BS: Chicharrones recipe

Subject: BS: Chicharrones recipe
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 10:24 PM

Chicharrones are commonly found as a snack along the Texas-Mexico border. In the southeast, the name is cracklin's.

A favorite of our dearly beloved former President Bush.

Prepared properly, they have a light and crunchy texture, and can become addictive.

They are made by frying pork skin (rind). Soak the skin in hot, but not boiling water.
The hair is removed, also any attached fat.
A second soaking, this time in boiling water, is next.

Hang the skin out to dry, using mesh or a grill to spread out the skin to dry evenly.
Cut the skin into strips and fry in a large pan or cauldron. Best if fried several times, with a wait in between, until the chicharrones are very crisp.
May be salted to taste.
Use like chips and serve with salsa. A perfect side dish for tacos.

Calories? Who cares?

Subject: RE: BS: Chicharrones recipe
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 10:31 PM

By the way, this was Bush, the Elder.

Subject: RE: BS: Chicharrones recipe
From: bobad
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 10:34 PM

Delicious served with a dip made by blenderizing a tin of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce into a container of sour cream.

Subject: RE: BS: Chicharrones recipe
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 02:52 AM

We call these ' pork scatchings ' in the UK, available in every pub.

Dave H

Subject: RE: BS: Chicharrones recipe
From: TheSnail
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 04:55 AM

We call these ' pork scatchings ' in the UK

Rumour has it that the Danes, not wanting to throw anything away, thought "what can we do with this stuff? I know! Deep fry it and sell it to the English."

Subject: RE: BS: Chicharrones recipe
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 06:01 AM

We used to call it crackling in Northumbria too - along with tripe & trotters it was the scurge of my childhood.

Subject: RE: BS: Chicharrones recipe
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 11:01 AM

Wasn't the HW the one who took heck for saying he didn't like broccoli?

Subject: RE: BS: Chicharrones recipe
From: Charmion
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 02:03 PM

It was indeed.

Subject: RE: BS: Chicharrones recipe
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 05:03 PM

Lookng at a variety of sources, cracklings (or your favorite name) are found around the globe.

Subject: RE: BS: Chicharrones recipe
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 12:21 PM

They are a favorite of people doing the Atkins diet, one of the few available sources of crunchiness. I've crushed them with a rolling pin and used them to bread chicken. The barbecue ones are especially good for this purpose as you get fried chicken with a barbecue flavoring. I can't for the life of me figure why anyone would go to the effort of making them yourself. They are readily available and inexpensive.

Subject: RE: BS: Chicharrones recipe
From: michaelr
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 07:29 PM

Here is a reason to make them yourself (or get them at the restaurant).

On the other hand, the hot deli at my local Chinese-run supermarket just started offering them; I tried them and they were horrible - greasy, same as everything else they fry.