Pork roast with crispy crackling and apple gravy

Pull your roast out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat your oven to 450 F. In a bowl, make a quick rub by mixing together the salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Season the meat sides of the roast (not the skin) with rub. Place it skin-side up on a roasting tray. Use a sharp knife to poke multiple holes (at least a dozen) about 1 cm into the skin. Put the roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

Microwave the apple juice until warm. In a small bowl, melt a teaspoon of salt in a splash of water. Remove the roast from the oven and pour the apple juice into the tray. Brush the skin with the salty water, then sprinkle on another pinch of salt onto the wet skin. Tent the tray loosely with foil and put it back in the oven. Turn the heat down to 300 F.

After 3 hours, pull the roast from the oven. Remove the foil and transfer the meat to a plate. Pour the liquid from the roasting tray through a sieve into a small pot. Return the meat to the tray and put it back into the oven, uncovered. Turn the heat up to 400F. Roast an additional 1 hour or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 160 F and the skin is a dark, crispy shell. Remove the roast from the oven and let rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Spoon the film of excess oil from the top of the pot of drippings. Put the pot on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Make a slurry by mixing cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Whisk the slurry into the drippings. Keep whisking until it thickens into a gravy. Add extra salt and pepper as needed and serve beside the pork.