Anybody make "cracklin's" at home?

[dward51]

Craig's post about cornbread got me wondering about that good ole southern staple, Cracklin cornbread.

(BTW, Craig's cornbread thread is here http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/129590/first-try-at-cornbread-it-is-goooood#post_878629)

I know my grandmother used to make cracklins back in the 60's but I have no idea how she did it and was curious about the process. I seem to recall boiling the skin with some meat attached was part of the process. Seems like as the water boiled off it left the rendered fat which then crisped the cracklin (or something like that - Hell I was too young and never thought about paying attention back then).

I don't think I have seen it discussed here previously other than just frying the skin/meat (unless it's an ancient thread in the archive).  Surely with all the pork bellies, bacon and other pork pieces with skin being bought and processed for one thing or another someone has made cracklins?

 

[daveomak]

Dave, I'm curious also....    Dave

 

[woodcutter]

I've got a very old German potato sausage recipe that I loved as a kid which requires cracklin's.  I would like to know more also.

I thought it was the left over tiny bits from rendering lard.
 

 

[shoneyboy]

 

[dward51]

My recollection (from the 60's so accuracy may be questionable) was she took pieces of pork skin/fat/meat cut into cubes and put them in some water in a cast iron pan (not a lot of water either, basically enough to cover one layer at a time).  As the water boiled off, the fat rendered out and eventually the skin/fat/meat would fry in the rendered port fat (essentially bacon grease?).   After done, they were cut up into smaller pieces and put into corn bread.  Or you could snack on those lovely fried cubes "as is".

That is how I remember it from when I was a kid.   I have not tried it and was hoping someone had their grandmothers recipe somewhere.  I'm not even 100% sure what part of the pig the skin/fat/meat came from but assumed it was the pork belly so I may be wrong there also.

 

[fpnmf]

Somewhere is this thread is my cracklin making...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...on-first-try-at-confit-with-q-view-money-shot

Got some in the freezer somewhere ...  ready to cracklinized...

It would be good in cornbread...

 

[dward51]

Thanks Craig....

So correct me if I read your post (the linked one) wrong.  You took a cast iron pot with some water and the skins/fat in it and rendered them down.  The water boiled off leaving you with liquid lard which then fried the skins into cracklins.  Bottle the lard and eat the cracklins (a win/win for sure).

Sounds like the way I remembered it from all those years ago.  And yes, cracklin cornbread is something special indeed
 

 

[fpnmf]

Thanks Craig....

So correct me if I read your post (the linked one) wrong.  You took a cast iron pot with some water and the skins/fat in it and rendered them down.  The water boiled off leaving you with liquid lard which then fried the skins into cracklins.  Bottle the lard and eat the cracklins (a win/win for sure).

Sounds like the way I remembered it from all those years ago.  And yes, cracklin cornbread is something special indeed
 

Yup..that's how it went...yer welcome!!

 

[thoseguys26]

I tried it once and it was fairly easy or beginners luck. I boiled fresh skin and tried the smoked skin from my cold smoked bacon and the smoked skin did not puff up for some reason but the fresh skins puffed up perfectly. I did dehydrate them for 8 hrs before frying them. It took a bit of effort but they were perfect.

Here's the link to the post.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/118562/pork-rinds-chicharones-homemade-q-view