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Chicharron Recipe
Are you a fan of pork rinds? It is a somewhat divisive food. Some people love it, others loathe it; but if you've never had freshly made Mexican style pork rinds (chicharron) from your own kitchen, you owe it to yourself to give it one more try, even if you normally can't stand them.
These pork rinds are made in the Mexican style; it is a very simple dish of fried pork skin and the attached pieces of meat, seasoned with just salt or if you like, with cumin and/or chili powder as well.
Fresh chicharron is sometimes used as a topping for tacos in Mexico as well as being a popular snack to serve along with cold drinks, just as pork rinds are here in the US. Love them or not, fresh chicharron is very different than the pork rinds you will find in a bag at your corner store, so try them - you may be surprised.
Mexican Pork Rind Snacks
Ingredients -
3 lbs pork skin and attached bits of meat
Salt (and any other spices you might want to use)
Oil, for frying
Preparation:
Make sure that the pork skin is cleaned and partially frozen before you begin cooking.
Cut the pork into 2" wide pieces of manageable length, season with salt or other spices of your choice and refrigerate for about an hour.
Fry in oil heated to 375 degrees until golden brown, 5-6 minutes.
Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, or the seasonings of your choice and serve.
(Serves 4 - 8)
Photo Description:
Chicharron, at least when its freshly made at home, tastes a lot more like bacon than it does like the mass produced, packaged pork rinds available at stores - and that is precisely what's so wonderful about it. It is also incredibly easy to make, as you can tell from the list of ingredients above. Try them with drinks or as they are often eaten in Mexico, on tortillas with a little chopped onion, cilantro and a squeeze of lime as a taco. No matter how you choose to serve them, they will disappear quicker than you think.
