Pork rind

From Freepedia

Pork rinds are a snack food made from chunks (called 'pellets') of cured pork skin (sometimes including portions of meat as well), deep-fried and puffed into light, irregular curls, and often seasoned with chilli pepper or barbecue flavoring. A similar food is cracklings, made from thicker, and therefore harder and crunchier, pieces of fried pigskin.

In the Southern United States, pork rinds carry no social stigma, whereas elsewhere they are often regarded with something akin to horror due to their origins, high fat content, and perceived crudity as a snack food.

Pork rinds are also popular in Latin America, where they are known as chicharrones (the singular form, chicharrón, is also used as a mass noun). They are eaten alone as a snack, with cachapas, as a stuffing in arepas or pupusas, or as the meat portion of various stews and soups. In France they are known as grattons and they are also consumed in Spain. In Portugal, they are normally on sale from stands near large popular gatherings, such as football stadiums, and are accompanied with a well chilled beer. In Britain, they are known as hog lumps or pork scratchings, and are often eaten as an accompaniment to drinks in a pub. Pork scratchings are considered by the British to be somewhat plebeian.

Microwaveable pork rinds are sold which pop like popcorn and can be eaten still warm.

Pickled pork rinds, on the other hand, are best enjoyed refrigerated and cold. Unlike the crisp and fluffy texture of fried pork rinds, pickled pork rinds are very rich and buttery, much like foie gras.

There is current interest in pork rinds as a healthy snack food, due to the Atkins diet – since pork rinds contain no carbohydrates (unless flavored). They are, however, high in fat and sodium, and may generally be considered more delicious, to those who enjoy them, than healthy. However, while pork rinds may be high in fat, they are no higher in fat than potato chips (both contain about 5 grams per 14 gram serving), and actually lower in fat than corn chips (8 grams per 14 gram serving). Pork rinds contain 8 grams of protein in a 14 gram serving, more than any food except dried meats such as jerky. The fat content of jerky, however, is much lower, making it a healthier choice.

Unfried pork rind is also processed into colorful and appealing shapes for use as fish bait.

When he was in the White House, U.S. President George H. W. Bush said that pork rinds were his favorite snack.

Chicharrones

Chicharrones is a dish from Mexico although they are also popular in the rest of Latin America (the singular form, chicharrón, is also used as a mass noun). They are usually made with different cuts of a pork, but sometimes made with ram meat. In Puerto Rico chicharrones are also made with chicken and in Argentina with beef.

The pork rind type is the skin of the pork after it has been seasoned and deep fried. In Mexico they are eaten in a taco or gordita with salsa verde. In Latin America they are eaten alone as a snack, with cachapas, as a stuffing in arepas or pupusas, or as the meat portion of various stews and soups.

The cueritos type are also made with pork sking and marinated in vinegar instead of deep fried, they are eaten as a snack.

In Mexico, snack-food company Barcel has commercialized a vegetarian version with chile and lime flavorings.

External link

• The Online Pork Rind Resource
• Utz Snacks nutrtional information (contains information for pork rinds and many other snack foods)