How to Make Chicharon: Amazing Chicharon Recipes You Can Try

Often relegated to the aisles of grocery stores, local delicacy stands, and street vendors, most people think that chicharon is only good for straight-out-of-the-bag snacking.

But, chicharon is actually a super tasty, unique ingredient that’s more versatile than you might expect.

Don’t believe us? Check out these amazing chicharon recipes that you can try!

Chicharon Recipes You Can Try at Home

Popular delicacies like Chicharon in Cebu are definitely a must if you love chicharon.

But, did you know that there are various other ways you can enjoy this delicious delicacy?

Check out these amazing chicharon recipes you can try at home!

Homemade Chicharon

Homemade Chicharon made of pork rinds deep-fried to golden perfection! Crunchy and tasty, these cracklings are the ultimate low-carb treat and are best served with spicy vinegar dip.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds pork rinds, cut into 2-inch sizes
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 head garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• canola oil

Instructions:

1. In a deep pot, combine pork rinds, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, and salt. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, skimming scum that floats on top.
2. Lower heat, cover, and continue to cook for about 40 to 50 minutes or until tender but not falling apart.
3. Drain well, discarding the liquid and aromatics. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until completely cooled.
4. Arrange pork rinds in a single layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Bake in a 200 F oven for about 3 to 4 hours or until shrunken, dry, and brittle. Remove from the oven.
5. In a thick-bottomed pot, heat about 3 inches deep of oil to 350 F. Gently add dried pork rinds in batches as needed and deep-fry for about 2 to 4 minutes or until puffed up and begin to float.
6. Using a slotted spoon, remove the fried chicharon and drain on a wire rack. Season with salt to taste.

Monggo with Chicharon (Ginisang Munggo at Chicharon)

Love chicharon and monggo? Enjoy the best of both worlds with this delicious recipe! Wondering how to cook monggo with chicharon? Here’s a simple step-by-step guide you can use.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried mung beans
• 6 cups water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 2 cups chicharon (pork cracklings with attached meat)
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, stems trimmed
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

Instructions:

1. Sort through the mung beans, discarding discolored or shriveled beans and any grit or dirt. Rinse beans in cold, running water until water runs clear. Drain well.
2. In a large pot, combine mung beans and water. Over medium heat, bring to a boil skimming froth that floats on top.
3. Lower heat, cover, and continue to cook for about 45 to 50 minutes or until beans have softened and skins have burst. Add more water as needed to maintain about 4 cups.
4. In another pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender and aromatic. 
5. Add tomatoes and cook, mashing with the back of the spoon, until softened.
6.  Add fish sauce and continue to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Add cooked mung beans including liquid. Bring to a boil. 
8. Add pork cracklings and continue to cook until softened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Add spinach, turn off heat and cover pot for about 1 to 2 minutes or until spinach is just wilted. Serve hot.

Pork Rinds with Chile Lime Salt

Want to add a little more kick to your chicharon recipe? You’ll definitely enjoy pork rinds with chile lime salt! 

Ingredients:

For Pork Rinds:

• 3 pounds raw pork skin
• Grapeseed oil or other neutral-flavored oil, for frying 

For Chile Lime Salt:

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons Korean chile flakes
• 1/2 tablespoon Cajun blackening seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Zest from 4 limes

Instructions:

1. Put the pork skin in a large pot and cover it with water by 4 inches. Boil the skin for 2 hours.  
2. Strain the skin, return to the pot, and cover it with cold water. Strain again. Once cool enough to handle, stack the skin between kitchen towels and put it in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.  
3. Scrape any remaining fat off the skin using a spoon (or other utensils with a good scrapping edge). It’s important to get as much fat off the skin as possible. Cut into rectangles approximately 2 inches by 1/2 inch. Dehydrate on the lowest temperature setting for 48 hours. The skin should look like brownish-hard plastic.  
4. Heat oil to 375 degrees in your favorite deep-fryer or in a heavy pot. Fry the skin until puffed, 30 seconds to a minute. Remove the pork rinds to a paper-towel-lined bowl and season with Chile-Lime Salt.  

