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Get It NowMy Pork Rinds Recipe Is a Crispy Zero Carb Snack With Just 3 Ingredients
I first made these pork rinds (a.k.a. chicharrones) shortly after returning from a trip to Mexico, where a restaurant served homemade ones. They tasted so much better than store-bought that it got me thinking about making my own. After some experimentation, it turned out much easier than I imagined — and I’m ready to show you how to make pork rinds yourself! Here’s why you’ll want to:
- Satisfy that crispy, salty craving – These are light and airy, and have the most satisfying salty crunch. Best of all, homemade chicharrones don’t have that stale texture store-bought ones sometimes get.
- Zero carb, natural snack – These are keto friendly, paleo, and gluten-free.
- Easy and affordable – Making your own pork rinds costs a lot less than buying them, but the hands-on time is actually minimal.
- 3 simple, clean ingredients – And unlike many packaged brands, nothing artificial. I’ve also included other flavor variations below.
This pork rinds recipe is equally perfect for scooping dips or all on its own. Make it with me!
What Are Pork Rinds?
Pork rinds, also called chicharrones, are a crispy, super low carb snack made from puffed, fried pork skin. They’re commonly found in the snack foods section of grocery or convenience stores. I’ve also had them at Mexican restaurants, and of course now make them myself.
Many packaged versions have artificial flavors, preservatives, and/or seed oils. That’s why I much prefer to make my own, so that I can use clean ingredients and healthier oil, and get a better texture. I’ve answered many common questions I get about pork rinds below.
“We’ve been buying so many pork rinds lately that I wanted to try and see if I could make them. So I found this recipe and tried them and we will never buy them again!! This recipe was incredible and so easy to follow. Thank you!”
-Jessica
How To Make Pork Rinds
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Cut pork skin into rectangles. Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to trim any excess lard off the pork skin, then cut into bite-sized pieces. (These are the shears I used, pictured below — they cut effortlessly through anything!)
- Spread out the pieces and season them. Arrange skins in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (This one is my favorite, in the bottom right picture!) Sprinkle with salt — I use sea salt here.
- Bake until dried, crispy, and golden. Transfer the baked pork rinds to paper towels to drain. You can eat them at this point, but I highly recommend frying them because they puff up and get a lot more airy that way.
- Fry until puffy. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large pot, saucepan, or Dutch oven — I used this one — to 350 degrees F. (I fry these with avocado oil, but you can also use any lard rendered on the sheet pan during the baking step.) Fry pork skins in small batches, until they puff up. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain again. Repeat with remaining rinds.
My Tips For Easy, Crispy Results
- Where do you find pork skin? Admittedly, I had some trouble finding pig skin in my area, but eventually found it at a local butcher. It’s similar to pork belly, but that has both meat and skin included, whereas pork skin is the skin by itself. You may also be able to get it at international markets, a local farm, or online, or worst case, trim the skin off pork belly yourself.
- Remove as much lard as possible from the skin in the beginning. In my testing, I found that the pieces with a little lard attached didn’t crisp up nearly as much as the ones that had none. So for the puffiest, crispiest pork rinds, cut off as much of the lard as you can!
- I recommend kitchen shears for slicing the pork skin. A knife can work, but these kitchen shears made it much easier for me. I cut into strips first, then down to shorter rectangles. You can also try stacking the strips if your shears are sharp enough.
- Try to cut the pieces the same size. This helps them cook at the same rate, so you don’t get any over- or under-cooked.
- Frying the chicharrones is worth the extra step. The baked ones are already pretty good, but they are harder and more dense. I always fry them at the end for light, airy results.
- Measure your oil temperature before frying — 350 degrees F is ideal. There are specialty thermometers for this, but I just use my favorite meat thermometer and it works perfectly.
- Don’t have a thermometer? Add a single piece to the oil and ensure that it puffs up in 1-3 minutes before adding the others. If it doesn’t, the oil might not be hot enough, but if it burns, it may be too hot.
How To Make Pork Rinds (Chicharrones)
Learn how to make pork rinds (a.k.a. chicharrones) at home for a crispy, low carb snack! Just 3 simple ingredients, plus 7 seasoning flavors.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (149 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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If the pork skin has lard attached to it, carefully cut off the lard, being careful not to cut through the skin. (It’s okay if a little bit of lard is still attached, but try to remove as much as you can, which will ensure that the homemade pork rinds will turn out fluffy and crispy.)
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Cut the pork skin into small rectangles, about 1 inch by 2 inches. (I recommend using sharp kitchen shears like these — makes it so much easier.)
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Arrange the pork skins in a single layer on the baking sheet, without touching each other, with the fat side down. Season with sea salt.
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Bake for 1 to 2 hours, until dried, crispy, and golden. (Time will vary depending on the thickness of the skin; mine took a little over an hour.)
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Remove the pork rinds from the pan and drain on paper towels. You can let the pork rinds cool and enjoy them right away, but they are better (and fluffier) if you deep fry them, as described in the next steps.
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In a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat 1.5-2 inches of avocado oil to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). I use a meat thermometer to check. (You can also use some of the rendered lard from the pan for this, and add oil as needed.)
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Add the dried pork skins to the oil in small batches, to avoid crowding the pan. Cook for 1-3 minutes, until they puff up. The pork rinds may float, so you can push them down or flip them occasionally if needed. Remove immediately with a slotted spoon or tongs, and drain on paper towels again. Repeat the deep frying process with the remaining pork skins.
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If adding seasonings (see ideas in the blog post above), toss the pork rinds in seasoning immediately after frying.
Did You Like It?
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Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 ounce (~1/2 cup), or 1/8 entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you make this recipe easier and get the crispiest, fluffiest results.
