Looking for something delicious and crunchy? Look no further than Cebu chicharon!
Arguably the most versatile snack there is, chicharron baboy is a golden deep-fried treat made of pork rind and can be eaten on its own or with your favorite Filipino meal. Plus, it’s the perfect pulutan and can be munched on anytime and anywhere!
While there are many chicharon manufacturers in the Philippines, one of the most popular is Chicharon sa Carcar. What makes it so popular? What are the top 10 chicharon in Carcar? What is chicharon made of? Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about chicharon!
What Is Chicharon Cebu?
When it comes to delicious and affordable chicharon, one place immediately comes to mind: Carcar Cebu. The City of Carcar has many Filipino delicacies.
The suckling pig Lechon might be the most popular, while other local snacks are sold by traveling street vendors.
But, another snack has garnered popularity for its flavorful taste and unforgettable crunch. Sold in many other parts of Cebu, it is synonymous with its heritage city – the famous Chicharon Carcar.
Chicharon Cebu is essentially pork rinds – thinly sliced pig skins that are cooked for a few minutes before being deep-fried in a large cooking pot of hot oil.
Aside from pork rind, chicken skin may also be made into chicharong manok, whereas chicharong bulaklak—literally ‘flower chicharrón’, named for its distinctive shape—is made from pork mesentery.
Chicharon is filled with flavor, perfect to pair with a rice meal, as a road trip snack, or even pairing it with alcohol during those late-night drinking sessions.
The City of Carcar is renowned for having a lot of Chicharon vendors. You will mostly find them on the sidewalks, carrying baskets of this tasty snack on the streets and highways.
Each store or vendor sells its own version of chicharon baboy, varying in taste, size, and flavor. As of today, they remain one of the most popular snacks sold locally in Cebu.
History of Chicharon in the Philippines.
Most agree that chicharon came from the Spaniards, during their colonial rule in the Philippines, as many Spanish and Portuguese-influenced countries share similarities with the dish.
However, there are quite a number of similar “varieties” of chicharon that have long existed all over the world.
Chicharon in English.
Chicharon is often translated to pork rinds in English.
What Is Filipino Chicharon Made Of?
Chicharon is a Filipino snack dish made with dried-up pork rind and then deep-fried to achieve a puffed consistency, usually served with vinegar dip.
However, while chicharon Philippines is typically made of fried pork belly or pork rinds, these delicious cracklings have taken many forms in Philippine cuisine and are also made using other ingredients such as chicken skin, pork ears, omentum (bulaklak), and intestines (isaw) as well as tuna skin.
Another popular Filipino variant is the Ilocos bagnet which is a cross between lechon kawali and chicharon and uses a double-fry method to attain its characteristic crispness.
Chicharon Ingredients and Procedure
Did you know that there are many different ingredients and ways to create chicharon? Here are some chicharon recipes you can try!
Classic Chicharon
Here’s a simple version of chicharon that you can try!
Ingredients:
- Pork Rind, cut into 2 squares
- Salt
- pepper
Instructions:
- Place pork rind pieces in a wire rack and fan bake at 170C for 1 hour.
- Let it cool down then refrigerate overnight.
- In a deep fryer fry pork rind pieces in really hot oil until puffy and crisp, this might take around 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Enjoy with a vinegar dip.
Dominican Chicharrones (Chicharron de Cerdo Pork Rind)
Chicharron de cerdo is another popular way to prepare chicharon, and few can resist this flavorful dish served as a snack, lunch, or dinner. With this recipe, you can now enjoy crispy chicharrones at home at any time!
Ingredients:
- 2-pound pork belly, [0.9 kg]
- ½ gallon water, [2 liters of water]
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano (dry, ground)
- 1 teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground)
- ¼ cup bitter orange juice, (or lime juice)
- 1 cup oil for frying, (canola, corn, or peanut)
- 6 Lime wedges to garnish
Instructions:
- Season the pork. In a thick-bottomed big pot, mix pork belly, water, salt, oregano, pepper, and bitter orange juice.
- Cook the pork. Cook uncovered over medium heat until all the liquid has evaporated (there will be some fat from the pork). Scoop as much of the herbs and seasonings as you can (so they don’t burn and produce excess smoke).
