Pork Cooking Time Calculator

Pork cooking time depends on the cut. Loin joints — the most commonly roasted cut in the UK — need 35–40 minutes per kg at 200°C. Shoulder, with its higher fat and connective tissue content, benefits from slightly longer cooking at 45–50 minutes per kg. Belly pork is versatile: it can be roasted at higher heat for crackling, or slow-cooked at 160°C for meltingly tender pulled pork.

Unlike beef and lamb, pork must be cooked through to 75°C internal temperature throughout. The UK Food Standards Agency does not recommend serving pork pink. A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the joint (not touching bone or fat) is the most reliable way to confirm it has reached the safe temperature.

Crackling is one of the great rewards of roast pork. The key factors are: dry skin, deep scoring, generous salt, and initial high heat. The skin must be completely dry before going into the oven — patting with kitchen paper and refrigerating uncovered overnight removes moisture. Salt draws out remaining moisture in the first phase of cooking. The initial blast at 220°C causes the fat to bubble and the skin to puff.

If crackling has not crisped by the end of cooking, turn the oven up to 240°C and cook for a further 10–15 minutes, or transfer the crackling under a hot grill for 5 minutes. Never cover the skin with foil — steam prevents crackling from forming.