Lydia is our in-house expert on Mexican cooking. We asked her to share her recipe for chicharrones. She said her mother is the culinary expert in her family and her "recipe" is more of a series of guidelines. We did our best to transcribe her process.
Chicharrones are a unique way to prepare pork belly. While it is most often associated with bacon, pork belly is the key ingredient for this traditional Mexican snack. Try it for for Cinco de Mayo or any time you need a savory appetizer.
The recipe calls for manteca, the Mexican name for lard or pork fat. We found brands packed in 40 oz. tubs and 1 lb. blocks at our local grocery and specialty food shops. Depending on the cooking container you use, you may need more than 4 lbs. of lard. Lydia says not to worry. It’s great to use later for refried beans or frying carnitas.
1 Snake River Farms Kurobuta Pork Belly (5 to 6 lbs.) Buy Now
4 pounds manteca (pork fat/lard)
1 head garlic
Kosher salt
Chicharrones
Cut the pork belly into rough 1” cubes. To make it easy, cut 1” slices (like a really thick piece of bacon), then slice in half along the width. Cut these strips into cubes.
Heat the manteca to 375 degrees in a cazo (the classic copper pan used in Mexican cooking), wok or deep skillet.
When the lard is melted and up to temperature, place the whole head of garlic in the cazo or pan. Ideally you pan will be large enough for all the pork belly cubes. If not, work in batches.
Cook until the cubes are a deep brown color and crispy. About 45 to 60 minutes.
Remove from oil, drain and sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Serve as is or with lime wedges on the side.
Chicharrones are a unique way to prepare pork belly. While it is most often associated with bacon, pork belly is the key ingredient for this traditional Mexican snack. Try it for for Cinco de Mayo or any time you need a savory appetizer. The recipe calls for manteca, the Mexican name for lard or pork fat.
Kurobuta is the Japanese term for “black hog” and refers to animals of the Berkshire variety, a heritage breed kept pure for hundreds of years. Kurobuta pork is highly marbled with a beautiful dark color, firm texture, and naturally delicious flavor.
Chicharon, a crispy and flavorful Filipino snack, has become an integral part of the country's culinary landscape. This deep-fried delight, known for its irresistible crunch and savory goodness, is more than just a snack — it's a cultural icon that has evolved over the years.
chicharron, a dish usually featuring deep-fried pork rind (skin) or pork belly or both, popular in Spain and Central and South America. Recipes for chicharron vary greatly. Most use pork; others use mutton, beef, or chicken. Pork belly and rib cuts are common.
Chicharrones and Pork Rinds Are Used Interchangeably
That's because pork rinds and chicharrones are the same if both are made from pork. The primary difference comes from the type of meat used, so chicharrones are only appreciably different if they're made from beef or mutton.
Chicharrones have some nutrients we may not get enough of in the rest of our diets, and they're a low-carb snack option. But they are also a fried food that provides significant cholesterol and saturated fat.
Kurobuta pork is highly prized for its excellent quality and flavor. Generally, authentic Kurobuta/Berkshire pork must have a pedigree from an established herd in England or Japan. The pigs were brought to Japan around the middle of the nineteenth century, and have since become sought after in the country.
You'll notice Kurobuta pork has a deeper reddish hue than grocery store pork. That's a reflection of its naturally higher pH, a product of exceptional marbling and an indicator of deeper flavor.
It goes back to the elementary lessons of supply and demand. According to market analysis, pork bellies' supply is tight. The latest Cold Storage report by the USDA shows stocks of frozen bellies at a record low. Basically, the bacon stash is depleted, and it is time to restock the freezers.
It is a known fact that chicharon is deemed unhealthy due to its high fat content. But the kind of fat that's in chicharon is mostly mono-unsaturated, the same healthy kind of fat found in olive oil, avocados, and macadamia nuts. Some kinds of chicharon have as high as 40 percent of this “heart-healthy” fat.
Chicharrones are fried pork rinds. Which is like fried crispy pork fat and skin sometimes with some meat on it. Chicharrones are the product left from rendering lard, you literally render all the fat from the pork belly or rinds and then they fry to a golden crunchy crisp.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan to 350 degrees. Deep fry pork belly until crispy and golden brown on one side, then flip it over and fry other side (roughly 8-10 minutes per side).
Pork rinds are a snack made from deep-fried pig skin. They're also known as chicharrones. Pork rinds have long been staples at gas stations and convenience stores, but you can now also find them at mainstream grocery stores.
And with 80 calories and 5 to 6 grams of fat per serving, many nutrition experts are claiming natural pork rinds (a.k.a. chicharrones and cracklins) are a way better way to satiate your salty, savory, crunchy cravings than other snacks, like potato chips.
Also known as carnitas in Guatemala, these refer to a meatier part of the pork rind. Where a chicharrón is, strictly speaking, skin and fat, carnitas denotes skin with some meat as well. (In other places, carnitas generally refers to fried pork meat without skin or a stew-like dish made from it.)
Pork Belly is the boneless cut that remains after the loin and spareribs are removed. Pork belly comes from a hog's belly' or underside after the loin and spareribs have been removed. Fresh pork belly is succulent and richly flavorful and is often served in small portions.
Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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