How to Cook Pork Chicharon

Pork chicharon is a delectable Filipino delicacy renowned for its irresistible crunch, crafted by meticulously boiling pork skin until tender, sun-drying it to perfection, and then deep-frying it to a golden crisp pork chicharon.

Prep Time12

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 17

Course: Pork Recipe

Cuisine: Filipino

Keyword: chicharon baboy, pork chicharon, pork rind cracklings

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 240kcal

Author: Manny

Ingredients

1 kilo pork skin with some fat and meat still intact
1 Tbsp. rock salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
water for boiling the skin
cooking oil for frying

Instructions

How to make pork chicharon:

Slice the pork skin in desired sizes. Put the pork skin in a pot and put water just enough to cover the pork skin.
Add salt and black pepper and bring to a boil. Adjust heat to medium and cook the skin until tender.
When the pork skin is tender, drain the pork and put in a strainer or colander and let it cool for at least half an hour.
Put it in a rack or baking tray and sun dry for at least 10 hours. You can also use an oven and set the temperature to 50°C for 12 hours.
Let it cool for an hour and heat cooking oil in the deep pan to fry the pork skin. Adjust the stove to medium high heat and slowly fry the pork rind or pork skin until it puffs up and turn into cracklings and golden brown.
Continue stirring until the pork rind is cooked and crispy. Then remove from the hot oil and drain. Let it cool down before serving. Serve with spiced vinegar as dipping sauce.

Notes

Cooking Tips:

1: Properly Clean and Prepare the Pork Skin

To ensure the best texture for your chicharon, thoroughly clean the pork skin by removing any hairs or residue. It's crucial to slice the pork skin into uniform sizes for even cooking. Additionally, scoring the skin can help it puff up and become crispy during frying.

2: Boil the Pork Skin Until Tender

Boiling the pork skin before drying and frying is essential for achieving the desired texture. Make sure to add enough water to cover the pork skin and season it well with salt and pepper for added flavor. Boil the skin until it is fork-tender, as this will help it become crunchy when fried.

3: Sun-Dry or Oven-Dry the Pork Skin Properly

After boiling, allow the pork skin to cool before drying it. Sun-drying for at least 10 hours or oven-drying at a low temperature for 12 hours can achieve the desired dryness. Proper drying is crucial for creating a crispy and airy texture in your pork rind cracklings.