Perfect Crispy Pork Belly Roast Crackling

Preheat your oven to the highest setting. It's important to remember that the key to a good crackling is the initial high heat, which helps to puff up the skin and make it super crispy.

Take your pork belly and determine if it's properly dried. This step is significantly important to ensure that the crackling is crisp. If it's not, you can pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel or let it sit in the refrigerator uncovered overnight.

Make small scores in the skin of the pork with a sharp knife. Be cautious and ensure the knife doesn't penetrate the meat. This will help the heat penetrate and evenly cook the pork.

Once scored, rub a generous amount of sea salt into the skin getting it into all the scores you've made. This procedure plays a dual role: the salt soaks up any residue moisture and it also flavors the meat.

Place the pork belly on a rack in a roasting pan with the skin side up.

Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the pork ensuring that it's well coated, then season it with freshly ground black pepper.

Crush the peeled garlic cloves and distribute them evenly over the pork belly, followed by the sprigs of rosemary.

Roast the pork in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until you start seeing the skin bubble and become really crispy.

After 30 minutes, turn the heat down to 170°C and cook for an additional 2 hours. Take my advice here - the slower, the better. This allows the heat to work its magic, rendering the fat and making the meat succulent and tender.

Once cooked, allow the roast to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. This helps the meat reabsorb the juices and makes it easier to cut.

Carve the pork roast into thick slices and serve immediately, ensuring everyone gets a nice piece of that superb crackling.