How to Make Crisp Pork Cracklings
Pork cracklings are very tasty and can be used as a snack, added to salads and greens or added to your favorite cornbread recipe for true Southern style crackling cornbread. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Place the pork roast skin side up in a baking dish and score the skin with 1-inch vertical cuts. Do not cut all the way through the skin at this time. Season the roast as you normally would, including the skin. Cover the skin portion with tin foil. Bake the roast.
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2
Allow to cool after cooking. With a sharp knife, slip the blade under the skin area and cut the skin, along with a layer of fat, away from the roast meat. Place the skin on a flat surface and following the initial cuts you made before baking, using the knife to cut all the way through the skin. Continue cutting until all of the skin is in strips. Next, cut all of the strips into small cubes. Set aside.
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3
Heat a iron skillet on the stove. Once it's hot, place the cubes of pork skin and fat into the skillet. Keep the temperature at medium-high to high so the fat will begin to fry and turn into grease. Stir the cubes so they do not burn. Do not leave the skillet unattended and be careful of popping grease. If you want to add any extra seasonings, such as salt, pepper, or hot pepper, do so at this stage of cooking.
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4
Remove skillet from stove and turn the temperature down to medium-low once the fat has cooked off. Drain the grease from the skillet. You can use this grease for seasoning in other dishes, such as fresh greens. Leave the cracklings in the skillet and return to the stove. Cook the cracklings for approximately 5 minutes, stirring continuously, until the cracklings are crispy brown.
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5
Place cooked cracklings on a paper-towel to absorb grease. Pat the crackings with a paper-towel to remove any excess grease. Allow to cool and then eat as a snack, use in salads or fresh greens or add to your favorite cornbread recipe.
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Tips & Warnings
Cracklings can be hard on the teeth, so use caution when biting into them.
Be careful of popping grease.
