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Started By
Message
Homemade Cracklin', take two
Posted on 4/10/16 at 10:51 pm
Posted on 4/10/16 at 10:51 pm
My friend and I tried to make some some cracklin a few months back. The results weren't bad, but the belly we got from costco didn't have the skin.
We decided to give it another go, and had a "Boil & Crack" party with 2 sacks of crawfish and about 12lbs of pork belly.
Sourcing the pork belly was an issue. Tried restaurant depot. They usually have a box of it in their freezer section for 2.29/lb Sold out. Tried Hong Kong Market on the westbank. They had a sign for 3.49/lb. Sold out. Tried Gourmet Butcher Block on Belle Chasse hwy. THey had some, $4.09/lb. :eek:
The package I got consisted of two slabs of belly, for a total of 12.5lbs. It indeed had the skin intact, as evidenced by the nipples.
Went for 3/4" x 1" chunks
Picked up some lard from ideal market. 64oz was only $4.79.
Heated the lard up to 250 degrees. Didn't put too much, since I know the fat was gonna render out of the pork belly as it cooked. Went for about 42 minutes at this stage.
Removed after the first fry, resting/cooling.
For the next stage, I followed some instructions I found online. I got the lard up to 375 degrees. I put the cracklin back into the fryer, then gave a quick stir. Then I cut off the fire completely. Then I threw a cup of ice into the oil (STAND BACK), and watched the fireworks. After about 10 seconds the violence of the reaction stops, and I pulled out the cracklin. The skin was blistered/popped after that 2nd fry.
Seasoning was done again similarly to how Danny&Bonnie seafood does it in Gretna. Right after removing the cracklin, I squirted some white vinegar on them. Then a drizzled dry seasoning which was a doctored up Slap Ya Mama blend with some Tabasco powder.
Final product:
1st Annual Boil & Crack party
Cake, but I'm a ketard so I didn't partake.
We decided to give it another go, and had a "Boil & Crack" party with 2 sacks of crawfish and about 12lbs of pork belly.
Sourcing the pork belly was an issue. Tried restaurant depot. They usually have a box of it in their freezer section for 2.29/lb Sold out. Tried Hong Kong Market on the westbank. They had a sign for 3.49/lb. Sold out. Tried Gourmet Butcher Block on Belle Chasse hwy. THey had some, $4.09/lb. :eek:
The package I got consisted of two slabs of belly, for a total of 12.5lbs. It indeed had the skin intact, as evidenced by the nipples.
Went for 3/4" x 1" chunks
Picked up some lard from ideal market. 64oz was only $4.79.
Heated the lard up to 250 degrees. Didn't put too much, since I know the fat was gonna render out of the pork belly as it cooked. Went for about 42 minutes at this stage.
Removed after the first fry, resting/cooling.
For the next stage, I followed some instructions I found online. I got the lard up to 375 degrees. I put the cracklin back into the fryer, then gave a quick stir. Then I cut off the fire completely. Then I threw a cup of ice into the oil (STAND BACK), and watched the fireworks. After about 10 seconds the violence of the reaction stops, and I pulled out the cracklin. The skin was blistered/popped after that 2nd fry.
Seasoning was done again similarly to how Danny&Bonnie seafood does it in Gretna. Right after removing the cracklin, I squirted some white vinegar on them. Then a drizzled dry seasoning which was a doctored up Slap Ya Mama blend with some Tabasco powder.
Final product:
1st Annual Boil & Crack party
Cake, but I'm a ketard so I didn't partake.
10
Posted on 4/10/16 at 11:00 pm to busbeepbeep
Dude those look really good
I have that knife. God it sucks
Thats some short shorts there
I have that knife. God it sucks
Thats some short shorts there
Posted on 4/11/16 at 12:04 am to busbeepbeep
Looks mighty good. Making my mouth water.
They only time I was involved making cracklin during boucherie was just over 30 years ago when I was teen.
They only time I was involved making cracklin during boucherie was just over 30 years ago when I was teen.
Posted on 4/11/16 at 1:45 am to Jones
damn that looks good.
Posted on 4/11/16 at 4:49 am to busbeepbeep
quote:
a cup of ice into the oil
I use this same method to bring the temp of the oil down when I'm frying turkeys.
Posted on 4/11/16 at 6:07 am to busbeepbeep
Looks incredible. Did you cut out the teat? How did this batch render compared to the first one, more or less vs starting weight?
Posted on 4/11/16 at 6:07 am to busbeepbeep
Looks incredible. Did you cut out the teat? How did this batch render compared to the first one, more or less vs starting weight?
Posted on 4/11/16 at 6:20 am to busbeepbeep
Well!? How was it?
Posted on 4/11/16 at 7:37 am to Sir Drinksalot
quote:It was delicious. It got devoured pretty quickly. Very close to my benchmark in Gretna.
Well!? How was it?
Didn't cut out the teats or any other part of the skin.
I didn't weigh, but I'd estimate we yielded around 4lbs of cracklin from 12.5lbs of pork belly.
Posted on 4/11/16 at 8:28 am to busbeepbeep
Where does one obtain Tabasco powder?
Posted on 4/11/16 at 10:04 am to sleepytime
Bravo! those look amazing! 
Posted on 4/11/16 at 10:15 am to sleepytime
quote:not sure exactly. My friend's wife works at a restaurant and she had a container of it.
Where does one obtain Tabasco powder?
and re: the knife. Same restaurant working wife forgot her knives at work, so we were left with those crappy knives to try to saw through that skin.
This post was edited on 4/11/16 at 10:16 am
Posted on 4/11/16 at 10:17 am to busbeepbeep
quote:The only place I have ever found it was from the country store on avery island.
Where does one obtain Tabasco powder?
Posted on 4/11/16 at 11:57 am to surprisewitness
I would look on Amazon......I've seen powdered Tabasco peppers on there.
Not a Tabasco brand though
Not a Tabasco brand though
Posted on 4/11/16 at 12:47 pm to busbeepbeep
Making me hungry for cracklins.. I'm coming back to Louisiana for the week and gonna have to hunt down some cracklins now
Posted on 4/11/16 at 2:21 pm to busbeepbeep
shite looks awesome. btw crushed cracklins work great for keto diets to "batter" chicken in.
Posted on 4/12/16 at 12:49 am to BRgetthenet
you don't have any issues dropping water (ice) into how oil?
or are y'all fricking with people?
or are y'all fricking with people?
Posted on 4/12/16 at 6:07 am to SammyTiger
I did the ice thing. It wasn't as dangerous as it sounded. I turned the fire off. Got idea from here. But my cracklin were near ready to eat after first fry so my 2nd totaled just one minute, not five minutes.
This post was edited on 4/12/16 at 6:08 am
Posted on 4/12/16 at 8:40 am to busbeepbeep
Looks really good 
Posted on 5/23/16 at 10:43 am to LSUweights
Had another go at cracklin. This time I was able to get the pork belly for $2.01/lb at Restaurant Depot. Cooked up about 14 lbs of belly.
Followed same procedure as earlier, but used an 8 quart cast iron that I borrowed this time, which I was able to do the 14lbs of belly in 2 batches.
Thinking of getting a 5 gallon cast iron from Amazon for these purposes.
Warning, nipple pic
Followed same procedure as earlier, but used an 8 quart cast iron that I borrowed this time, which I was able to do the 14lbs of belly in 2 batches.
Thinking of getting a 5 gallon cast iron from Amazon for these purposes.
Warning, nipple pic
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