Pork Scratchings
The British pub snack: pork skin simmered, dried in a low oven until hard, then fried until it puffs into light, crunchy, blistered crackling.
Don't Make These Mistakes
Dry the rind until it is hard and glassy. Any softness means moisture, and moisture stops the pieces puffing and makes the oil spit.
Fry only a few pieces at a time in a deep pan, with the oil at 200°C / 400°F. They expand to several times their size.
Stand back from the pan and use a long-handled slotted spoon. The rind can splutter when it meets the hot oil, so take care.
Making Pork Scratchings
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Cut the pork rind into strips about 2 cm wide and 5 cm long. Put them in a pan with the water and the fine salt, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes, until soft. Drain and scrape off any thick fat with the back of a spoon.
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Pat the strips dry with kitchen paper and spread them out on a wire rack set over a baking tray.
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Heat the oven to 100°C / 210°F (80°C / 175°F fan). Bake the rind for 3 hours, until completely dry, hard and translucent, like amber. Turn the pieces halfway through.
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Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 200°C / 400°F. Working in small batches, and keeping your face back from the oil, fry the dried pieces for 30 to 60 seconds, until they puff up and turn golden and blistered.
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Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and toss at once with the sea salt and smoked paprika. Eat while warm and crisp.
Why It Works
Pork scratchings are the pub snack of the English Midlands, where they are sold in bags behind the bar of nearly every pub, and they are the crunchy, salty, savoury partner of a pint of bitter. They are made from the rind of the pig, with a little of the fat still attached, which is cooked, dried and fried, and the result is a light, blistered, brittle piece of crackling with a fat, chewy edge. They are called scratchings in the Black Country and West Midlands, and cracklings in other parts of the country, and every pub has an opinion about the difference between the hard, crunchy, dry type and the softer, fattier kind. Making them at home is a slow process, but not a difficult one. The rind is cut into strips and simmered in salted water to soften it and to draw out some of the fat, then dried in a very low oven for several hours until it is hard and translucent, like amber. This drying step is the important one, since it removes all the moisture, and it is what makes the rind puff when it is fried. The dried pieces look like hard plastic. When they are dropped into oil at 200°C they puff up in seconds into light, crunchy scratchings. Take care during the frying, because any water left in the rind makes the oil spit violently. Dry the pieces well and keep your face away from the pan.
After You've Cooked It
Best eaten on the day they are fried. Keep in an airtight tin for up to 1 week. The dried, unfried pieces keep in a jar for 2 months.
What to Serve Alongside
- Pint of bitter
- Pickled onions
- English mustard
Common Questions About Pork Scratchings
How long does Pork Scratchings take to make?
About 4 hours 20 minutes in total — 20 minutes of preparation and 4 hours of cooking. The recipe serves 6.
What are the key tips for making Pork Scratchings?
Dry the rind until it is hard and glassy. Any softness means moisture, and moisture stops the pieces puffing and makes the oil spit. Fry only a few pieces at a time in a deep pan, with the oil at 200°C / 400°F. They expand to several times their size. Stand back from the pan and use a long-handled slotted spoon. The rind can splutter when it meets the hot oil, so take care.
What should I serve with Pork Scratchings?
Pint of bitter; Pickled onions; English mustard.
Is Pork Scratchings suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Pork Scratchings?
About 126 kcal per serving, with 9 g protein, 0 g carbohydrate and 10 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutrition per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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