The Unmatched Pork Cut That Delivers The Crispiest Crackling

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When it comes to pork cuts, sometimes the pork loin and pork tenderloin get all the buzz. They can be roasted whole in the oven or, probably most commonly, sliced into individual pork chops. But let's not forget about the other cuts — pork shoulder is the underrated cut of pork you should be using for your steak and it's also the ideal cut for super succulent pulled pork (along with pork butt). But when you want some crispy, crunchy pork in perfect bitesize morsels, what's the best cut on the pig?

We're talking cracklings, here. And for the best cut of pork to use for your cracklings we reached out to an expert for a Chowhound exclusive. Eric Cook, executive chef and owner of New Orleans institutions, Gris-Gris (@grisgrisnola on Instagram) and Saint John (@saintjohnnola on Instagram), knows his way around a cut of pork. "If you are looking to make 'cracklins' or grattons, you are going to need skin-on pork belly, some oil and some good Creole or Cajun spice," chef Cooke says.

For the uninitiated, cracklings (or "cracklins'") are essentially the same as pork rinds and chicharrones — fried pork skin. But cracklings always include some rendered fat (and usually a bit of meat), while pork rinds or chicharrones may only include the skin. Plus, cracklings go beyond just salt to include a good amount of savory, spicy Cajun ingenuity. They are crunchy, chewy, and full of delicious salty, unctuous flavor.

When it comes time to make the cracklings, Eric Cook, who's the author of the new cookbook "Modern Creole: A Taste of New Orleans Culture and Cuisine" (featuring a foreword by Gordon Ramsay), says, "This dish can get a little tricky and should definitely be done under supervision of one of your favorite Cajun friends. Check 'Chasing the Gator' by Chef Isaac Toups, that is my go-to reference for solid Cajun advice on cracklin' goodness." Toups' cracklings recipe calls for pork belly cut into one-inch pieces and cooked in lard until the skin blisters and turns golden brown. Once cooked, the pieces are fried in peanut oil until they're crispy and puffed up. From there, you can toss them in your favorite Cajun spice to get a nice coating of savory, spicy flavor.

Cracklings are most likely the product of boucherie, a Cajun tradition of communal hog butchering that intends to use up every part of the pig. "One of the best things about cooking in South Louisiana is that all the recipes are from family folks who are utilizing every possible part of the animal," Cook says. It helps to keep meal costs low and maximizes the feeding potential of a single animal.

As for other cuts of pork that Cook likes to use, he says, "I don't believe I have ever met a part of the pig that I did not love. Southern cooking at its roots is based on conservation and sustainability of our natural resources and sharing the joy of family gatherings for generations to come."