Mexican Pork Cracklins question

rauljustice · 12-02-2012, 09:31 AM

I bought a package of pork cracklins at a mexican grocery store. They look delicious, smell delicious, but I can't eat them. They are super hard, imagine biting a coin, that's how hard they are.

What am i supposed to use these for? How can I EAT THEM?

trufunk · 12-02-2012, 10:43 AM

You could throw then some scrambled eggs for breakfast.

QTEX · 12-02-2012, 11:02 AM

You need jaws of steel, lol.
Yup down here we put them in some warming salsa in the pan and after they soften up a bit throw some eggs and scramble together, yummilicious

landarc · 12-02-2012, 11:12 AM

They are called chicharrones. And they are delicious after a little soaking in hot enchilada sauce. Put them in an oven pan, cover with enchilada sauce, bake for 15 minutes, cover with cheese, bake until all melty and bubbly.

rauljustice · 12-02-2012, 11:24 AM

After 15 minutes of simmering in salsa, they are still hard and chewy in the middle. I added some water and going to let them simmer some more. They're supposed to be this hard and chewy?

Ive had fresh chicharrones before (delicious) and they were never hard. These are not edible unless they are soaked. The texture after being cooked in salsa is just like boiled skin. Doesn't taste bad.

Thanks for. The tips.

htrisna · 12-02-2012, 11:36 AM

Get Rabideaux' craklins from Lake Charles. They ship too. Delicious

QTEX · 12-02-2012, 11:40 AM

Really and truly no they are not supposed to be that way but some companies do them like that, not sure why, preserves longer maybe?

Bludawg · 12-02-2012, 11:46 AM

They are made like that so they go farther, pop on in your mouth in the morning and suck on it your good ta go all day long.

landarc · 12-02-2012, 12:53 PM

It's a style. The place I go to out here does them both ways, light and crispy or hard and barely edible. I suspect it has to do with where the skin comes off the pig

seattlepitboss · 12-02-2012, 04:04 PM

Hmm. Either I'm confused or someone else is. To me, cracklings are what is left after you render pork fat into lard. They look like little dried up brown pieces of chewing gum (vaguely). And chicharrones are pork *skin* deep fried until it puffs up and looks like tan styrofoam.

Two very different things. Although both taste vaguely like bacon.

I'm guessing the product the OP is trying to eat is intended for use in soups or stews.

seattlepitboss

QTEX · 12-02-2012, 08:06 PM

They are the same thing but usually have a little meat on them too though not always. Have never heard of anyone using them for soups or stews but maybe a good idea to try that. Yes chicharrones are the skin only all fried up and puffy and very yummy

12-02-2012, 09:31 AM	#1
rauljustice Got Wood. Join Date: 01-25-11 Location: Detroit	Mexican Pork Cracklins question I bought a package of pork cracklins at a mexican grocery store. They look delicious, smell delicious, but I can't eat them. They are super hard, imagine biting a coin, that's how hard they are. What am i supposed to use these for? How can I EAT THEM? __________________ .

12-02-2012, 11:12 AM	#4
landarc somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-26-09 Location: sAn leAnDRo, CA	They are called chicharrones. And they are delicious after a little soaking in hot enchilada sauce. Put them in an oven pan, cover with enchilada sauce, bake for 15 minutes, cover with cheese, bake until all melty and bubbly. __________________ [COLOR=DarkGreen][COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]me: I don't drink anymore Yelonutz: me either, but, then again, I don't drink any less [/SIZE][/COLOR][/COLOR][SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed] [COLOR=Pink]SSS[/COLOR] [/COLOR][/SIZE]

12-02-2012, 11:24 AM	#5
rauljustice Got Wood. Join Date: 01-25-11 Location: Detroit	After 15 minutes of simmering in salsa, they are still hard and chewy in the middle. I added some water and going to let them simmer some more. They're supposed to be this hard and chewy? Ive had fresh chicharrones before (delicious) and they were never hard. These are not edible unless they are soaked. The texture after being cooked in salsa is just like boiled skin. Doesn't taste bad. Thanks for. The tips. __________________ .

12-02-2012, 11:36 AM	#6
htrisna Take a breath! Join Date: 05-14-12 Location: Sugar Land, TX	Get Rabideaux' craklins from Lake Charles. They ship too. Delicious __________________ Haniel Trisna

12-02-2012, 11:46 AM	#8
Bludawg somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-04-09 Location: Jonesboro,Tx	They are made like that so they go farther, pop on in your mouth in the morning and suck on it your good ta go all day long. __________________ I'm a Proxy Vegetarian> Cows eat grass & I eat cows.

12-02-2012, 10:43 AM	#2
trufunk Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 11-14-11 Location: San Antonio, Tx	You could throw then some scrambled eggs for breakfast.

12-02-2012, 11:02 AM	#3
QTEX Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-25-12 Location: Edinburg	You need jaws of steel, lol. Yup down here we put them in some warming salsa in the pan and after they soften up a bit throw some eggs and scramble together, yummilicious

12-02-2012, 11:40 AM	#7
QTEX Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-25-12 Location: Edinburg	Really and truly no they are not supposed to be that way but some companies do them like that, not sure why, preserves longer maybe?

12-02-2012, 12:53 PM	#9
landarc somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-26-09 Location: sAn leAnDRo, CA	It's a style. The place I go to out here does them both ways, light and crispy or hard and barely edible. I suspect it has to do with where the skin comes off the pig __________________ [COLOR=DarkGreen][COLOR=DarkRed][SIZE=1]me: I don't drink anymore Yelonutz: me either, but, then again, I don't drink any less [/SIZE][/COLOR][/COLOR][SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed] [COLOR=Pink]SSS[/COLOR] [/COLOR][/SIZE]

12-02-2012, 04:04 PM	#10
seattlepitboss is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 02-05-09 Location: Seattle, WA	Hmm. Either I'm confused or someone else is. To me, cracklings are what is left after you render pork fat into lard. They look like little dried up brown pieces of chewing gum (vaguely). And chicharrones are pork skin deep fried until it puffs up and looks like tan styrofoam. Two very different things. Although both taste vaguely like bacon. I'm guessing the product the OP is trying to eat is intended for use in soups or stews. seattlepitboss

12-02-2012, 08:06 PM	#11
QTEX Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-25-12 Location: Edinburg	They are the same thing but usually have a little meat on them too though not always. Have never heard of anyone using them for soups or stews but maybe a good idea to try that. Yes chicharrones are the skin only all fried up and puffy and very yummy