Homemade Pork Cracklins

Cracklin Recipe/Instructions:

Homemade pork cracklins are made by slowly rendering the fat from a slab of pork belly with a little meat left attached. Check with your local butcher or meat department for a slab. I'm using a 1/2 slab or 6 1/2 pounds cut into 1 inch squares, they will shrink down to about 1/2 that size once cooked. This will yield about one pound.












Start with a big enough pot so that you have enough room to stir. I always use a black cast iron pot. Coat the bottom of the pot with about a 1/2 inch of cooking oil or lard, just enough to keep from sticking, put cut pieces in pot and cook slowly until they start to float and turn brown.

Remember: cook slow and stir often. This could take 2 to 3 hours depending on how much and how fast you cook them. 

Once they start to float remove the cracklin for the first time and set aside to let air cool. They will be a little soft at this point.

While they are cooling clean out the crumbs from the bottom of the pot then get the oil good and hot without burning it. Return cooled down cracklins back to the pot and they should start to crackle and complete the cooking cycle within a few minutes.

Once they are cooked, remove them again and spread them out on a tray lined with paper towels and season them up with Cajun Seasoning. or just a little salt if you prefer.
Save the rendered lard after it cools down and use it for other recipe. 


You can crush them up and use them in cornbread or just eat them as a snack, goes well with a cold beer also. Enjoy!

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