Chicharrones (Pork Cracklin’s)

Name: Chicharrones (Pork Cracklin's)
Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 4 lb. (1.8 kg) pork belly, skin attached; 1 cup (9 oz.; 250 g) sea salt; 1 Tbsp. lard; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 bay leaves; 2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve

By Virgilio Martinez

June 9, 2022

A plate of pork cracklings being served with lime and beer.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano

Active Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time
2 hours 10 minutes

The definition of chicharrón, or torresmo in Portuguese, expands and contracts as you move around Latin America. It’s made almost everywhere there are pigs, and at its basic understanding it signifies fried pork. In some countries that signifies only fried pork skin, while in others—Brazil, Colombia, and Peru—it might also mean fried chunks of pork, usually with the skin and fat attached. In some places, like Bolivia, it’s pork ribs, cooked in their own fat.

Ingredients

Serves 8

4 lb. (1.8 kg) pork belly, skin attached

1 cup (9 oz.; 250 g) sea salt

1 Tbsp. lard

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 bay leaves

2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve

Preparation

Step 1
Rub the pork belly with the salt and let sit for 1 hour.
Step 2
Rinse well under cold water, pat dry, and cut into roughly 2x½" (5x1.5-cm) chunks.
Step 3
In a heavy pan, melt the lard over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and bay leaves. Stir well for 2 minutes, then add the pork belly. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 45 minutes, turning the meat every 15 minutes.
Step 4
Increase the heat and sear every side of the pork pieces over high heat for a further 15 minutes. Remove the pork and cut it into smaller chunks. Serve hot with lime wedges.