Making pork cracklings?

I've never done this myself, but I seem to recall my stepmother taking the rind from slab bacon and putting it in the oven for a LONG time.  There was a modest amount of smoke involved, so it may not have been at too low a temp.  Sorry, I was maybe 12 years old at the time - I happily ate the results but didn't take notes.

Having made beans with ham hocks, though, I could see where one might want to gently simmer the skin for a while before trying to crisp it up - break it down a bit, but the fat is essential to the final product.

mjb.

Cut the fat and skin in pieces. 

Render the fat in a pot over a medium-low flame. 

When the fat is rendered and the pieces with a lot of skin start to float to the top, skim off the pieces with a spider and set them aside.  If some of the skin is still has fat attached (some will) don't worry about it.

The process will probably take a long time, but just stick with it until all the skin's been removed and there's nothing but fat in the pan When no more pieces float to the top, allow the rendered lard to cool, then strain it so that it's completely clean without any brown bits.  You can use either a fine sieve or a colander lined with a couple layers of cheesecloth.  The colander will do a better job, but if all you're going to do with the lard is make cracklings it's not that important.  

Return (some or all of) the lard to the kettle, and heat to frying temp -- 350 - 375F is good.

Drop a few pieces of skin into the lard (don't overcrowd).  In about 30 seconds, the skin will fluff up and expand to about three times it's size.  Use a spider to remove the skin onto a towel lined dish, season immediately.  Continue frying in small batches until it's entirely done.

The oven method is good for getting crisp skin on a pork belly, and would be my first choice for that cut.  But it's not nearly as good for what you have.  You can make it work if you want, by cutting the skin and fat into lardons, seasoning them, putting them  them on a sheet, placing in a hot (as hot as your oven will go), preheated oven for about 20 minutes, then reducing the oven to around 375 and just letting them cook until the skin turns GBD, probably another 30 - 60 minutes -- with the time depending on a lot of things.  This method will leave a fair amount of fat with the skin; and -- as already said -- is better for pork belly.  

BDL

Probably just not enough anything -- and especially fat -- for that method.  Next time you might try priming the process with some lard.  Farmer John lard and the "homemade" stuff you find in most SoCal carnecerias is excellent stuff.  Just one more way in which we're spoiled.

BDL

Quote:

Originally Posted by boar_d_laze 

Probably just not enough anything -- and especially fat -- for that method.

 

BDL

I'd absolutely agree. 

Also, with the method that was used, it's a little tricky to recognize the shades of color and amount of how done they are through the process.  Even if you have constant low heat, they will hit a point where one second they are perfect and the next moment is too late.  Even though they'll look brown (it's certainly shades of brown we're talking about) they'll taste burnt. I've had this happen with chicken skin cracklings.  It's not as precise of a method I think to the one BDL maps out in that you don't have that quick fry at the end but rather a long rendering/browning process why is a different dynamic.   

You can bake them and enjoy them fat-less.

dcarch

1. Cook them well first.

2. Dry them 100 % (I use my dehydrator) to rock-hard.

3. Pre set oven to 400F and bake. Keep an eye on them. They puff up quick.

Hope this helps.

dcarch

FF google "pork scratchings"