Pork Cracklings Recipes

PORK AND CRACKLING

Steps:

• Lay out your pork on a board and rub some salt and 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary into the scored lines, trying to get this into every bit by pushing and rubbing in. In a pestle and mortar smash up the fennel seeds, then the garlic and remaining chopped rosemary, and rub this into the meat ? not the skin, or it will burn. Place in a large roasting tray with the balsamic vinegar, bay and olive oil. Leave for about 1/2 hour to marinate.
• Meanwhile, preheat your oven to its highest temperature and brown the bones. Rub the skin of the pork with lots of sea salt ? this will help puff it up and dry it out. Place the pork directly on the bars at the top of the oven. Finally add the browned bones and vegetables to the leftover balsamic marinade, add 570ml, 1 pint water and put into the oven directly under the pork. As the pork cooks all the goodness drips from it into the tray. This liquid will then become your gravy. You also get quite charred bar marks on the base of the pork.
• The pork will take about 1 hour to cook. After 20 minutes turn the temperature down to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the oven on the rack and place on a piece of foil to save any juices. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. Finish off any vegetables that you are going to serve with it and make a gravy out of the juices in the tray which was underneath the pork.
• Put the bones, the liquid and the vegetables into a large pan. Add some water to the tray that contained the bones and vegetables, as there will be some Marmite-like, sticky stuff on the bottom to the tray which is very tasty. Reboil the water, scrape off all the goodness from the bottom of the tray and then pour everything into the pan. Bring to the boil, shaking occasionally, remove any oil, grease or scum from the top, then pass the contents through a sieve, discarding all the vegetables and bones. You can reduce and then correct the seasoning, to taste.

PORK CRACKLINGS

Steps:

• Pulse kosher salt and fennel in grinder until fennel is coarsely ground. Arrange fatback, skin side up, on a work surface with longest side nearest you. Score pork skin (1/4 inch deep) crosswise with a sharp knife at 1/3-inch intervals (do not cut through to fat). Pat skin completely dry with paper towels, then rub fennel salt into skin. Let stand, loosely covered, at room temperature 1 hour.
• Put oven rack in bottom third of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.
• Pat skin completely dry with paper towels again, then cut skin into strips using scored cuts as a guide. Arrange strips close together in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and slowly pour water into pan (not over skin). Roast, stirring twice (use caution, as fat may splatter), until strips are golden, blistered, and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, then discard fat remaining in pan.

PORK BELLY CRACKLINGS

Steps:

• Using a utility knife, razor blade or sharp knife, score skin into 1 1/2-inch squares, then use score marks as guides to cut through meat and fat underneath, resulting in 1 1/2-inch cubes.
• Pour oil into a pot deep enough that top of oil is at least 6 inches from rim; place over medium-high heat. When oil reaches 225 degrees on a deep-fat frying thermometer, add pork cubes and immediately stir gently to prevent clumping. Cook pork until it is lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine spices in a small bowl.
• Reheat oil to 400 or 425 degrees and add pork again. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until skin "cracks" or bubbles up. Remove cubes to a plate lined with fresh paper towels. After a minute put cracklings in a bowl, toss with spice mix and kosher salt, and serve.

CHICHARRONES (PORK CRACKLIN'S)

Steps:

• Rub the pork belly with the salt and let sit for 1 hour.
• Rinse well under cold water, pat dry, and cut into roughly 2x½" (5x1.5-cm) chunks.
• In a heavy pan, melt the lard over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and bay leaves. Stir well for 2 minutes, then add the pork belly. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 45 minutes, turning the meat every 15 minutes.
• Increase the heat and sear every side of the pork pieces over high heat for a further 15 minutes. Remove the pork and cut it into smaller chunks. Serve hot with lime wedges.

CRACKLINS (DEEP-FRIED PORK BELLY)

Steps:

• Heat about 4 inches of oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fry pork belly squares in batches until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Heat about 4 inches of oil in another large saucepan to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
• Fry pork belly squares in batches a second time until skin "pops," 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain on fresh paper towels.