Ya' know, I had a hard time even finding the darn stuff..I had to "special order" them from a BIG butcher. It took 5 work days to get them?!?

Anyway, I got the call yesterday that my 2 lbs of pork rinds were in. (I didn't know what they were, or how they looked, so I thought 2 lbs was a reasonable size order..) Okay, I knew it was going to be skin/hide but I sure wasn't expecting it to be in raw form OR 1 big chunk of skin. It was folded over and over. (It was actually kinda gross ) I had invisioned something crispy & bacon like..lol..

Soooooo, it sits in my fridge virtually undisturbed. Any idea, at all, about where I go from here would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!! How big of pieces do I seperate it into? Cook before freezing? HOW do I cook it? Seasonings?


Thanks again for your continued support,

Joy

You don't get pork rinds from the butcher or the meat section of your grocery store. Look in the potato chip section. They come in packages just like pretzels. The pork rinds themself are usually a couple inches long and curled over and fairly thick but very 'airy' and are dry and crunchy.

See http://www.wilstar.net/porkrinds/ if you want a better idea of what they look like or want to order online. Interesting, you can also buy uncooked pellets and cook them yourself so maybe you can find cooking instructions somewhere so you can do something with that raw pork rind you bought.

Hi there,


Oh oh, I think you are in trouble, the pork rinds that I have seen which is not often, I don't think they are too popular in Canada (I tasted them once and can see why ) but they are not like hunks of fat or skin but are sold in bags like potatoe chips!!! I saw a question once somewhere on the board someone asking if they could be homemade and I think it was Karen who answered and said no that it was a rather complex process to make them at home. Maybe you will have some well fed birds in your backyard??? (render it down to make bird food)

Actually, you can STILL make pork rinds out of them...Cut it up into small peices (about potato chip size) and stick a little at a time into your microwave. Now, they will make a HELLACIOUS racket iin there, but just let em cook for like 4 minutes. Take em out, let em cool and there ya go! Sprinkle salt on em and enjoy!

Here is a site that tells you how to do it. Thought I had instructions in one of my cookbooks but couldn't find it. They can be truly delicious. Here in CA they are bags of them for sale in every supermarket with the potato chips and other snack foods. (Or do you call them crisps?)
If there are any Mexican markets in Manitoba you would find them there already cooked and usually quite fresh.
Otherwise I suggest you contact somebody in the U.S. to send you some next time you want them. A whole lot less work.
http://www.recipehound.com/Recipes/2198.html

Mobster? Could we make pork rinds in the microwave then out of that heavy fat layer that is on a leg of pork? I don't want to eat them as rinds, but am interested in using them for some breading recipe etc. As a northerner, I just caint git into that pork rind thaing although lots of people sure do seem to like them.

Well just look at all those people that came in while I was posting that. If you decide to try it in the microwave, don't forget to cover it or there will be grease everywhere. I would provbaly use paper towels as in cooking bacon.

My great uncle used to make pork rinds. He would cut it up in small pieces and dry it in a dehydrater and then deep fry it in a fryer and add seasoned salt. It wasn't as light as the one that comes from the store, but it was pretty good

If you put the rinds in a paper bag it will stop them from shooting all over the microwave.
Dont forget to season them or they will be nasty. I use garlic salt, or other stuff you'd use on popcorn.

Good luck!

Not sure about using the fat on a leg of Pork, koko...I think the rinds always come from the back.

As far as seasoning them, you are right...if you dont, they will be NASTY! Just put some garlic salt and regular salt on them before you nuke em. They will be GOOOOOD!

That sounds pretty gross! I would have been so surprised to get that!

Sheaman,

I'm am so sorry but I had to laugh reading through your post.

Only because I grew up eating pork rinds and always loved them. I cannot imagine your surprise when you got that from the butcher.

Good luck and hope they work out!!

Actually, if you get a pork leg (or a piece of one) with the skin still attached, consider yourself lucky! You score the skin into little diamonds (leave it on the leg), rub it with garlic salt, and roast the leg as you usually would. The skin crisps up somewhat, and it's delicious. Nothing at all like pork rinds.

Had to start off with a laugh, no offense though. I wished I could have seen the look on your face. Well you could make skins out of them by salting them lightly and placing them on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about45-60 minutes depending on the thickness of the skin. The object is to dry the fat out-producing a crispy skin. I wouldn't worry about cutting them in small pieces because once they are done, you can just break them into pieces. These are authenic pork rinds, made the old fashion country way.(I love these things)You can also cut the fat into pieces and fry in oil. Waaaaaaay to long of a process though and a bit dangerous(splashing and popping grease). I am a caterer and have catered BBQ pork with request of these type skins.

PORK LEGS -Yes you can make skins off any outer layer skin of the pig.

Good Luck

Hi Sheaman,

The only reason I know what pork rinds (the ones commonly discussed on this site) look like, is because I saw them in the U.S. on family vacations. I've had no luck (so far) finding them in my neighbourhood (including Shopper's Drug Mart, IGA, Real Canadian Superstore,) but I'm sure they're around. I think they're more popular in the States (the U.S. oftens has products I've never seen in Canada.)

Best of luck in your search and I'm so happy to see other members were able to help you with recipes for what you got from the butcher!