Crispy Pork Scratchings
Crunchy, salty pork skin fried until golden and shatteringly crisp. A beloved British snack that's ready in under 30 minutes and requires just three ingredients.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 287
- Protein
- 8g
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pork skin (preferably from a butcher, no meat attached)
- 4 cups Lard or vegetable oil for frying
- 1 teaspoon Fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Place the pork skin on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice it crosswise into strips about 1/4-inch wide and 2 inches long, like cutting a thick pastry into finger-sized pieces.
- 2
Pat the pork skin strips very dry with paper towels, pressing firmly to remove all surface moisture — this helps them crisp up, not steam.
- 3
Place a fine-mesh strainer next to the stove and line a plate with paper towels beside it — you'll need both soon.
- 4
Pour the lard or oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven until it reaches a depth of 3 inches, then place on the stove over medium heat.
- 5
Heat the oil until a wooden spoon handle dipped into it produces a steady stream of small bubbles around it, about 325°F — this takes 8–10 minutes and is the correct frying temperature.
- 6
Carefully add about one-third of the pork skin strips to the hot oil, stirring with a slotted spoon to keep them from clumping together.
- 7
Fry the first batch, stirring every 30 seconds, until the pieces are light golden brown and crisp when you bite one, about 4–5 minutes total.
- 8
Use the slotted spoon to scoop the cooked scratchings into the fine-mesh strainer over the pot, letting the hot oil drain back through for about 10 seconds.
- 9
Transfer the drained scratchings from the strainer onto the paper towel-lined plate to cool and crisp further, about 1 minute.
- 10
Repeat steps 6–9 with the remaining two batches of pork skin, frying one batch at a time.
- 11
Once all scratchings are cooked and have cooled to room temperature, sprinkle the fine sea salt over them and toss gently to distribute evenly.
- 12
Transfer the pork scratchings to a serving bowl or container and enjoy within a few hours while they are still crispy — they soften as they sit.
Tools you’ll need
- Cutting board
- Sharp chef's knife
- Paper towels
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (at least 5-quart capacity)
- Instant-read thermometer (optional but recommended)
- Slotted spoon
- Plate
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