Chile Lime Salt. Mix the salt with the lime juice and spread it onto a baking tray. Put somewhere warm with good air circulation until dry.

Once dry, mix with the Korean chile flakes, Cajun seasoning, cayenne, and lime zest.  

Chicharon Bulaklak

Chicharon Bulaklak is a Filipino dish made up of pork intestines that have been deep-fried.

The word ‘bulaklak’ is the Tagalog word for ‘flowers’ – an apt description as the intestines curl up into flower-shaped crisps once fried.

While these are usually served with a spicy vinegar dipping sauce during beer-drinking sessions, you can have them as an afternoon snack or as a side for your lunch.

Ingredients:

• 1kg pork small intestines (with mesentery, washed and cleaned)
• 500ml water
• 12 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 pcs bay leaves
• 2 tbsp whole peppercorns
• 500ml vegetable oil
• 50ml spiced vinegar (for dipping)
• 3g salt (to taste)
• 3g pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Chop the intestines into bite-sized portions of about 5 to 6 cm each.
2. Fill up a pot with water (or enough water) and bring it a boil on medium heat and add garlic, bay leaves, and whole peppercorns.
3. Next, add the intestines and allow it to simmer until tender, around 30 minutes.
4. Once it’s cooked, remove the intestines and allow it to dry on a tray.
5. In a deep pot, heat 500ml cooking oil and deep fry the intestines for 5 to 7 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
6. Remove the intestines from the pot and place it on a plate with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Transfer it to a serving plate and serve immediately. Pair it with spiced vinegar for a spicy kick.

Chicken Chicharrones

Chicken Chicharrones isn’t your average fried chicken. This crazy good chicken is with delicious seasonings, and then simply tossed in flour and fried to perfection. 

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs skinless boneless chicken thighs
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• ¼ cup vinegar
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
2. In a bowl, combine together onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, vinegar, and lime juice. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Spread the flour in a shallow dish; season with salt and pepper. Thoroughly coat chicken pieces in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess before frying.
4. Heat oil in a large pan and fry chicken in batches, until browned and cooked through. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Crispy Pork Belly Chicharon

Crispy Pork Belly Chicharon might look like your regular Lechon kawali. However, it is way crispier. It can be compared to crispy pork rinds, except that this still has the meat on.

Crunchy deep-fried pork belly that tastes even better when dipped in spicy vinegar. Snack on it or consume it as a main dish with rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. pork belly
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups cooking oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons whole peppercorn
• 8 pieces dried bay leaves

Instructions:

1. Boil water in a cooking pot. Add salt, bay leaves, whole peppercorn, and pork. Cover and continue to boil for 60 minutes.
2. Remove from the pot and let the pork cool down. Poke holes in the skin using a toothpick. Slice the pork in half for a thinner piece.
3. Rub salt all over the pork belly. Air dry for 1 hour. Note: placing the pork in front of an electric fan is a good idea.
4. Heat oil on a cooking pot. Deep fry pork belly until crispy and golden brown. Note: be extra careful when doing this step. The use of a splatter screen is recommended.
5. Remove crispy pork belly from the cooking pot and place over a wire rack. Let it cool down.
6. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve with spicy vinegar.
7. Serve! Share and enjoy!

Chicken Skin Chicharon

Did you know that other than pork rind, you can also make chicharon out of other ingredients?

Chicken Skin Chicharon is easy to make at home and is seriously addictive. It’s crispy, tasty, and delicious as a snack or appetizer. And keto-friendly, too!

