Video summary

Phil Vickery's Pork Masterclass | This Morning

Main summary

Key takeaways

Cooking

Presenter / Channel

Phil Vickery on This Morning cooking segment.

Ingredients (with quantities where stated)

Roast pork (loin/rack; joint details described)

  • Pork joint: “loin of pork” (7-bone rack; chined—cut through bottom for easier carving)
  • Salt: “I always put salt…”
  • Black pepper: “and pepper…”
  • No mustard powder / flour needed (explicitly stated: “nothing’s needed” beyond scoring + salt/pepper)

Pork chops (brining variation)

Option A: Sugar/salt brine (for one batch)

  • 30 g sugar
  • 15 g salt
  • 300 ml water
  • Dissolve on the stove; weigh back to original ~300 g after any reduction
  • Brined-time/handling: chops go in for 20 minutes

Option B: No full brine (salt + sugar treatment)

  • 1 tablespoon salt + sugar (exact proportions not given beyond this combo)
  • Spread onto chops, 20 minutes max
  • Wash off after the 20 minutes

Glazed / extra pork belly topping (briefly mentioned)

  • Soy and honey (amounts not given)
  • Pork belly pieces referenced (wing-tip/bone area described, then clarified as belly)

Apple sauce

  • Mentioned as a “dip” / serving suggestion with crackling.

Equipment + Preparation

  • Oven pre-set around 180°C
    • Subtitles mention “this says 175,” but he explains it’s a hotter-than-normal calibrated oven.
  • Thermometer / probe for internal temperature checking
  • Foil for covering after crackling begins
  • Tray for the fat/crackling foil step (rendering)
  • Griddle pan and/or oven for cooking chops
  • Butcher-scored rind: joints for roasting are typically scored
  • Chops: require brining or salted-sugaring, then drying/patting before cooking

Method: Roast Pork with Crackling

1) Score the rind

  • Rendering depends on scoring; if the fat isn’t scored, it “doesn’t go crispy.”
  • Scoring is typically done by the butcher, but he emphasizes: you need to score the rind.

2) Season

  • Apply salt and pepper to the scored rind.

3) Oven roasting (initial stage)

  • Oven guidance: ~180°C (noting the oven calibration issue and to be “slightly careful”)
  • Roast for about:
    • ~1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (depending on joint)
  • At this stage:
    • Internal temperature: 55–58°C (described as “rare”)
    • Crackling is starting; fat gaps open and fat begins rendering

4) Partial re-positioning to finish (remove and cover)

  • Take it out when crackling has started properly (described as “3/4 cooked”).
  • Remove part of the “fat” area to a tray:
    • He keeps most fat on, leaving some at the edges; the moved portion goes to a tray.
  • Return the moved fat to the oven in a tray (subtitles vary on exact placement).
  • Cover the main joint with foil and return to finish (he warns it can burn).

5) Finish cooking to internal temperature

  • Typical guidance for a 7-bone loin: about 1 to 1.5 hours total (also referenced as “hour and a half”).
  • Target internal temperature:
    • Above 70°C, with 74°C mentioned as a practical target
  • Doneness note:
    • If you cut it and it’s “a little bit pink,” that’s fine as long as it’s in the 70°C range.

6) Resting

  • Rest covered in foil.
  • Resting described qualitatively: up to an hour is absolutely fine.
  • Resting helps more rendering and supports crackling going crispy.

7) Carving / crackling texture

  • Crackling should “snap apart” and “literally fall apart.”
  • It shouldn’t break teeth (tender, fall-apart crisp behavior).

Key timing / temperature cues (as stated)

  • Early stage: 55–58°C internal around 1–1h15m
  • Finish stage: 70–74°C internal
  • Resting: up to ~1 hour, covered

Important technique / mistakes to avoid

  • Don’t overcook to protect juiciness
    • Overcooking makes pork “very very dry very quickly.”
  • Don’t roast crackling first, then remove too late
    • A common mistake: people remove only once crackling is done—leading to overcooked pork.
  • Don’t fail to score
    • Without scoring, fat stays underneath and won’t crisp.

“Resting is the key step” (resting helps preserve juiciness and crackling crispness).

Method: Pork Chops (Brining Variations + Cook/Technique)

Option A: 20-minute sugar/salt brine

  1. Make brine
    • Combine 30 g sugar + 15 g salt + 300 ml water
    • Dissolve on stove; may reduce slightly—weigh back to original ~300 g
  2. Brine chops
    • Soak for 20 minutes
  3. Dry
    • Remove and dry off (drying/patting implied)
  4. Cook
    • Cook “like you would normally” (griddle pan or oven)
    • Lift and cook both sides to redistribute juices; rest in the pan so liquid soaks through

Option B: Salt + sugar (no full brine), then wash off

  1. Salt & sugar treatment
    • Use 1 tablespoon salt + sugar spread on chops
    • Leave 20 minutes (no longer)
  2. Wash and dry
    • Wash it off, then pat it
  3. Cook
    • Cook in oven and/or griddle pan as desired

Technique cue (from discussion)

  • Brining/sugaring is described as breaking down chop structure and giving a result compared to making bacon (salt penetration effect).
  • Emphasis: don’t rush it, and leave it to rest for best results.

Serving / Plating Suggestions

  • Roast pork served with apple sauce as a “dip.”
  • Crackling should be:
    • Juicy interior
    • Crispy crackling
    • Resting helps preserve juiciness
  • Pork chops are served after resting, with results compared between brine vs salt-only.

Variations Mentioned (concise)

  • Roast pork crackling approach: score rind + salt/pepper; remove fat/crackling parts to tray; cover joint with foil for finishing.
  • Pork chop seasoning approaches:
    • 30 g sugar / 15 g salt in 300 ml water brine for 20 minutes
    • Salt + sugar spread for 20 minutes, then wash off
  • Additional item: a pork belly piece with soy + honey (exact cooking method not detailed).

Additional Notes / Referenced Material

  • He references a recipe resource: “This Morning app” (for recipe details).

Original video