Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Don't forget the pork skins?
For many years, a staple at our Lenoir County Farmers Market has been Kettle Style Snacks
(Pork skins cooked on site by Rodney Jarman). Regular customers never miss a chance to get their weekly fix of pork skins, (in several different flavors), pork rinds, or fried peanuts! Each week we look forward to what new vegetable or fruit is available, but week after week, you can always depend on the Kettle Snacks being hot and ready when you come to shop!
Fried pork skins, are simply the crunchy, salty snack known as pork rinds or pork skins. When fried they explode like popcorn, I dare to find one better than you can pick up on Tuesdays and Saturdays at the Lenoir County Farmers Market!
Kettle Snacks has seen a surge of business with the popularity over the past few years of the low-carb diets. Keto and paleo dieters consider fried pork skins to be the secret to curbing the good old potato chip cravings. Believe it or not the snack is s super source for collagen protein!
While I love pork skins, it seems that also over the past few years, low carb fans have been experimenting with them in several recipes, using them as a replacement for salad croutons, breading, garnish and topping.
What are some ways you can extend the life of your pork skins? First, I have been told by the pros that keeping the bag sealed and, in the refrigerator, will make them taste fresh for longer, and next you can use them to replace some higher carb food items.
Use your pork skins in place of crackers for salsa, pimento cheese, chicken salad and even guacamole!
Onion Rings with Pork Skin Breading
Pork skins or rinds, original or flavored, a couple of handfuls, crushed almost to powder
1 medium to large onion, cut into half-inch sized rings
1-2 eggs, depending on your onion rings
1 tablespoon water
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Beat the eggs and water together in a bowl, and set aside.
Set up a bowl with the egg wash mixture and the pork skins mixture. Dip each onion ring into the egg wash and then coat with the crushed pork skins. Bake on a wire rack (or air fryer can be used here, see your fryer for times). Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with a ranch dip or sugar free ketchup.
Easy “Low Carb” Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
6 mozzarella (or other type) of cheese string sticks
½ cup crushed pork skins
1 teaspoon dry ranch dressing
1 egg
Salsa or marinara for dipping
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the cheese sticks in half, place them in an airtight container and freeze until solid.
In a small bowl mix together the crushed pork skins and ranch mix. In a separate bowl, beat the egg.
Dip the cheese stick in the egg, then coat in the pork skin mix. Place on a baking sheet, that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray.
Bake for 3 minutes. Flip and cook another 3 minutes, or until the cheese begins to melt, it seemed to takea tad less time than recommended so watch these closely.
Allow to cool, and serve.
Make ahead tip, I made up a bunch of these and put them in the freezer, that way I could pull them out when I needed them, and they seemed to work great!
Pork Skin Pizza Crust
2 cups shredded cheese, you may choose your favorite, I used mozzarella
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup ground pork skins
3 eggs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Melt the shredded cheese in the microwave, close to a minute. (the cheese melts best if you hand shred instead of purchasing pre-shred).
Combine the melted cream cheese, eggs, pork skin crumbs, and garlic powder using a hand mixer, add the melted cheese slowly and blend as smooth as possible.
Prepare a baking sheet by coating with non-stick spray, and transfer the mixture to the pan, and smooth into a circle or rectangle.
Bake in the oven for 12 – 15 minutes, rotating halfway through the cooking time.
Add toppings, and depending on the toppings (I like to add a lot of vegetables), some vegetables take a bit longer. Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and everything is cooked. Enjoy!
Crispy Parmesan Chicken
2-4 chicken breasts or a similar amount of chicken tenders
2 cloves minced garlic
½ stick butter
1/3 cup sour cream
½ cup (or more depending on amount of chicken) shredded Parmesan cheese
½ cup pork skins, crushed
Sauté fresh garlic in butter, and melt. Once cooled, stir in sour cream.
Roll chicken breast in sour cream mixture. Roll in fresh Parmesan cheese, and pork skin mixture.
Bake at 325 for 30 minutes (or more depending on # of breasts)
Faux Fried Green Tomatoes
3 green tomatoes (now is the time to find them)
¾ to 1 cup of crushed pork skins, finely ground
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon garlic powder
½ tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking sheet with foil and grease with oil, or use non-stick to coat.
Slice tomatoes, set aside, and mix together dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Dip the tomato slices in the mayonnaise, then in the pork skin mix.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, flip once, do this very carefully. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.
Squash Casserole (Low Carb) with Pork Skin Topping
3 yellow squash, sliced in thin rounds
1 package sliced fresh mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
Salt and pepper as desired
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup crushed pork skins
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and cook until tender but still firm.
Combine cream cheese, sour cream, and garlic powder. Mix well. Stir in the cooked vegetables and stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish and spread evenly. Top the casserole with shredded cheese and crushed pork skins. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