- Variations: See my recipe variations below to make different flavors.
- Storage: Keep the chicharrones in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 2 weeks in the fridge. I recommend letting them come to room temp before serving.
- Note on nutrition info: My pork rinds recipe makes about 4 cups or 4 ounces. I pulled the nutrition info from common store-bought pork rinds, as it’s very difficult to calculate from the ingredients precisely how much of the oil content should be included.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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How To Make Pork Rinds
Common Questions
- What do pork rinds taste like? Chicharrones have a very light pork flavor and crispy texture. I like them most seasoned simply with salt, but they’re the perfect canvas for other seasonings, too.
- What is the difference between pork rinds, chicharrones, and cracklins? Regular pork rinds have no fat attached to the skin, so they cook up puffy (my favorite!). Chicharrones is simply their name in Spanish — no difference in the cooking process. Pork cracklings are typically less puffy and have a meatier texture, because they are cooked with some fat left on the skin, so I don’t like them quite as much.
- Are they healthy? Given their high fat content and limited nutrients, pork rinds may not be the healthiest choice to eat all the time depending on your wellness goals. However, the fat in pig skins is mostly unsaturated, we’re frying them in avocado oil, and they’re a whole food snack without carbs or artificial ingredients. So personally, I feel good including them in my life on occasion.
- How many carbs in pork rinds? Fried pork rinds have zero carbs, which means they’re totally keto friendly.
- Do they have protein? Yes, pork skins have about 9 grams of protein per 1/2-cup serving, but don’t rely on them as a main protein source, because they don’t have all the essential amino acids. The good news is, the protein they do have is collagen!
Flavor Variations
If you’re not a fan of the plain flavor and want to know how to make pork rinds taste better, try one of these seasoning variations! I’ve found it’s best to add the seasonings right after frying, while the rinds are still hot — the residual oil makes the spices stick.
- Cajun – You can use a store-bought mix, but I prefer my homemade Cajun seasoning because I can make it without salt. You don’t need more on top of what’s already in this chicharrones recipe.
- Ranch – My homemade ranch seasoning is perfect for this.
- Cinnamon Sugar – For a sweet flavor without any aftertaste, toss these in equal amounts of cinnamon and Besti sweetener.
- BBQ – My go-to mix for this flavor is 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and Besti sweetener to taste. (I based this combo on my sugar-free BBQ sauce recipe!)
- Cheesy – Toss in cheddar cheese powder. These remind me of cheese puffs!
- Simple Spices – Feel free to add anything you like from your pantry, such as paprika, garlic powder, or onion powder.
Ways To Eat Chicharrones
I’ve used these chicharrones chips in so many ways! Try them like this…
- For crunchy snack cravings – The most obvious choice, but also can’t miss it.
- Use as a breading – When I want a super crispy keto coating, it’s hard to beat pork rinds ground in a food processor or blender. Try them as a coating for my keto chicken tenders, low carb onion rings, keto mozzarella sticks, or even keto orange chicken.
- Pair with dips – I especially love these as a low carb alternative to tortilla chips to serve with guacamole, Rotel dip, fresh tomato salsa, taco dip, or even a cheese ball. Wherever you’d serve crackers or chips, you can serve chicharrones!
- Make nachos – Spread the homemade pork rinds on a baking sheet and top with cooked meats (shredded chicken, barbacoa, or ground beef are delicious!) and shredded cheese. Bake until hot, then add your favorite nacho toppings, such as jalapenos, diced tomatoes, red or green onions, cilantro, and avocado.
- Bulk up meatballs and meat patties – Smash these and use them as a binder (instead of breadcrumbs) for keto meatloaf, low carb meatballs, and more. I recommend reducing the added salt if you swap them into a recipe, since they are already pretty salty.
18 Comments
Jessica
1Ahhh! We’ve been buying so many pork rinds lately that I wanted to try and see if I could make them. So I found this recipe and tried them and we will never buy them again!! This recipe was incredible and so easy to follow. Thank you!
Janet B
0We skinned a pork belly. Made pork rinds today, fabulous !
This recipe is a keeper and so easy
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked them, Janet! Thank you.
Edna
0I was looking to buy some pork rinds rather than make my own since I’ve read they’re really tasty and better than potato chips for you. Would you say for example the ones recommended here are ok, or do you know some better ones to buy perhaps? At least until I work up the courage for making my own, lol.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Edna, I like this brand when I’m not making my own. It has clean ingredients (just pork skin and salt).
Peggy Perez
0I like that you have pork SKIN specifically and where to look to buy for the novice. Using avocado oil with a little of the rendered fat left on the skin is a great suggestion! All in all I will use this recipe!
Rose Duncan
0How long do these last and best storage method please?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Rose, Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 3 days, or zip-top bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Amy L Huntley
0I have never made these at home. So simple to make and so delicious!
Kristyn
0These are my dads favorite!! Sometimes, there is nothing better than snacking on pork rinds! So happy to be able to make them at home. They are so much better from scratch!!
Toni
0This is one of my favorite low carb snacks!! Thanks for this recipe!
Dana Kortz
0This was my first time making them and I am shocked at how easy they are! LOVED these!
Heather W.
0Where on earth do you get pork skin? Let alone pastured skin?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Heather, Your local butcher will typically have it. Alternatively, you can buy pork belly and cut off the fat from the skin.
Scarlet
0This is a great recipe and it is cool to use the pork rinds that I would otherwise never use.
Shelby
0These make such an easy, on the go snack!
Agnes
0What a unique snack! I feel like the ranch seasoning would be a yummy addition!
Donna Batrone
0Who knew how easy these are to make? I will never buy them again!