Cracklins (Pork Cracklins)

"Cracklins" are the crispy bits of pork skin and fat left after rendering lard. In Appalachian and Southern cooking, they’re eaten hot as a snack or stirred into cornbread for extra flavor.

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Hillbilly Dude Says...

We make 'cracklins' in a slow cooker to render lard, and they're good eatin' with some salt.

Pronunciation

[CRACK-linz]

Meaning & Usage

- Crispy pork skin and fat (noun)

Mae:

What’s in the skillet?

Earl:

Fresh cracklins - try one.

- A cooking ingredient, often in cornbread (noun)

Mae:

What makes this bread so good?

Earl:

It’s cracklins baked in.

variations: cracklings

★ Don’t confuse fresh cracklins with store-bought pork rinds. Cracklins are denser, meatier, and often fried right after the lard’s been rendered. ★

Origin

From traditional hog butchering, where every part of the animal was used. Cracklins were the crunchy treat that came from rendering lard. The name comes from the crackling sound they make in hot fat.

Notes

Still beloved in Appalachian and Southern cooking. Found at hog killings, in country kitchens, and in old-time recipes like cracklin cornbread. Some folks buy them bagged today, but fresh cracklins are the real prize.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "crack-linz." Sometimes stretched in the hills: "crack-luns."

Kin Topics

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Common Questions

Are cracklins the same as pork rinds?

Not quite - pork rinds are puffier and lighter. Cracklins are denser, crispier, and meatier.

Do people still make them today?

Yes - especially in the South and Appalachia, often after rendering lard.

Can you buy cracklins at a store?

Sometimes, but the freshest and best are homemade.