I’m a big fan of chicharron and Peruvian chicharron is ridiculously good.
It has this melt-in-your-mouth eat-worthy quality to it, but the recipe also doesn’t make you stand on your feet for 40 plus minutes.
I had learned to make it during a private cooking class, so it was kind of nice to know that it was easily replicable anywhere in the world.
Also that I wasn’t getting the information from a random food blogger who might or might not know what they’re talking about.
And if you want a super good + authentic Peruvian recipe to feed yourself (or kind of just impress others with), then this is probably it. 👌
Related
Peruvian Ceviche With Leche de Tigre (Authentic + Very Tasty)
What is Peruvian Pork Chicharron?
I know that in countries like Mexico or Colombia, chicharron is always pork, but I needed to specify since I found out that it was different in Peru.
In Peru, Chicharron could refer to fried meats like chicken or even octopus.
And when it comes to Peruvian pork chicharron, it’s this perfectly crispy on the outside, tender and melty on the inside, deep-fried pork belly.
Oh, and they also boil it in spiced water before frying so you get some extra tasty flavors!
And in my case, I had it served with regular and sweet potatoes that had been boiled and deep-fried as well.
Other Ways to Serve Pork Chicharron
Another popular way to serve this Peruvian dish is to cut it up into thick slices and place it in a sandwich with sweet potato and red onions (I normally omit the onions 😂).
But it can make for a satisfying meal on the go.
Just make sure to pick really fresh bread, otherwise it can get a bit dry!
How to Make Peruvian Chicharrones
Peruvian Pork Chicharron
Ingredients
- 1 Ib. Pork belly
- 1 tbsp. Salt
- 1 tbsp. Cumin
- 1 tbsp. Black pepper
- 1 tbsp. Garlic paste
- 4.5 cups Water
- 1 Large white potato
- 1 Large sweet potato
- 3 1/4 cups Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Fill a medium sized pot up with the water and all of the spices.
- Once boiling, cook for 35-45 minutes before removing pork pieces from the pot. Make sure they're soft.
- Once cooled off, place the pork pieces into a separate pot of vegetable oil. Be careful! The oil will pop at times because of the water that got into the pork.
- Fry until they have a beautiful bright brown color.
- Cut the sweet potato into thin slices and fry in the same oil.
- Cut the potato into large pieces and fry in the same oil.
- Enjoy!
Grace Moser is the owner and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.