- Frying chicharon. Add the oil to the pot. Set the temperature to medium-high heat (if measured with a deep-fry thermometer til it reaches 360 ºF [182 ºC]). Fry the chicharrones covered with a splatter guard (see notes) skin side down. Cook until it has turned a dark golden brown and the skin is bubbly and crispy.
- Serve. Remove it from the grease with a slotted spoon, and place it on paper towels to absorb the excess grease. Cut into small cubes (2 inches [5 cm]) and serve. Enjoy!
Want more chicharon recipes? Check out our blog article, “How to Make Chicharon: Amazing Chicharon Recipes You Can Try”.
Types of Chicharon
Did you know that there are many different types of chicharon? While it is popularly known to be made from pork rinds, chciharon can also be made from chicken skin pork ears, omentum (bulaklak), intestines (isaw), and even tuna skin!
Here are some of the many different types of chicharon Philippines:
Chicharon with Laman
Laman is the Tagalog word for “flesh” or “meat” so this pork rind has the meat still attached to it. One of the most popular chicharon with laman is baliwag chicharon, a pre-packed delicious treat you can buy.
Chicharon Bituka
Deep-fried large intestines… Bituka is the Tagalog word for intestines.
Chicharon Bulaklak
Pork intestine railings that have been thoroughly cleaned, blanched, and cooked.
Chicharon Bits
Without fat or meat… size and shape are similar to popcorn.
Ground Chicharon
Crushed pieces of chicharon mixed into classic Filipino dishes like ginisang munggo, binagoongan, lugaw and pinakbet… Used as a topping for noodle dishes like pancit palabok, pancit Malabon, and batchoy.
Chicharon Bilog
This version of chicharon is made up of pork belly skin that results in thicker, saltier, and fuller pieces of chicharon with a rounder shape. Many food companies process this kind of chicharon and sell it in stores throughout the Philippines.
Top 10 Chicharon In Carcar
While there are many chicharon manufacturers in the Philippines, one of the most popular is Chicharon sa Carcar. In fact, you’ll find chicharon vendors and stores on almost every corner of the city. But, which ones are the best? Below, we list down the top 10 chicharon in Carcar!
Mat-Mat Chicharon
Mat-Mat Chicharon is known for the best local delicacies and unquestionably the best chicharon in Carcar. Since the 1950s, Mat-Mat has been selling the best chicharon in the city!
Arvin Crispy Chicharon
They’re famous for their crispy chicharon, which tastes even better after being dipped in spicy vinegar. They now accept orders online, and delivery is free if you reside in Carcar! Grab a special chicharon now!
Juan’s Special Chicharon
Haven’t heard of a Chicharon Manufacture having their own restaurant nearby? Juan’s Special Chicharon, situated in Ocaña Carcar has established its very own restaurant near its store. You can dine and buy your favorite Cebuano delicacies in one place. They are the first original marker of hot and spicy chicharon.
Earl John Special Chicharon
Earl John Special Chicharon is a store where you can buy a kilo of chicharon! You can choose the type of flavor you want spicy or special. Earl John also sells various delicacies that you might not find in other stores.
Carmen Otic Crispy Chicharon
Carmen Otic Crispy Chicharon is also a player in having the best chicharon and Cebuano delicacies in town. They hold the title for having the best chicharon in Carcar!
3J Chicharon
Included in the list is 3J Chicharon, where you can stop and buy pasalubong for your friends and family as you travel back home.
Jona-Renie Special Chicharon and Delicacies
Jona-Renie Special Chicharon and Delicacies is also a store that also offers various Cebuano delicacies, including Chicharon Cebu. If you want to buy a ton of delicacies then this is an ideal spot for you. Here you can buy any amount of chicharon and other indulge delicacies!
Yoyen Special Chicharon
Yoyen Special Chicharon assure you of quality ingredients as they turn the fresh belly fat of the pig into your favorite cracklings! They ensure that the chicharon preparation procedure meets the City Health Office’s highest standards. Also, to ensure freshness, they only store chicharon items for a week’s supply!
Flor & Tazar Special Chicharon and Banana Chips
Aside from chicharon pork, do you want to buy other Cebuano delicacies? Flor & Tazar Special Chicharon and Banana Chips offer flavor chicharon and various kinds of delicacies to indulge in! Flor & Tazar offers you a selection of delicacies from their best-selling products banana chips, masareal, ampao, and more.
Luis Chicharon
Luis chicharon is one of Cebu’s best and tastiest products. With their chicharon it goes along with your kinilaw, pancit, and a beer as you hang out with your friends and family!
