Tana Ramsay's Crackling Roast Pork

1. Dry the joint. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ 425F/gas 7 well in advance to ensure that it is very hot. You need this blast of heat to seal the meat and give the crackling a good head start.

2. Score the fat on the joint diagonally at 2.5cm intervals, first in one direction, then in the other, to produce a diamond pattern. Rub the salt all over the fat, getting well into the scored slits, season with pepper and drizzle with oil. Cook in a roasting dish for 30 minutes, or longer if necessary, until the crackling is blistered and golden.

3. Turn the oven down to 160C/140C fan/325F/gas 3 and cook the pork for a further 50 minutes. To check it is cooked through, slide a knife into the centre of the joint, leave for 10 seconds, then remove and touch the tip to the inside of your arm where it is sensitive to heat. If it’s really hot, the pork is cooked. The juices should run clear with no trace of pink.

4. Turn off the oven and leave the pork inside to rest for 20 minutes, then remove and rest for 10 minutes more at room temperature. Meanwhile, skim the fat from the juices and put them into a small pan over a high heat to reduce to an intense, thin gravy.

5. Serve the pork with the gravy and my chunky apple sauce and accompany with roasted carrots and parsnips.