Learn how to make the best crunchy and crispy Air Fryer Homemade Pork Rinds recipe, also known as chicharrones, right in your kitchen. You are making a low-carb keto snack from pork skin, and you can customize the seasoning for a delicious treat.
How to make Pork Rinds in an Air Fryer. Photo credit: Low Carb – No Carb.
Pork rinds made in an Air Fryer are perfect for making a great puffy and curly snack with your movie night. This ever-so-popular keto diet substitution is extensively used in low-carb cuisine instead of regular breadcrumbs. Entirely gluten-free, grain-free, and full of collagen, this is a genius food choice to enjoy our lifestyle.
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The idea to make pork rinds in the air fryer came to me when I was researching a recipe I was writing about, the sweet churro-like chicharrones pork rinds with beautiful cinnamon flavor. As I was studying and looking at the questions people were asking, I realized some asked about frying those in an air fryer.
And since I own the air fryer, there was nothing else to stop me with my trials.
In the process, I made pork lard scratchings or cracklins as one of the packages I bought was, by mistake, pure raw pig fat.
Homemade Pork Rinds
Trials of Making the Best Air Fryer Pork Rinds
My idea could have worked better on the first run.
I have tried to make a few shortcuts, off not cooking the pork skin beforehand.
I have also tried to make a shortcut by placing raw pig skin cut into pieces directly into an air fryer, assuming it will all work.
As I have realized, the same process is with our cheese pops or keto popcorn – the cheese must be fully dry. Otherwise, you will not get the proper pops.
And therefore, I have decided to make this recipe for you with all the additional tips and tricks I went through until I got the perfect crunchy bar greens ready to be used on any of the low-carb lifestyle dishes.
What Is the Difference Between Pork Rinds and Cracklings?
The difference between pork rinds and cracklings is very minimal to the look.
Pork rinds have no fat at all on the skin.
Once they’re deep-fried or air-fried, they will pop into these beautiful puffy curls.
Cracklings, on the other hand, have a little bit of fat on the skin and are a bit different in taste.
They do not puff as much but are, in return, more flavorful and have a bit more crunch in them from the meat.
Pork Rinds made at home
Do I Need an Air Fryer for Making Pork Rinds?
An Air fryer Is an excellent invention for all trying to reduce the deep frying in their kitchen.
I got my air fryer about a year ago as a Christmas gift from my family, and dishes made with this great kitchen gadget are always crispy and tasty.
Using an air fryer is much simpler than deep-frying directly in one of your chosen oils.
It is also a much healthier choice, so air fryers have become popular in recent years. Just like what I did with my air fryer cabbage recipe, using it is more convenient and easy than pan frying.
Making pork rinds can be done in various ways.
You do not need an air fryer for this and don’t worry if you do not own one, but it is much healthier.
You can also deep fry the dehydrated pork skin or try making those cracklings in the oven.
Easy Keto Snack
How to Make the Best Pork Rinds in An Air Fryer
Let us dive into making the best-ever healthy recipes. I have included video instructions for those who prefer more visual guidance.
Kitchen Gadgets You Need for This Recipe:
Cooking Pot
Dehydrator
Air Fryer
Ingredients You Need:
Pork Skin
Salt
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE CRISPY AIR FRYER PORK RINDS
First Step: Prepare Ingredients
Prepare your best quality pork skin and salt.
Air Fryer Homemade Pork Rinds Chicharrones
Second Step: Clean and Cook
First, make sure the pork skin you bought is of its best quality and fully clean.
If it is not clean, wash it properly and dry it with a paper towel.
Cut the pork skin into the blocks, fitting into your cooking pot.
Place all of the skin inside the cooking pot, add water, and use a heavy subject to ensure the skin is permanently submerged. Cook the skin for approximately an hour.
Cooking
Third Step: Extra Fat, Dry, and Cut
Once your pork skin is cooked, let it cool and make sure it is fully dry. With a sharp knife, scrape the remaining fat which has been on.
The less fat you have on the skin, the more your pork rinds will double in size once air frying.
Cleaning
Fourth Step: Dehydrate
When all the pieces are fully dry, place them on the dehydrator racks and switch them on for approximately eight hours.
It is good to swap the dehydrator trays from time to time to make sure your pork skin is dehydrated thoroughly and evenly.
Dehydrating
Fifth Step: Collect
After the pork skin is fully dehydrated, take them all and place them in a jar or a bowl.
You can store directly dehydrated skin and use it whenever you would like to make fresh air fryer pork rinds.
Dehydrated pork skin will stay in an airtight container for a long time.
Collecting
Sixth Step: Air Fry
Once ready to air fry, place a few pieces of the dehydrated pork skin into an air fryer. Remember that the pork rinds will double in size and need space to pop up correctly.
