How to Crisp Soggy Roast Pork Crackling in the Oven
This is a short tutorial on how to crisp soggy roast pork crackling by reheating it in the oven. It works for both home-made or store bought roast pork (siu yok/烧肉). The crackling skin to me is the most delicious part of the roast pork so it is worthwhile to restore its crispiness before eating. This tutorial was made with supermarket roast pork which was refrigerated overnight. The skin had become soggy but it was restored to crackling blissfulness after reheating.
See Also:
During #CircuitBreakerSG (aka “soft lockdown” in Singapore), the supermarkets, wet markets & eateries (takeaway only) are still business as usual. So one can still buy roasted pork from selected supermarkets or wet markets. For this reason, I don’t cook three meals a day because that is too taxing (lazy). At least one meal a day will be easy like this one with cooked meat as a short-cut.
Chinese restaurants love to serve perfectly crispy roast pork as an appetizer dish. You can achieve the same heavenly crispiness at a fraction of the cost. I also use the crispy roast pork as a salad topping, turning a boring salad to a luxurious one.
STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS
This is a packet of roast pork strips I bought from the supermarket. It got it inexpensively for about S$8 at Prime Supermarket. You can purchase roast pork at selected supermarkets & at wet markets’ Chinese roast meat stalls.
The skin has lost its glorious crackle after sitting in the fridge overnight. I want to restore that.
Place the roast pork piece(s) on a sheet pan lined with baking paper.
Place the tray at the topmost rack as shown above. The heating coil is directly above, so the heat will be intense. For my oven, I can use either the “fan grill” or “grill” modes, while many ovens call this the “broiler” mode. Choose any mode that delivers the direct heat from the top heating element. Preheating is not essential (since this is not pastry making), so I put the tray into the oven for 10 minutes right from the start.
P.S. this is a little peek at my new kitchen.
After 10 minutes (time may vary slightly depending on your oven), this is what the roast pork looks like.
To test if the skin crackles, just pat it gently with a spoon. If you hear crackling, it is a success.
Slice and serve :)
How to Crisp Soggy Roast Pork Crackling
You can use the “broiler”, “fan grill” or “grill” mode of the oven – basically any mode which delivers direct heat from the main top heating element of the oven.
The cooking time in the oven may vary slightly depending on the make and model of your oven.
Ingredients:
- cooked roast pork strips (any amount as long as they occupy one layer in the pan)
You also need:
- oven sheet pan
- baking paper
Directions:
- Place roast pork strip(s) on a sheet pan lined with baking paper. Place the tray at the topmost rack closest to the top heating element of the oven.
- Restore the crackle using the oven. Using the “fan grill”, “grill” or “broiler” mode, roast for about 10 minutes at 200°C (392°F) without preheating. To test if it is ready, gently tap &/or scrap the skin to hear the crackling sound.
Cooking Note(s):
The oven will be nicely preheated when the roast pork is done. You can put it a tray of pastries (cupcake, muffins, etc.) to bake right away without preheating.