Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling: Simple and Delicious Recipe

Sunday afternoon, oven off, air fryer on. When I say this Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling made my kitchen smell like Grandma’s holiday housewarm and a little pepperyI am not kidding. It’s trending hard on Pinterest for a reason. This roast is easy, juicy, and full of that golden, salty crunch. If you’ve got 10 minutes and a pork shoulder, you’re halfway to something truly delicious.

This roast is simple enough for busy weeknights, but honestly? It tastes like a hearty Sunday dinner. All you need is a quality pork shoulder, sea salt, and a splash of oil. That’s it. The crackling gets golden and bubbly in less than an hour. Read on for the full method and tips!

I grew up watching my Nana press salt into pork skin with her thumblike a culinary wizard. Now I do it armed with a paper towel and my trusty air fryer. My version might be lighter, but it retains every bit of that rich, homestyle flavor. I’ve tested dozenswait until you try the crisping technique. You won’t believe how simple the secret is!

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling

• Perfect Crackling Every Time: That golden, salty crunch is easier to master than you think. Air fryer cooking makes the process consistent and reliable.
• Minimal Prep, Big Results: With just a few pantry staples and 10 minutes of prep, you’ll be amazed how this roast delivers big flavor and tender texture.
• Modern Convenience, Nostalgic Flair: While the air fryer streamlines things, the flavors remain richly traditionaljust like Sunday dinner at Grandma’s.
• Crowd-Pleaser: Generously serves six, making it ideal for gatherings, holiday meals, or any time you want to impress without the stress.

Ingredients and Tools Breakdown

This recipe keeps things straightforward, using familiar ingredients to highlight the pork. Here’s everything you’ll need:

Pro Tip: Make sure your knife is sharp for scoring the skin. Use paper towels to dry out the pork skinthis step is crucial for optimal crackling. And, of course, you’ll need your air fryer preheated and ready to go!

Step-by-Step: Making Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling

1. Prepare the Pork: Remove the pork shoulder from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature. Lightly score the skin if desiredavoid cutting into the meat. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels. Generously sprinkle coarse salt over the skin, cover with a fresh paper towel, and let sit to draw out moisture.
2. Season the Flesh: Flip the pork so the skin side is down. Drizzle the flesh with olive oil and rub it in well. Add dried sage, garlic granules, fine salt, and black pepper. Be sure to cover all exposed surfaces thoroughly for full flavor.
3. Season the Skin: Turn the pork upright with the skin side facing you. Drizzle over remaining olive oil and rub evenly across the skin. Apply remaining coarse salt and lightly rub it in.
4. Start Air Frying: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. Place the pork skin-side up in the air fryer basket. Cook at 320°F (160°C) for 50 minutes to gently roast and tenderize.
5. Crackle Time: Raise the temperature to 400°F (200°C) and continue cooking for 15–30 minutes until the crackling is golden and internal meat temperature reaches 155°F–160°F. If necessary, remove the meat and cook just the skin for an additional 5 minutes to get it ultra-crispy.
6. Rest and Serve: Take the pork out and loosely cover with foil. Let it rest for 15–20 minutes. Resting allows juices to redistribute, ensuring juicy slices with crispy skin in every bite. Carve and serve immediately.

Timing Chart to Perfect Pork Roast

Note: Always use a meat thermometer to confirm the safe doneness of pork. The USDA recommends 145°F, but for roasts, 155–160°F gives a juicier, more sliceable result with better crackling separation.

Serving and Leftovers

• Serving: Complement this roast with classic sides like mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, or a crisp green salad. Don’t forget the drippingsdrizzle them over the sliced pork for bonus richness!
• Storage: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze sliced portions for up to 2 months for future quick meals.

Pro Tip: Store crackling separately from the meat to preserve crispness. Re-crisp in the air fryer at 375°F for 2–3 minutes if needed!

Troubleshooting & Tips for Success

• Skin Not Crisping? Ensure the skin is completely dry before applying salt and cooking. Moisture is the enemy of crackling!
• Pork Too Dry? Always let the pork rest thoroughly before slicingit locks in the juices and improves tenderness.
• Air Fryer Too Small? Cut the pork shoulder into smaller sections to help fit and cook more evenly in compact baskets.

This Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling hits the sweet spot between ease and comfort. It’s got all the joy of a long roast meal, made do-able any day of the weekwithout turning on the oven.

Expert Insight: Perfecting Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling

To master pork crackling in the air fryer, focus on drying out the skin thoroughly and applying high heat strategically. The air fryer’s rapid circulation of hot air accelerates fat rendering and crisping while maintaining tender meat below. It’s a modern solution to a classic culinary challengeand cleanup is a breeze!

For more delicious recipes and cooking inspiration, follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Reddit!

Perfecting My Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling

After several rounds and plenty of crunchy experiments, I finally nailed this air fryer pork roast with crackling. Through patience and trial, I learned exactly how long to dry the skin, how to tweak the air fryer temps, and what made the biggest difference. And now? You don’t have to guess. Follow this plan and you’ll get crackling that singsevery single time.

FAQs ( Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling )

Cozy Ending to Your Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling

Your Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling comes together in under an hour, featuring juicy meat wrapped in vibrant, crispy skin. It’s the kind of meal that invites people to linger longer at the tableand the kind you’ll want to make again and again.

Try swapping the sage for rosemary, or use a splash of apple cider vinegar for a hint of brightness. Leftovers? Toss them back in the air fryer for a few minutes and enjoy that satisfying crunch all over again. It’s a little culinary trick that’ll keep this dish in heavy rotation!

Go ahead, give it a try. Snap a photo, share your masterpiece, and tell someone what worked for you. Recipes like this are meant to be sharedthose family-style flavors always bring people together.

Olivia Farnsworth

Air Fryer Pork Roast With Crackling: Simple and Delicious Recipe

This easy air fryer pork roast delivers succulent, tender meat with irresistibly crispy crackling. Minimal prep and hands-free cooking make it the perfect flavorful centerpiece for any dinner.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 332

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 3lb (1.5kg) pork shoulder with skin
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dried sage
• ½ Tablespoon garlic granules
• 1 Tablespoon coarse salt, divided
• Fine cooking salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste

Method

 

1. Bring pork out of fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
2. Score rind a few times without cutting flesh.
3. Sprinkle rind with ½ Tablespoon coarse salt and cover with paper towel; set aside or refrigerate uncovered up to 24 hours.
4. Preheat air fryer to 400F/200C for 5 minutes.
5. Flip pork flesh side up; drizzle olive oil, sprinkle salt, black pepper, dried sage, and garlic granules; rub into meat.
6. Flip pork skin side up; drizzle olive oil and rub over skin.
7. Sprinkle sea salt evenly over pork skin.
8. Place pork in air fryer basket carefully.
9. Cook at 320F/160C for 50 minutes.
10. Increase air fryer heat to 400F/200C and cook 15-30 minutes until internal temperature reaches 155F-160F.
11. If crackling is not crispy, remove crackling from pork; cook crackling separately in air fryer for 5 minutes or until crispy.
12. Rest pork covered for 15-20 minutes before carving.
13. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

• Unroll pork to ensure even cooking and better crackling.
• Draw moisture from the skin by salting and resting prior to cooking; pat dry if short on time.
• Cook at two temperatures: low to cook meat through, then high to crisp crackling.
• No need to score skin if moisture is controlled properly.
• Allow at least 25-30 minutes per pound plus 15-30 minutes for crackling.
• Rest meat for 15 minutes under foil tent to retain juices before carving.
• Save pan drippings for making flavorful gravy.