The frying time varies per cook but most know cracklings are done when they pop and form “eyes” and float to the surface. Some cooks pull the cracklings from the fat and allow them to cool before deep-frying them a second time at a higher temperature.
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Pork skins and rinds
Pork skins and pork rinds are two names for the same thing, made from skin of the hog. Called baconettes in Cajun Country, chicharrons in Spanish, and scratchings in England, rinds are made by frying just the dried skin of the back or belly of the hog, no fat attached, until they get light, puffy, and crunchy, like giant rice crispies. Above is a picture of the best I have ever tasted, at the restaurant Publican in Chicago, where they are made from scratch and served warm with a light dusting of dehydrated cheese and vinegar. Not the least bit greasy.
Why are pigskins and barbecue so popular at football watching parties? As any fan will tell you, the greensward the game is played on, marked with parallel white stripes, is called a gridiron. What he or she may not know is that a gridiron is an early name for the iron grate with parallel bars upon which meat is cooked over coals, hence the origin of the name.
And what is the central object of the game? A pigskin, of course. On the fun website, Porkopolis, Jeff White wrote: “There’s one thing you can be sure of though, a Southerner didn’t create the football. Ya see, a football was originally made from a pig’s bladder. If you’re a Southerner, a pig’s bladder ain’t nothing but one step away from a chitlin’. Now technically a chitlin’ is made from the stomach and intestines of a pig. I think we could’ve found something to do with a pig’s bladder other than toss it around at family reunions.”
Rudolph Foods Co. produces numerous brands including Rudolph, Grandpa John’s, Pepe’s, Lee’s, Rudy’s, Smithfield Farms, and Southern Recipe among others. In 1989, Ohio Governor Richard F. Celeste declared Lima the “Pork Rind Capital of The World.” Rudolph’s also sells dried pork rind and cracklin “pellets” ready for deep frying at home or in your restaurant.
Clearly rinds are not health food, but Men’s Health magazine recommends them as a smart snack. Rudolph’s tries to tout the health benefits of rinds by claiming that there are 0 carbs and 0 trans fats and 80 calories, 9 grams of protein, 10 mg cholesterol, 220 mg of sodium, and 5 mg of fat in a serving of their product.
They also claim that 1 ounce (28.3 g) of peanuts contains 14 grams of fat while pork rinds contain only 8, and 57% of the fat in pork rinds is monounsaturated oleic acid, the kind of “good fat” associated with olive oil. Another 13% of the fat content is stearic acid, a type of saturated fat that’s considered harmless, because it doesn’t raise cholesterol levels.
An ounce of rinds contain 17 grams of protein, while almonds contain 6, chicken contains 7, and a scrambled egg has about 7 grams. That’s 9 times the protein and less fat than you’ll find in a serving of carb-packed potato chips.
By the way, nowadays, footballs are made from cowhide or synthetics.
Making Cracklings and Lard, with a Product Review
FAQ
Are cracklins supposed to be hard?
How do you soften hard cracklins?
How do you cook cracklings?
How do you know if a pork cracklin is cooked?
When the cracklin has shrunk, is golden brown, and is uniformly hard and crunchy when you tap it with tongs, it’s done. Remove it from the oven and immediately re-season it with some salt and any seasonings you like. Let the pork cracklins cool for 5-10 minutes.
How do you make cracklins?
Making cracklins is rather simple but it is a time consuming process that is well worth the wait. Cracklins are pieces of pork fat with layers of meat and skin where the fat has been rendered away from for several hours at a low temperature and then flash fried to cracklin’ perfection and seasoned with a Cajun spice.
What do baked pork cracklins look like?
The baked pork cracklins turned golden brown, rendered out nearly all the fat, and got puffy, crunchy and delicious. A quick sprinkle of salt and some seasoning made them extra delicious. I’m going to feel much better about having cracklins from time to time, knowing I make them myself and I know what is (and is not) in them. Here’s how easy it is:
What are pork cracklins?
Pork Cracklins are a Cajun country thing. Pork skins with some meat remaining, cooked down over a low heat until crispy and popping. It is thought that they were first created while pork fat was being rendered down for use in other ways. Pork rinds, pork skin and pork scratchings are all close cousins (practically the same thing).