How to Make Pork Rinds
Purchase some pork skin., Trim the skin away from the fat and meat., Cut the skin into bite-sized pieces., Preheat your oven., Place the pork skins on a baking sheet., Bake the skins for 3 hours., Heat some oil or lard for frying., Test the heat...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Purchase some pork skin.
Pork skin is easy to find at smaller butcher shops, charcuteries, or international meat markets.Alternatively, buy a large cut of pork belly with the skin on it.
Make sure there is at least a quarter inch (0.6 centimeter) of skin on the meat.
Buy at least a pound (420 grams) of pork skin, not including the meat.
Use the skin within 3 days of purchase.
The high moisture content of pork skin causes it to spoil quickly. -
Step 2: Trim the skin away from the fat and meat.
Cut away any meat by slicing through the fatty layer.
Next, use the back of a knife or a large spoon to scrape the fat away from each strip of skin.
The more fat you remove, the puffier the skins will become.Make sure you always practice good knife safety when handling tough cuts of meat.
Pork skin is tough and rubbery.
The fat will be soft and easily scraped away.
The leftover fat can be rendered into lard or discarded.
The meat can be saved for a pork dish. , Once most of the fat is removed from the skin, cut the pork skin into small, bite-sized squares.
Aim for pieces that are 2 x 2 inches (about 5 x 5 centimeters).
The pork skins will double in size when fried.
Therefore, avoid making excessively large pieces.
Wash your hands, knife, and cutting surface after handling raw meat.
Consuming raw meat can cause severe illness. , Set your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius.) Many modern ovens will beep or ring when they’re done preheating.
However, if your oven doesn’t have this feature, let the oven preheat for at least ten minutes.
This will ensure that it comes to temperature properly. , Use a shallow baking sheet of any size.
Place the pieces of pork skins directly onto the baking sheet, skin side down.
Make sure the skin pieces aren’t touching or you’ll crowd them.Depending on how much pork skin you’re cooking, you may need more than one pan.
If you want to make your cleanup easier, line the sheet with foil or wax paper. , When the skins are cooked at a low temperature for a long time, the skins become dehydrated.This will allow them to become puffy and delicious when fried.
When the pork rinds are finished dehydrating, they will look dry and brittle like beef jerky.
It’s better to dehydrate the skins for too long than not long enough.
If they don’t seem dry, let them cook for another thirty minutes or so. , Find a deep stainless steel pan and fill it 1/3 full with lard or frying oil.
Next, place the pan over medium-high heat for five to eight minutes, or until the oil bubbles.Avoid using low smoke-point oils like olive oil.
Appropriate frying oils include:
Peanut oil (don’t use if you have nut allergies) Coconut oil Rendered animal fat, also called lard , The oil needs to be 385 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (196 to 204 Celsius) to properly fry the pork rinds.If you have a cooking thermometer, hold the metal end in the oil for a few seconds to get a temperature reading.
If not, dip the end of a piece of bread in the oil.
If the oil vigorously bubbles around the bread, the oil is hot enough.
If the oil barely bubbles around the bread, the oil needs to heat up longer. , Drop three to four pieces of pork skin in the hot oil.
Let them fry for thirty to sixty seconds.Once the pork rinds are large, puffy, and floating on the surface of the oil, they’re finished cooking.
Fry the skins in small batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.
Use a metal slotted spoon to remove the cooked pork rinds onto a paper-towel lined plate. , Mix a small bowl of seasonings and sprinkle them liberally over the fresh pork rinds.
Many people prefer a simple blend of salt and pepper.
However, a variety of seasoning mixtures can be used, including:
A spicy-sweet blend of
1.5 teaspoons salt, .5 teaspoons ancho chili powder, and 1 teaspoon of maple sugar A teaspoon of Chinese five spice and a teaspoon of saltA teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of pepper, and a sprinkle of paprika, Keep any leftovers in an airtight plastic container or re-sealable bag.
If the container isn’t airtight, the rinds will become stale.
Eat any leftover pork rinds within a week.
Pork rinds can be stored on the counter or in your pantry.
If your pork rinds begin to smell rancid, don’t eat them.
This means that they’ve spoiled. , -
Step 3: Cut the skin into bite-sized pieces.
-
Step 4: Preheat your oven.
