under the skin, reducing the moisture content. On the other hand, oil is a liquid, liquid means moisture, and moist is the opposite of crispy. If you think about it, it makes sense we use oil to deep-fry, and deep-fried food is about as crispy as it gets. Some chefs, cooks, and grill-meisters believe rubbing some cooking oil on pork skin helps encourage crispier skin. There are two schools of thought on this, and I thought I knew which one I was in. Should I Use Oil to Get Crispy Pork Skin? Yes, it’s an oven recipe, but it’s a terrific tip for grillers in a pinch.Īlternately, you might try the infrared burner on your grill, if you have one, for some intense heat to get the job done. That’s what Jess Pryles suggests in her pork belly recipe, and it’s a great idea. If you really need a final boost, you could always pop it under the broiler in your oven. You can finish with a bit of time over direct heat if you need a few minutes more for perfect crackling. You may need to reduce the temperature near the end of the cook to avoid drying it out. But, remember to do the bulk of the cooking with indirect heat. But, to reach that line, you’ll need some big numbers on thermometer. There’s a fine line between crackling and burnt-to-a-crisp. Remember to scrape and rub off the extra salt after it’s been cooking on the grill for a while. Give your pork a good all-over rub, and from all the different types of salt we recommend using either kosher or sea salt before hitting the grill. That’s why it’s used in brines and curing it pulls out the moisture that causes meat to deteriorate.

Salt has a natural talent for pulling out moisture. If you’re into metric, try slicing every 1 cm. Over at Cooker and a Looker, they recommend cuts about every half-inch. Scoring exposes more surface area, allowing better heat penetration.

Be careful to slice just partway into the skin you don’t want to expose the meat, or you’ll risk drying it out. Using a sharp knife, score the skin across the width of the cut. Be sure to dry the skin after you finish with the water. Hot water tightens the skin across the surface, smoothing out water-trapping wrinkles. Now I’m telling you to douse it in water. If you’re reading this article in order from start to finish, then you know I literally just told you to dry out your pork.
