Please help me not *** up the crackling

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I’m still not used to my electronic oven, after always having a gas one.

It’s a zanussi, and nothing ever seems to come out quite right.

I know for a fan oven, you’re usually supposed to lower by 10/20 degrees, but it feels like if I do this it always needs ages longer. I’ve tried using the temp suggested for non-fan, but the oven seems to do what it wants.

Last time I did a pork joint, the actual meat was quite nice, but the crackling was like a rock - (this was after me not adjusting for temp for fan, as previously was undercooked after time and took ages more) so obviously temp was too high.

Feel like an idiot that I can’t seem to work it out, but please someone give me the key to cooking a 1 kg pork joint in a zanussi electric oven?

The crackling is my fav part, and it’s so annoying when it just comes out crap.

Please, baby steps like you’re teaching an absolute idiot would be fantastic!

Thanks in advance

Do you have an air fryer? I cook my belly pork low and slow in the oven then into the air fryer for about 10 minutes. Soft meat, melty fat and amazing crackling that I then have to fight DS for.

I did a small joint (prob about the same weight as yours if not a bit less) of pork shoulder yesterday for dinner. This method doesn't always work but it did yesterday.
Make sure the pork skin is completely dry.
Pour oil and brush it over the skin then sprinkle fine salt all over the skin.
I then put it in a dish with a load of garlic cloves in their skins, a couple of sliced eating apples that were a bit wrinkly, a sprinkle of dried sage.
Sat the pork on top, seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and poured a can of cider over the apple making sure not to get any on the top.
I cooked it at 160 in my fan oven for approx 3 hours.
When I needed to roast the potatoes I took the pork out and covered it with foil and then several teatowels and let it rest for about an hour. The crackling was still super crisp despite being covered, and the gravy made from the juices plus veg water was sublime. Hope that's of help😀

Cook it slow always works for me - meat falls apart like pulled pork (handy for using the next day) and I get crispy crackling. Does take ages though. Basically score your fat, cook it as hot as your oven will go uncovered for 30-45mins until your crackling puffs up and looks crispy, then reduce heat, cover in foil and slow roast. Something like this -

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pork-recipes/6-hour-slow-roasted-pork-shoulder/

Thank you. I do have an air fryer so could give that a go.

In the gas oven, I’d blast it at first, on 7 or 8, for 20 mins or so,
then turn low to 4/5 for the remainder.

But converting it to the temp, then knocking off 10/20 degrees for the fan doesn’t seem to work (on anything!)

I’ve just been having a look on Amazon, and am having an oven thermometer delivered tomorrow, as I’m sure it’s not right.

Blasting with heat at the beginning is how I thought it was done, but seems not everyone does it that way, or blast at the end?

It’s so frustrating when something is cooking for so long, and it’s just a disappointment