Aside from this popular Cebu chicharon, there are also other chicharon brands that you should definitely try:
Lapid’s Chicharon.
Dubbed the “Rolls Royce of Chicharon” in the Philippines, this iconic brand continues to delight patrons who love this delicious snack. R.LAPID’S is one of, if not the largest manufacturers of chicharon in the Philippines.
Jennie’s Chicharon
Jennies Chicharon is an up-and-coming brand that you should definitely try if you love chicharon!
Dolores Chicharon
Original Freshly made crispy crunchy yummy backfat chicharon / chicharon laman straight from Santa Maria Bulacan.
Baliwag Chicharon
Popular known for its lechon manok and liempo, Baliwag also offers delicious chicharon! Over the years, they have added other well-loved items to their menus such as liempo and chicharon. They have also expanded their food business to include restaurants and fast food outlets.
Snackers Chicharon
Offering a broad range of snack products, Snackers also offers delicious chicharon in packs!
Other FAQs
Got other chicharon-related questions? Below, we answer some frequently asked questions:
Is chicharon a junk food?
Full of saturated and trans fat, chicharon is often considered an unhealthy type of junk food and snack.
Is chicharon good for health?
Deep fried in oil until crispy, chicharon is full of saturated and trans fat. This leads to an increase of bad cholesterol, which results in various cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and other disorders. But, not all chicharon is created equal and there are some benefits to eating this popular delicacy.
Some of the health benefits of chicharon:
- Protein. A small pack of chicharon (0.5 oz) contains eight to nine grams of protein. That’s the same amount of protein in 100 grams of nonfat Greek yogurt and more protein in a bag of chips. Protein is essential to the body. It helps repair muscles and can stimulate the production of body chemicals like enzymes and hormones.
- Zero Carbs. This is the main reason pork rinds are often recommended as a snack in low-carb diets, because it’s full of protein and doesn’t contain carbohydrates, unlike other on-the-go snacks.
Of course, just like with anything else, balance is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Portion control is important if you want to stay healthy while enjoying your favorite snack. If you want to pig out on chicharon (and with any other food), realize that there are unhealthy consequences.
What district is Carcar City?
Carcar, officially the City of Carcar is a 5th-class component city in the province of Cebu, Philippines. Carcar City is bordered to the north by the town of San Fernando, to the west are the towns of Aloguinsan and Barili, to the east is the Cebu Strait, and to the south is the town of Sibonga. Carcar lies within the Metro Cebu area.
What is Carcar Cebu known for?
Carcar City, located in the southern part of the province of Cebu, is known as the Heritage Town of Cebu. It is best known for its buildings’ architecture as the city maintains the historical and colonial structures that were built during the Spanish and American colonial periods of the Philippines.
Aside from its historical architecture, Carcar is also known for its many delicious foods, including lechon and chicharon.
Where to Buy Chicharon In Cebu City
The most notable place to buy chicharon in Cebu is at Carcar, particularly in a short aisle of stalls near the city’s rotunda. These vendors have been selling packs of pork rinds for many years now, welcoming travelers coming from different areas in southern Cebu.
The aisle of stalls is located a few meters from the city’s iconic rotunda. It is in front of the old public market where they used to sell lechon. The market may have been relocated, but the line-up of vendors still stands to this day.
- Bus. Your best option to get there is to take a bus from the Cebu South Bus Terminal. Take the one that goes to Carcar, as it will pass right in front of the aisle of vendors.
- Jeepney. Jeepneys might be slightly cheaper, but you have to take more rides. First, you have to take a jeepney to Tabunok or Minglanilla, and then look for a jeepney going to Carcar.
The Bottom Line
Chicharon Cebu is essentially pork rinds – thinly sliced pig skins that are cooked for a few minutes before being deep-fried in a large cooking pot of hot oil. Aside from pork rind, chicken skin may also be made into chicharong manok, whereas chicharong bulaklak—literally ‘flower chicharrón’, named for its distinctive shape—is made from pork mesentery.
Chicharon is filled with flavor, perfect to pair with a rice meal, as a road trip snack, or even pairing it with alcohol during those late-night drinking sessions.
While many people see it as an unhealthy snack, chicharon does offer some health benefits. The key is moderation. Just like with anything else, balance is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle – portion control is important if you want to stay healthy while enjoying your favorite snack.
