pig skins

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "pig skins" means pork rinds - fried pieces of pig skin that puff up into a crunchy snack. They’re a favorite at gas stations, ballgames, and country stores.

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Hillbilly Dude Says...

We always called 'em 'pig skins' growin' up, but it's mainly just heard from old timers nowadays.

Pronunciation

[PIG skinz]

Meaning & Usage

- Pork rinds as a snack (noun, plural)

Mae:

Want chips or candy?

Earl:

Nah, get me a bag of pig skins.

- Fried pig skin in general (noun)

Mae:

What are those?

Earl:

Just fried pig skins - crunchy as can be.

other spellings: pork rinds, fried pig skin, skins, bag of pig skins from the store, eatin’ pig skins at the ballgame, and hot sauce on pig skins

★ Don’t mix up pig skins with cracklins. Pig skins are puffed and airy, usually from store-bought bags. Cracklins are denser and meatier, often made fresh after hog-killin’ or lard rendering. ★

Origin

From the simple country name for what they are - fried pig skin. While "pork rinds" is the common packaging term, Southern and Appalachian folks often call them "pig skins."

Notes

Still very common in Southern and Appalachian speech. You’ll see "pork rinds" on the bag, but locals often ask for "pig skins" instead.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "pig skins." Often shortened in casual talk: "pigskinz."

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Are pig skins the same as cracklins?

No - pig skins are puffed and light, while cracklins are denser and meatier.

Do people outside the South say "pig skins"?

Less often - "pork rinds" is more common elsewhere.

Where do you usually find them?

Gas stations, ballgames, and country stores, often in big plastic bags.