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Started By
Message
How to make Cracklin crunchy?
Posted on 1/20/22 at 7:21 am
Posted on 1/20/22 at 7:21 am
I need help finishing my homemade cracklins. Every time I make a batch they come out either soft or burnt. I like a thick cut cracklin that's crunchy on the outside but meaty and soft on the inside. I cut the pork belly thick, fry them at 200 DegF for 1.5 hours, I take them out to cool, usually season them then, I get the oil up to 375 DegF, then fry them again for 5 or so minutes (Any longer and they burn), then take them out and season them one last time. I keep a close eye on them to make sure they are done but every time I take hem out after that second fry they are not crunchy. Any thoughts? What am I doing wrong here?
4
Posted on 1/20/22 at 7:31 am to Agro70
If you doing pork belly you can just fry them about at about 325-340 till they get crispy. If you doing back fat you do the low and slow method, pull them out, let them cool, raise the grease temp to "pop" them.
Posted on 1/20/22 at 7:37 am to CHEDBALLZ
I’ve made them a few times with pork belly, but think I’d like to try back fat. Sometimes the meaty portion gets too hard/dry. I don’t care for the texture or flavor. The fat and skin is what I like.
Posted on 1/20/22 at 8:38 am to Agro70
quote:
fry them at 200 DegF for 1.5 hours,
Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but that seems like a long time to fry anything. They are soaking up all that grease.
I fry them hot and hard the first time while stirring the pot. Pull out season and back in.
Posted on 1/20/22 at 8:48 am to CoachChappy
quote:
They are soaking up all that grease.
Posted on 1/20/22 at 9:17 am to CajunAlum Tiger Fan
You know what I mean: getting soggy
Posted on 1/20/22 at 9:25 am to Agro70
following this thread for tips.
my first attempt I made "blacklins". they didn't look anything like i've seen.
the next few attempts got better but, never seemed really right.
someone here pointed out that the pork belly i got from costco didn't have the skin so it would "pop".
my first attempt I made "blacklins". they didn't look anything like i've seen.
the next few attempts got better but, never seemed really right.
someone here pointed out that the pork belly i got from costco didn't have the skin so it would "pop".
Posted on 1/20/22 at 11:13 am to CoachChappy
quote:
They are soaking up all that grease.
No they're not. They are rendering their fat and increasing the amount of grease in the pot.
But I do agree, 200 is too low a temperature.
OP needs to u-tube several "Cracklin' Videos".
Posted on 1/20/22 at 11:45 am to MorbidTheClown
quote:
someone here pointed out that the pork belly i got from costco didn't have the skin so it would "pop".
This. I got some pork once with the skin on and cut it off to make pork rinds. It is a very drawn out process to actually make fried pork skins and it is amazing how large even the smaller pieces will expand to when they hit that hot grease.
Posted on 1/20/22 at 3:33 pm to Agro70
I learned from Mr. Carol. He's won the Parks Cracklin Cookoff numerous times but cracklin is alot like jambalaya in that every cajun is gonna have a slightly different process. I'll give you a brief overview:
Fire off
Pour 3/4 gallon of oil in a 10 gallon pot
Add cubed pork to oil (I cut them a little bigger than 1"x1")
Light fire under pot. Set it to low. Very low.
Gently stir every 15 mins
When grease temp hits 270, pull them out
Kill fire
Spread cracklin out to cool
Strain grease of as many of the greemies as you can
When cracklins are cool, light your fire
Set it to medium/high
Bring grease to 380
Drop cracklin
Stir and watch for skin popping
Usually takes a minute, maybe two
Remove
Season
Enjoy
These are mine...
Fire off
Pour 3/4 gallon of oil in a 10 gallon pot
Add cubed pork to oil (I cut them a little bigger than 1"x1")
Light fire under pot. Set it to low. Very low.
Gently stir every 15 mins
When grease temp hits 270, pull them out
Kill fire
Spread cracklin out to cool
Strain grease of as many of the greemies as you can
When cracklins are cool, light your fire
Set it to medium/high
Bring grease to 380
Drop cracklin
Stir and watch for skin popping
Usually takes a minute, maybe two
Remove
Season
Enjoy
These are mine...
This post was edited on 1/20/22 at 3:36 pm
Posted on 1/20/22 at 3:47 pm to GeauxTigers0107
quote:
Strain grease of as many of the greemies as you can
what dis means?
Posted on 1/20/22 at 4:10 pm to MorbidTheClown
"greemies" is slang for all the little particles and bits that are floating around in the grease. I've heard it called "gradoo" as well.
Just clean the grease...lol.
Posted on 1/20/22 at 6:46 pm to CoachChappy
Initial temp should be 200, but as it renders you have to increase. You want a gradual increase to 300-325. Let it boil in the oil there for 30 min or so (pull here and there to test). When they are rendered enough, pull all. Cool spread out on butcher paper. They should be close to ambient temp before dropping them. 375. Do a few at a time.
my guess is you are rendering too low and “frying” in too large a batch. You def want the finish fry in small batches to keep the temp up. Also, old guys throw handfuls of water on them as they fry. I haven’t tried it.
my guess is you are rendering too low and “frying” in too large a batch. You def want the finish fry in small batches to keep the temp up. Also, old guys throw handfuls of water on them as they fry. I haven’t tried it.
Posted on 1/20/22 at 7:15 pm to michael corleone
quote:
Also, old guys throw handfuls of water on them as they fry.
I have a friend from St Martinville who also does well in these cracklin cookoffs and he never pulls his. When they get real close to being done, he stands there with a handful of ice and slowly throws a cube or three in and stirs. Looks at it some more, couple three more pieces of ice go in, and stirs. His come out great. But he ain't never beat Mr. Carol...lol.
Throwing water in while they fry? I mean, it's melted ice so I can see it but he can't be pouring much at all
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