Score

Scoring a joint of meat has several purposes. It allows for a crispier outer edge (such as for pork crackling), increases the absorption of flavour (if using a marinade) and also stops the meat distorting during cooking, as cooked fat tends to shrink and tug the meat with it.

Simply make shallow slashes in the skin of a meat joint, such as pork, chicken and duck, before roasting or rubbing in a marinade.