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of chicken skin
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and pounded
• 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns, cracked
• 1 teaspoon salt
• lard or canola oil

Instructions:

1. In a pot over medium heat, combine chicken skin, water, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, and salt.
2. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and continue to cook until skins render fat and are softened but not falling apart.
3. With a slotted spoon, remove the skins from the pot. Remove any stray peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves, and discard.
4. Arrange skins in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator, uncovered, for about 1 hour or until completely cold.
5. Using a spoon, gently scrape away any subcutaneous fat. Cut into about 4-inch pieces.
6. In a 180 F oven, bake skins for about 2 to 3 hours or until dry with just a bit of flexibility.
7. In a deep, heavy-bottomed pot, heat about 3 inches deep of lard or canola oil to 350 to 375 F.
8. Add chicken skins and deep-fry until they begin to puff and start to float. Do not overcrowd the pan and cook in batches as needed.
9. With a slotted spoon, remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Serve with spiced vinegar.

Tips When Cooking Chicharon Recipes

Here are some tips when you try any of the chicharon recipes above (or any other chicharon recipe):

• To avoid splatting oil all over your kitchen while frying, cover half lead of your pan. That way, you can use it as your shield.
• The better way to know if your pork rinds cook already is if it turns to a golden brown and curls a bit. And also, if it floats completely.
• You want the skin and fat to be as dry as possible. If time allows, chill the piece of pork uncovered for 4 hours or overnight (the air in the refrigerator is very dry). If there’s no time, pat the meat dry with a paper towel and finish off with a hair dryer (but make sure it’s in the cold setting!). 
• Cook the pork skin by boiling it until tender but not falling apart.
• Deep-fry in hot oil to make it crunchy.
• If your recipe calls for a marinade, make sure it doesn’t touch the fat and skin. With a round piece of pork, you need to cut away the fat and skin and set it aside while you marinate the meat, then reassemble and tie it with kitchen string when ready to roast. If using a flat piece of pork belly, make sure the level of marinade stays below the level of fat.
• Ensure that you put your seasoning after you remove your pork rinds in your pan, that way, it can absorb the flavor you want to achieve in it.
• To make your chicharon as crispy as possible, always start with high heat to get the crackling going! Try 20-30 minutes at 220c-240c then reduce the temperature to medium heat for the remainder of the cooking (170-190C).
• Once cooked, leave the meat to stand away from the heat on a bench somewhere, for 10-20 minutes, uncovered. The juices, which have been driven to the center of the meat during cooking, will then redistribute back through the meat so that it loses less juice when you cut it and be more tender and juicier. (If you cover the roast in foil, the steam gets trapped around the pork and the crackling loses its crunch!)

Chicharon Recipes: Best Served With

Of course, you can always enjoy pork chicharon on its own, but you can pair it with other meals and dips, too! You can serve chicharon recipes with:

• Steamy Rice. Did you know that some people actually enjoy eating chicharon as their viand to rice? You can also combine it with other viands; combining it with any courses can provide an additive effect that can boost your appetite for keeping you from eating more. Because the rice’s saltiness can complement the taste of the chicharon, that is why it is also an excellent combo. 
• Pancit Palabok. Pancit Palabok is a traditional meal of Pinoys. It has a unique taste with a combination of pork, shrimp, squid, and vegetables. That is why considering chicharon in it can also bring a salty flavor to your Pancit Palabok. Plus, it can also provide an extra texture of crunch. You can use this as a garnish, too.
• Ginisang Gulay. Ginisang Gulay is a simple sauteed vegetable dish. You can use chicharon as a substitute for the meat if you don’t have available meat ingredients. Plus, it can lessen your use of salt because Chicharon has a salty flavor already. Don’t worry about the taste. It is also similar to your regular veggie meal, but also it can elevate the flavors on your menu. 
• Beer. Chicharon is a great appetizer and is even better when eaten while having a bottle of beer. Chicharon is often used as pulutan when family and friends gather for a drink. 
• Ice cream. Ice cream can be good when paired with chicharon. The contrasting taste of these two can build a fantastic combination of savory flavors. That is why you can consider this as a great choice. 

The Bottom Line

Level up your food game with these chicharon recipes! These Philippine chicharon recipes will surely give you crunchy, tasty, and delicious treats you can enjoy as snacks or pair with your meals. 

Of course, you can always enjoy chicharon straight out of the bag, but if you’re looking for something more, make sure to try the recipes above. Enjoy!