-
Step 5: Place the pork skins on a baking sheet.
-
Step 6: Bake the skins for 3 hours.
-
Step 7: Heat some oil or lard for frying.
-
Step 8: Test the heat.
-
Step 9: Fry the skins until they’re puffy.
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Step 10: Season and serve the pork rinds.
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Step 11: Store leftover pork rinds.
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Step 12: Finished.
Detailed Guide
Pork skin is easy to find at smaller butcher shops, charcuteries, or international meat markets.Alternatively, buy a large cut of pork belly with the skin on it.
Make sure there is at least a quarter inch (0.6 centimeter) of skin on the meat.
Buy at least a pound (420 grams) of pork skin, not including the meat.
Use the skin within 3 days of purchase.
The high moisture content of pork skin causes it to spoil quickly.
Cut away any meat by slicing through the fatty layer.
Next, use the back of a knife or a large spoon to scrape the fat away from each strip of skin.
The more fat you remove, the puffier the skins will become.Make sure you always practice good knife safety when handling tough cuts of meat.
Pork skin is tough and rubbery.
The fat will be soft and easily scraped away.
The leftover fat can be rendered into lard or discarded.
The meat can be saved for a pork dish. , Once most of the fat is removed from the skin, cut the pork skin into small, bite-sized squares.
Aim for pieces that are 2 x 2 inches (about 5 x 5 centimeters).
The pork skins will double in size when fried.
Therefore, avoid making excessively large pieces.
Wash your hands, knife, and cutting surface after handling raw meat.
Consuming raw meat can cause severe illness. , Set your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius.) Many modern ovens will beep or ring when they’re done preheating.
However, if your oven doesn’t have this feature, let the oven preheat for at least ten minutes.
This will ensure that it comes to temperature properly. , Use a shallow baking sheet of any size.
Place the pieces of pork skins directly onto the baking sheet, skin side down.
Make sure the skin pieces aren’t touching or you’ll crowd them.Depending on how much pork skin you’re cooking, you may need more than one pan.
If you want to make your cleanup easier, line the sheet with foil or wax paper. , When the skins are cooked at a low temperature for a long time, the skins become dehydrated.This will allow them to become puffy and delicious when fried.
When the pork rinds are finished dehydrating, they will look dry and brittle like beef jerky.
It’s better to dehydrate the skins for too long than not long enough.
If they don’t seem dry, let them cook for another thirty minutes or so. , Find a deep stainless steel pan and fill it 1/3 full with lard or frying oil.
Next, place the pan over medium-high heat for five to eight minutes, or until the oil bubbles.Avoid using low smoke-point oils like olive oil.
Appropriate frying oils include:
Peanut oil (don’t use if you have nut allergies) Coconut oil Rendered animal fat, also called lard , The oil needs to be 385 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (196 to 204 Celsius) to properly fry the pork rinds.If you have a cooking thermometer, hold the metal end in the oil for a few seconds to get a temperature reading.
If not, dip the end of a piece of bread in the oil.
If the oil vigorously bubbles around the bread, the oil is hot enough.
If the oil barely bubbles around the bread, the oil needs to heat up longer. , Drop three to four pieces of pork skin in the hot oil.
Let them fry for thirty to sixty seconds.Once the pork rinds are large, puffy, and floating on the surface of the oil, they’re finished cooking.
Fry the skins in small batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.
Use a metal slotted spoon to remove the cooked pork rinds onto a paper-towel lined plate. , Mix a small bowl of seasonings and sprinkle them liberally over the fresh pork rinds.
Many people prefer a simple blend of salt and pepper.
However, a variety of seasoning mixtures can be used, including:
A spicy-sweet blend of
1.5 teaspoons salt, .5 teaspoons ancho chili powder, and 1 teaspoon of maple sugar A teaspoon of Chinese five spice and a teaspoon of saltA teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of pepper, and a sprinkle of paprika, Keep any leftovers in an airtight plastic container or re-sealable bag.
If the container isn’t airtight, the rinds will become stale.
Eat any leftover pork rinds within a week.
Pork rinds can be stored on the counter or in your pantry.
If your pork rinds begin to smell rancid, don’t eat them.
This means that they’ve spoiled. ,
About the Author
Michael Foster
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in hobbies and beyond.
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