Whether you make them at home or buy them, I’m sure you’ll agree that they are the perfect low-carb and keto solution for a snack attack! These homemade chicharrones are so good and so easy to make! I make this recipe whenever I get a chance to visit the local Hispanic market, where I can buy pork skin. This is not a difficult recipe to make. The only somewhat challenging part is trimming the layer of fat attached to the skin if it’s very thick. But with a sharp chef’s knife and some patience, it’s completely doable.
Instructions
Storing Leftovers
Recipe Card
Raw pork skin: It’s not available in U.S. supermarkets. If you have a Hispanic market nearby, you should be able to find it there. Another option is to buy skin-on pork belly and use a sharp knife to remove the skin, as I do here:
After you open the package and unroll it, this is what it looks like:
Unlike the skin I get at the Hispanic market, Vincent’s skin has almost no fat attached to it, so there’s no need to trim it.
Olive oil cooking spray: I love the taste of olive oil. And while its smoke point is fairly low, in this recipe, we’re using low heat, so it shouldn’t be an issue.
Kosher salt: I highly recommend using Diamond Crystal kosher salt in this recipe. Fine salt will not be as good. You can use up to two teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using any other salt (including other brands of kosher salt), use just one teaspoon.
Options that I tried and liked include black pepper, paprika (or smoked paprika), ground cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder. You can use ¼ teaspoon of black pepper and ½ teaspoon of any other seasoning.
You start by cutting the pork skin into bite-size pieces. You’ll need a sharp knife. If the skin has a thick layer of fat attached to it, trim it, but don’t remove it completely. It’s super tasty!
Arrange the pieces on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, skin-side up and fat-side down. Spray them with olive oil and sprinkle them with kosher salt.
For the best flavor and texture, it’s important to let the pieces cool completely before enjoying them. I place them skin-side up on paper towels and allow them to cool for about 20 minutes. They will continue to crisp up as they cool and their flavor will greatly improve.
I also use them to scoop out chunky dips like spinach artichoke dip, pimento cheese, and pizza dip.
I usually keep them in the fridge in a glass food storage container (as shown in the image below) for about five days and find that they stay tasty for that long.
Although they’re good right out of the fridge, it’s best to remove them from the fridge about 30 minutes before enjoying them.
