So....Whatcha Eating?

[Blowpipe Sam]

Fried chicken livers!

I got a box for me and Belle.

[buellm2]

I've never seen pork or chicken cracklins in any restaurant.  Could be that they don't meet USDA or FDA requirements as fit for human consumption.   I get excited when I go to home cooking events that have cracklins.   My wife wont even try them.

Many of the Latin American restaurants serves them: chicharrones. Very popular, as a matter of fact.
There are many restaurants in the Boston area, and I bet Lowell has a number of joints that serves them.

I must have eaten in the wrong Latin restaurants.   I'll be looking for them in the future.    I'll have to check out Nashua restaurants first.

[airgunaut]

I've never seen pork or chicken cracklins in any restaurant.  Could be that they don't meet USDA or FDA requirements as fit for human consumption.   I get excited when I go to home cooking events that have cracklins.   My wife wont even try them.

As Xraycer says, pork rinds are available in (some) Mexican restaurants. They're delectable when added inside carnitas and refried bean burritos. You can get commercial packaged ones in supermarkets, too, though I never saw them until I moved from MA to CO. A fancy deli in Victoria, BC sold hot-out-of-the-vat cracklins as a snack--these were the best ever!

A restaurant in my area sometimes offers chicken cracklins as an appetizer, and I bought a small bag of chicken cracklins made by Epic, IIRC.

Supermarket chickens have such pale skin now, almost white. I don't think they'd yield much "ooey gooeys", which was what I called them as a kid.

[avator]

I sometimes crumble pork rinds over salads salads.

[Xraycer]

As Xraycer says, pork rinds are available in (some) Mexican restaurants. They're delectable when added inside carnitas and refried bean burritos.

I wasn't actually referring to pork rinds, which are only pork skin made into crispy snacks, like potato chips. I'm referring to Colombian chicharron which is pork belly and cooked and eaten with the meat portion. Its served as a meal. Kinda like eating pork chops with a large fat cap to every portion of meat.

Ernie, I did a quick Google search, and Lawrence, Mass has several Colombian restaurants.

[buellm2]

My wife and I are friends with a Columbian woman who is a fantastic cook.   I remember bringing some party stuff to her home one night and she had half a pig laid out on her counter and was prepping it for the party.   The next day she introduced me to cracklins and life has never been the same.     Is it a coincidence that cracklins sounds so much like crack?  Both addictive.     She tried to teach me how to make them but I haven't mastered the technique.  I'll have to check out the Lawrence restaurants, that's the city I lived in for the first four years of my life. 

It's tough making cracklins at home.   Anglo supermarkets around here don't sell the pork cuts trimmed with the right fat cap and skin on.  My Columbian friend buys her pig cuts in Lawrence.

[Xraycer]

My wife and I are friends with a Columbian woman who is a fantastic cook.   I remember bringing some party stuff to her home one night and she had half a pig laid out on her counter and was prepping it for the party.   The next day she introduced me to cracklins and life has never been the same.     Is it a coincidence that cracklins sounds so much like crack?  Both addictive.     She tried to teach me how to make them but I haven't mastered the technique.  I'll have to check out the Lawrence restaurants, that's the city I lived in for the first four years of my life. 

It's tough making cracklins at home.   Anglo supermarkets around here don't sell the pork cuts trimmed with the right fat cap and skin on.  My Columbian friend buys her pig cuts in Lawrence.

Chicharron, like the pictures I've posted, is just deep fried pork belly. I see them sold raw at my local Market Baskets all the time.
The chicharron I've had, I  haven't been overly impressed with. Seems like only salt was used for seasoning. I much, much prefer pork skin from Chinese roast piggies.
Speaking of pork belly. The picture below is braised pork with eggs, and it's what I grew up on. Dangerously heart unhealthy, but it's just so dang yummy!

[Matchstickshooter]

 We find these at our local grocery store.  They have flaming hot too.

https://www.fritolay.com/products/baken-ets-traditional-fried-pork-skins

[avator]

Toasted everything bagels with cream cheese and grape jam.
I put out the hint for chili cheese dogs with onion rings and cole slaw for later. Not sure how much pull I have.

[Blowpipe Sam]

Man I could really go fo a spicy polish dog with chili, onions, mustard, and kraut.

Threre’s a place up near the capitol called Dog Et All that does a good one.

I made brunch for the memsahib and myself.  I turned some tater terds into hash browns with lots of onions and bell peppers, fried up some eggs over easy,  patty sausage, toast, and a cup of cowboy coffee.

The simple things are the best.

[airgunaut]

We find these at our local grocery store.  They have flaming hot too.

https://www.fritolay.com/products/baken-ets-traditional-fried-pork-skins

Walmart sells the Mac brand. Good crunching. Some brands have a weird texture.

[Blowpipe Sam]

My grandfather had the last hog killing on the family farm about 1968.  I remember it.  They killed, scalded, and butchered four hogs.  They set up several big pots over a fire and rendered the fat into lard.  Ladies skimmed floating strips of crispy fried pig skin off the top and gave them to us kids.  Cracklins!  I was given a fried pig’s tail and “sweet breads” too.  The last hog killing I attended was in north Georgia in 1998.  They did things a little differently but had a family recipe for seasoning that made their cracklins awesome!

There are some good brands of packaged pork skins but you ought to eat them fresh from the pot at least once in your life.

[buellm2]

I've never had good packaged pork skins.   Maybe I've tried the wrong brand, only had gas station or convenience store brands.    What's the best brand?

[buellm2]

I've never had good packaged pork skins.   Maybe I've tried the wrong brand, only had gas station or convenience store brands.    What's the best brand?  New Hampshire probably isn't the best place to find those treats.

[Matchstickshooter]

My grandfather had the last hog killing on the family farm about 1968.  I remember it.  They killed, scalded, and butchered four hogs.  They set up several big pots over a fire and rendered the fat into lard.  Ladies skimmed floating strips of crispy fried pig skin off the top and gave them to us kids.  Cracklins!  I was given a fried pig’s tail and “sweet breads” too.  The last hog killing I attended was in north Georgia in 1998.  They did things a little differently but had a family recipe for seasoning that made their cracklins awesome!

There are some good brands of packaged pork skins but you ought to eat them fresh from the pot at least once in your life.

My wife went through the same thing when she was young.
Her and her little brother fought over the fried pig's tail.     
This is why we get the bags of Baconettes from the store.

[avator]

Yes !!  Request has been approved. Chili cheese dogs with slaw and onion rings comin'   

[Sqrl Klr]

X I'd recommend 400 for 12 minutes each side. Trust me no one would not like them cooked that way.

Bill my great grandmother did that with pork rinds too.

Sam what a great memory with your grandfather. Good times sounds like. Most people don't have memories of food cooked like that now with grocery stores n fast food.

Hotdog for breakfast and a oreo shake for lunch! I'll grill up a big chicken fajita taco for dinner later.

[avator]

I ate 3 of those chili cheese n slaw dogs... I'm stuffed.
I picked up a sweet tater pie at the deli. I think that'll have to wait 'til tomorrow.

[Xraycer]

X I'd recommend 400 for 12 minutes each side. Trust me no one would not like them cooked that way.

Well.......the video I linked has 3.2 million views, over 2k comments, and the channel has 4.6 million subscribers. I'm certain someone liked it 

[bReTt]

Two deli burritos and a chocolate milk for breakfast.