For the best roast pork buy your joint from a local butcher or farmers market. I never seem to get good crackling from pork brought from the supermarket. For the best flavour and crackling I buy a shoulder joint which has a little more fat but buy a leg joint if you prefer the leaner cut.
Preheat the oven to 220C (200℃ fan)/425°F /gas mark 7. Weigh the joint and calculate the cooking time. Allow 25 minutes per 500g plus 25 minutes.
Place the meat in a roasting tin and sprinkle the skin with sea salt. Roast for the calculated time, so for this size joint 1 hour 40 minutes. Baste with the juices once or twice during cooking but not in the last 30–40 minutes of the cooking time.
The joint is cooked when the juices run clear when pierced with a skewer or sharp knife. Allow to rest for 20 minute before carving.
To make carving easier, remove the crackling first and then carve the joint.
To make the gravy
Remove the meat from the roast tin and keep warm. Spoon off most of the fat from the pan.
Add the flour and stir well. Place over a low heat and cook stirring for a minute or two.
Gradually stir in the stock, then increase the heat and cook stirring until the gravy thickens slightly. Pour into a jug to serve.
Notes
If you do not have a roasting tin suitable to put directly onto the hob (cheap thin metal ones are not suitable as they will buckle and twist) then pour the meat juices into a small saucepan to make the gravy.Nutrition information is approximate and is meant as a guideline only. (It does not include seasoning with salt and pepper.)