replicating the Publican's spicy pork rinds

I made my first trip to the Publican on Sunday and I can't stop thinking about the spicy pork rinds. I found this blurb that talks about how to make them and I'm thinking about trying to replicate it. Here is the blurb (you can see the video at the bottom of the second link:

Publican chef de cuisine Brian Huston fills viewers in on how, exactly, these little bits of pork skin become so freaking delicious: first they're cooked for about two hours, "until they fall apart." They're then dehydrated, fried in pork fat until they puff up, and are then coated in the Publican's special seasoning mix. "It's one part espelette pepper, two parts malt vinegar powder, to three parts cheddar cheese powder," Huston says. "It's our take on spicy Cheetos." Please try this at home.

http://chicago.grubstreet.com/2009/06/the_publicans_pork_rinds_drive.html

video: http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/06/food-networks-the-best-thing-i-ever-ate-review-video/

Am I fooling myself in thinking that doesn't look too difficult? The only thing I'm not clear on is how exactly to dehyrdate them. Could I just leave them on an unocvered cookie sheet/cooling rack in the refrigerator? Also, for the skin, do you think they trim off as much fat as possible so you're only left with the skin itself?

I can't seem to find a source for malt vinegar powder either.

BigT wrote:I can't seem to find a source for malt vinegar powder either.

http://www.terraspice.com/index.php/ter ... ngredients

BigT wrote:Am I fooling myself in thinking that doesn't look too difficult? The only thing I'm not clear on is how exactly to dehyrdate them. Could I just leave them on an unocvered cookie sheet/cooling rack in the refrigerator? Also, for the skin, do you think they trim off as much fat as possible so you're only left with the skin itself?

You need a dehydrator or a low oven. And yes, the fat is trimmed. Here are complete directions: Chicharron.

Hi,

Some years ago, I received a (re)gift of 'Porky Poppers' microwaveable pork cracklings. The fried out pork arrived in preportioned packets. Before microwaving you punched some air vents, then microwaved on high for approximately 1-2 minutes. I made a film clip, which someone commented was a waste of two minutes of their life.



Over the last few years, I have bought a few bags of "Pork Cracklings: fried-out pork fat with attached skin, salt added." It is distributed by Prairieland Food Products, Chicago, IL 60609. I have found them at stores catering to Southern foods as well as Asian products. A one pound bag costs less than $3.

Why all this detail? It was only recently did I realize these hard as heck bits were the bulk version of Porky Poppers. I now have freshly made pork cracklins whenever I want from popping them in the microwave. The first time I microwaved them, I used a small dish. I over microwaved the cracklins until a few burned and cracked the dish's glaze. I now microwave them on a paper towel.

I am certain another way to process these to cracklings is a quick visit to a deep fat fryer. I bet they puff up instantly like rice crackers.

You may want to consider getting this product to experiment in your efforts to replicate spicy pork rinds. I certainly hope to benefit from your new found knowledge.

Regards,