I have got to tell ya I have been wanting to do thise forever! I can not understand why Cracklins and Jerky are so expensive, but I am sort of worn out.
Cracklins are the last item at a boucherie and everyone waits around for them. They are the more delicious little things. Well lets look at them.
This a cracklin as they are found in the wild.
Thats a peice of pig skin, some fat, and sometimes a bit of meat....
And the come from.................
These are scraps I "generously" cut when trimming up the bellies for bacon. Normally I would have left it on and just made bacon and trimmed later and used in beans, BUT..... I wanted cracklins!
FYI, if you think you could be a butcher, try cutting up some cracklins, if you think your knife is sharp try and cut up cracklins.
MY right index finger was actually swollen up and ted for two days. I know I am just a titty baby. I was really amazed at the amount of work cutting this suckers involved. I bet those who do this have a machine to make 'em!
Here is the start of 14 pounds of cracklins
BTW I really like the new USDA plastic bags. They get the Foamheart seal of approval!
So I threw 'em in the project reefer thinking everyday was the day, almost two weeks laster, they were still good I got to it.
Yesterday I spend the afternoon sorting out 6 burner/boilers and 4 bottles, numerous regulators and hoses. Finially I borrowed the neighbors we knew it worked, he boiled crawfish last weekend...LOL
Butane burner, cast iron pot (guessing a 5 gallon pot), a paddle, and a spider.
Are you ready for this? I had cut up and frozen some 5 lbs of cracklins a couple a years ago anticipating a cookin. Well they had been in the freezer too long and I used them to warm up, clean and season the pot, AND so I could see just how they cooked. Its free practice.
In the pot
Did I forget to mention how important the stiring the pot is?
Those babies are starting to get brown!
Can you see the shadows moving? So I clean out these, and throw 'em in the can. I was hoping to use the rendered fat but it was not to be.
So the pot is re-seasoned, I removed the oil and cleaned it real well.
In goes the cracklin meat. BTW the best way to start this is low and slow since you are rendering your own cooking lard.
And that would be the paddle and the spider I refered to earlier. Nothing like having the right tool for the job. Check those shadows.
Stir, stir, stir..... builds a mighty health thirst!
I had plenty of gas, no not from beans, for the burner... I was stocked!
You'd think someone would clean all that up, wouldn't ya?
We are a rendering!
I am watching the LSU Miss St. baseball game. The Commentator while showing a haze blowing across the screen between home plate and the mound, "Thats the smoke from all the tailgators outside the park"....ROFLMAO
Yes sir, I have turned the burner up, we are cookin w/gas!
Cracklins start to crackle!
Where is that darn spider
Oh Noooooo...... we are not finished yet, these would break a tooth!
You get the clean oil out the pot, and clean it up.
Dang it Kevin I said clean the pot!
Ooooo.... shiney!!
Add back the good oil
Butane burner on high. Now is not the time to splash it on you. I had second thoughs about my shorts to be truthful.
At about 400 degrees return the cracklins to the pot till they talk to ya.
This ball game is so funny with the tailgaiters smoke crossing the field. Those LSU fans any excuse to party....
Finished product!
It wasn't hard to do, it has to be done outside usless your bride likes the smell of rendered lard. Do NOT undersize the pot, thats so serious hot stuff. Pull the cracklins to rest and clean the oil at about 350, reheat clean oil and add back to the pot at about 400.
If you have any paticular questions I will attempt to answer.
Its something I have been wanting to do forever. I reheated a tad too long and my cracklins are a bit crunchy and the fat is sort of dry for my taste, but all the neighbors dropped by to sample and loved 'em. LOL
Note to self, when next door neighbor is painting his house its NOT a good idea to make cracklins
Thanks for lookin in.
Cracklins are the last item at a boucherie and everyone waits around for them. They are the more delicious little things. Well lets look at them.
This a cracklin as they are found in the wild.
Thats a peice of pig skin, some fat, and sometimes a bit of meat....
And the come from.................
These are scraps I "generously" cut when trimming up the bellies for bacon. Normally I would have left it on and just made bacon and trimmed later and used in beans, BUT..... I wanted cracklins!
FYI, if you think you could be a butcher, try cutting up some cracklins, if you think your knife is sharp try and cut up cracklins.
MY right index finger was actually swollen up and ted for two days. I know I am just a titty baby. I was really amazed at the amount of work cutting this suckers involved. I bet those who do this have a machine to make 'em!
Here is the start of 14 pounds of cracklins
BTW I really like the new USDA plastic bags. They get the Foamheart seal of approval!
So I threw 'em in the project reefer thinking everyday was the day, almost two weeks laster, they were still good I got to it.
Yesterday I spend the afternoon sorting out 6 burner/boilers and 4 bottles, numerous regulators and hoses. Finially I borrowed the neighbors we knew it worked, he boiled crawfish last weekend...LOL
Butane burner, cast iron pot (guessing a 5 gallon pot), a paddle, and a spider.
Are you ready for this? I had cut up and frozen some 5 lbs of cracklins a couple a years ago anticipating a cookin. Well they had been in the freezer too long and I used them to warm up, clean and season the pot, AND so I could see just how they cooked. Its free practice.
In the pot
Did I forget to mention how important the stiring the pot is?
Those babies are starting to get brown!
Can you see the shadows moving? So I clean out these, and throw 'em in the can. I was hoping to use the rendered fat but it was not to be.
So the pot is re-seasoned, I removed the oil and cleaned it real well.
In goes the cracklin meat. BTW the best way to start this is low and slow since you are rendering your own cooking lard.
And that would be the paddle and the spider I refered to earlier. Nothing like having the right tool for the job. Check those shadows.
Stir, stir, stir..... builds a mighty health thirst!
I had plenty of gas, no not from beans, for the burner... I was stocked!
You'd think someone would clean all that up, wouldn't ya?
We are a rendering!
I am watching the LSU Miss St. baseball game. The Commentator while showing a haze blowing across the screen between home plate and the mound, "Thats the smoke from all the tailgators outside the park"....ROFLMAO
Yes sir, I have turned the burner up, we are cookin w/gas!
Cracklins start to crackle!
Where is that darn spider
Oh Noooooo...... we are not finished yet, these would break a tooth!
You get the clean oil out the pot, and clean it up.
Dang it Kevin I said clean the pot!
Ooooo.... shiney!!
Add back the good oil
Butane burner on high. Now is not the time to splash it on you. I had second thoughs about my shorts to be truthful.
At about 400 degrees return the cracklins to the pot till they talk to ya.
This ball game is so funny with the tailgaiters smoke crossing the field. Those LSU fans any excuse to party....
Finished product!
It wasn't hard to do, it has to be done outside usless your bride likes the smell of rendered lard. Do NOT undersize the pot, thats so serious hot stuff. Pull the cracklins to rest and clean the oil at about 350, reheat clean oil and add back to the pot at about 400.
If you have any paticular questions I will attempt to answer.
Its something I have been wanting to do forever. I reheated a tad too long and my cracklins are a bit crunchy and the fat is sort of dry for my taste, but all the neighbors dropped by to sample and loved 'em. LOL
Note to self, when next door neighbor is painting his house its NOT a good idea to make cracklins
Thanks for lookin in.