Therefore, use only a handful amount of pork skin. Switch the air fryer to the highest temperature for approximately 7 to 10 minutes.
The time and temperature depend really on the brand of an air fryer you have. Please read the full instructions on how to use it.
Air Frying
Seventh Step: Season
In about 10 minutes, you should have beautiful crunchy cracklings or pork rinds done in an air fryer.
While still warm, sprinkle them with salt or season with your favorite spices.
Seasoning
Tips and Tricks
Cooking – do not skip this step. While cooking, the skin will be much softer, will dehydrate better, and you will be able to take out the excess fat easier.
Dehydrating – another step not to be missed. For the pork rinds to pop and double in size, they must be fully dehydrated.
Air frying – the time and temperature depend really on the brand of an air fryer you have. Please read the full instructions on how to use it.
Perfect Air fryer snack
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What Can You Use Pork Rinds For?
Pork Rinds are an excellent substitution for breadcrumbs in our lifestyle.
Use them whenever you typically use breadcrumbs such as this 0 carb bread, add them to your dishes instead of bacon bits, or eat them as a perfect keto snack for your movie night.
After you make the recipe, while they are still warm, you can opt for coating them with your favorite seasoning. I like to use tacos or enchiladas for a Mexican feel. Feel free to pick your favorite and make flavored pork rinds your new snack instead of the potato chips everyone craves.
Where Do I Buy Pork Skin?
The easiest way to find pork skin is to visit your nearest butcher shop. They always have pieces that are sold at a cheap price. I buy mine in our local store, as they get supplies from time to time.
You can also opt to buy a whole pork belly. Take out the skin for the recipe and bake pork bell on a baking sheet as you regularly would.
Crunchy Pork Rinds
How Do You Easily Get Rid of The Fat from The Pig Skin?
The easiest way to remove the pork fat from the pig skin is by boiling it. Once the skin is boiled, it is much softer and easier to scrape. You can easily scratch the extra fat attached with a sharp knife.
Learn how to make the best crunchy and crispy Air Fryer Homemade Pork Rinds recipe, also known as chicharrones, right in your kitchen. You are making a low-carb keto snack from pork skin, and you can customize the seasoning for a delicious treat.
First, make sure the pork skin you bought is of its best quality and fully clean. If it is not clean, wash it properly and dry it with a paper towel. Cut the pork skin into the blocks, fitting into your cooking pot. Place all of the skin inside the cooking pot, add water, and use a heavy subject to ensure the skin is permanently submerged. Cook the skin for approximately an hour.
Once your pork skin is cooked, let it cool and make sure it is fully dry. With a sharp knife, scrape the remaining fat which has been on. The less fat you have on the skin, the more your pork rinds will double in size once air frying.
When all the pieces are fully dry, place them on the dehydrator racks and switch them on for approximately eight hours. It is good to swap the dehydrator trays from time to time to make sure your pork skin is dehydrated thoroughly and evenly.
After the pork skin is fully dehydrated, take them all and place them in a jar or a bowl. You can store directly dehydrated skin and use it whenever you would like to make fresh air fryer pork rinds. Dehydrated pork skin will stay in an airtight container for a long time.
Once ready to air fry, place a few pieces of the dehydrated pork skin into an air fryer. Remember that the pork rinds will double in size and need space to pop up correctly. Therefore, use only a handful amount of pork skin. Switch the air fryer to the highest temperature for approximately 7 to 10 minutes. The time and temperature depend really on the brand of an air fryer you have. Please read the full instructions on how to use it.
In about 10 minutes, you should have beautiful crunchy cracklings or pork rinds done in an air fryer. While still warm, sprinkle them with salt or season with your favorite spices.
Video
Notes
Cooking – do not skip this step. While cooking, the skin will be much softer, will dehydrate better, and you will be able to take out the excess fat easier.
Dehydrating – another step not to be missed. For the pork rinds to pop and double in size, they must be fully dehydrated.
Air frying – the time and temperature depend really on the brand of an air fryer you have. Please read the full instructions on how to use it.
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
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Hi what can i do if i dont have dehydrator? Can i put the pork skin directly to airfryer if I removed the fats from boiling or instantpot? Thanks
I have tried it without dehydrator but did not really puffed and worked for me. Try drying them in the oven on a low heat. Same effect as dehydrator
About 8 hours at what temperature in the dehydrator please? Mine does 40 – 70°C.
Highest I would suggest.
Can I cook the skin in an InstaPot?
You sure can.
Would it work with chicken skin??
That is a great idea. I have not tried it, but chicken skin is very thin and I am not sure if it will pop up.