Pub-style Pork Scratchings

Pub-style Pork Scratchings

Crunchy, tasty pork scratchings are a great snack and perfect with a cold beer or cider. Although you can find these in Thailand from many small shops and street sellers, there are also easy enough to make your own.
You can often buy the rind on its own if you speak to your local market seller or supermarket butcher. Alternatively buy a whole skin on roast or belly and turn the rest of the meat into another dish.

Ingredients

Cooking Method

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 180ºC/gas 4.
  • Place the pork rind skin-side down and, using a sharp knife, make lots of light scores in the fat, or ask your butcher to do this for you.
  • Grind the fennel seeds with 1 tablespoon of sea salt in a pestle and mortar and sprinkle onto the pork, rubbing into the slashes with your fingers.
  • Using scissors, cut the pork rind into chunks and place on a roasting tray, and place in the oven. As the pork scratchings roast, they’ll release lots of fat – spoon this out every so often and set aside for roasting potatoes.
  • After 20 minutes, turn down the oven to 160ºC/gas 3 and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the scratchings become hard and crispy.
  • Line a plate with a double layer of kitchen paper, and spoon the scratchings out to drain.
  • Serve warm or cold with a pint of bitter.

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