Pork rind is the culinary term for the skin of a pig. It can be used in many different ways. It can be rendered, fried in fat, baked, or roasted to produce a kind of pork cracklings (US), crackling (UK), or scratchings (UK); these are served in small pieces as a snack or side dish and can also be used as an appetizer. The frying renders much of the fat, making it much smaller. They can also be used as a coating.
Snack
Often a byproduct of the rendering of lard, it is also a way of making even the tough skin of a pig edible. In many ancient cultures, animal fats were the only way of obtaining oil for cooking and they were common in many people's diets until the Industrial Revolution made vegetable oils more common and more affordable. Microwaveable pork rinds are sold in bags that resemble microwaveable popcorn and can be eaten still warm. Pickled pork rinds, though, are often refrigerated and eaten cold. Unlike the crisp and fluffy texture of fried pork rinds, pickled pork rinds have a rich, buttery consistency, similar to foie gras.
Preparation
For the large-scale production of commercial pork rinds, frozen, dried pork skin pellets are used. They are first rehydrated in water with added flavoring, and then fried in pork fat at 200–210 °C (392–410 °F). Cooking makes the rinds expand five times their original size and float on the oil surface. The rinds are then removed from the fat, flavored, and air-dried. Antioxidants may be added to improve stability.
Nutritional value
Like many snack foods, pork rinds can be high in sodium and fat; however, they are low in carbohydrates and are sometimes considered an alternative snack food for those following a low-carbohydrate diet. According to Men's Health, a 28-gram (1 oz) serving contains nine times the protein and less fat than is found in a serving of potato chips, which are much higher in carbohydrates. They add that 43% of pork rind's fat is unsaturated, and most of that is oleic acid, the same healthy fat found in olive oil. Another 13% of its fat content is stearic acid, a type of saturated fat that is considered harmless because it does not raise cholesterol levels. Pork rinds are considered an incomplete source of protein because they contain very low amounts of some essential amino acids, including methionine, tryptophan, and histidine.
Regional variations
Americas
Brazil Torresmo is a popular snack in Brazil, usually served in bite-sized chunks. It is also a common accompaniment to typical dishes such as feijoada and virado.
Colombia Chicharrónes is the term for pork rinds in Colombia. Two kinds of chicharrón exist: chicharrón toteado (exploded pork crackling), which has no meat in it and is similar to the lighter, commercial version; and chicharrón cocho, which is usually made with part of the pork meat attached to the skin. This makes for crispy skin and soft, juicy meat. It is traditionally served with beans, rice, fried eggs, chorizo, ground meat, avocado, and ripe plantain and arepa in a typical plate called bandeja paisa.
Canada Scrunchions is a Newfoundland term for small pieces of pork rind or pork fatback fried until rendered and crispy. They are often used as a flavoring over other foods, such as salt fish and potatoes, and mainly used as a condiment for fish and brewis. In Quebec, they are often called oreilles de crisse (Christ's ears) and are eaten almost exclusively as part of traditional cabane à sucre meals.
Costa Rica Chicharrones are commonly served in homes or as snacks in bars and restaurants; some small restaurants also add them to their menus as vigorón or empanadas with Chicharrones and the snack dish called chifrijo . Preparation could change from using pig fat as a base, boiling, and later frying, but many prefer using a wok-like pot and wood-fire cooking.
Mexico
Mexico is one of the world's largest producers and consumers of pork rinds, known as chicharrones. It may still have fat attached, called in Spanish chicharrón con manteca or chicharrón con "gordito" in central México. It is commonly served in homes across Mexico. It can be served in a soup sometimes called chicharrón con chile (pork rind with chili sauce) or salsa de chicharrón (pork rind sauce). It is often served as an appetizer, or even offered as a snack at family reunions. However, chicharrones can be purchased on the street and are usually eaten with hot sauce and lime juice. One popular breakfast is salsa de chicharron, (also chicharrón con chile or just chicharrón in some regions) cooked in green tomato or tomato salsa spiced with epazote. If the liquid is drained, the pork rind can be used in tacos, either as fast food products or kitchen-made. The dryness in pork rind pairs with humidity and softness in pico de gallo (diced tomato, avocado, onion, cilantro [coriander leaf], and chili mix), and both are often paired to fill a corn tortilla as a taco. A byproduct in frying rinds is the decanted residues in the fryer called asiento or boronas (grounds). The process requires uniformly cooking rinds, and while the product dehydrates, it cracks, losing small pieces, which are collected afterward and become a thick, fatty salsa, that can be mixed as an ingredient in other salsa de chicharrón recipes or used for its flavor and fat in pan frying. The second byproduct in frying rinds is lard. Cueritos are the same as pork rinds, but are soft, chewy, and translucent, as they are not heavily cooked unlike the chicharrón, which is very crispy. They are easily available in Mexico as antojo and sold on the streets, usually by butchers, oftentimes served fresh, but one can also find them marinated with vinegar and onion at tienditas. If marinated, they are served with lemon and salt, powdered chili and probably with salsa Valentina. Another variety is duritos, also called chicharrones de harina. These are similar to traditional chicharrones, only made with fried flour leavened with baking soda, instead of fried pig skin. This variety also features a pinwheel shape. Like cueritos, this food is popular with street vendors. They are infrequently sold in Mexico but tend to be a Mexican-American version of the popular chicharron. In the Yucatan cuisine, it is often served along pork belly, known locally by the Maya word kastakán, blood sausage, and a spiced sausage made from pork entrails and habanero peppers known as buche. In the Nuevo León cuisine, there is a variant called "Chicharrón de la Ramos".
United States
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