Step 1

Boil the pork skins. Put your pork skins in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil, cover the pot, and allow to cook. Boil until the skin is softened (but not falling apart) and the water is white - about 1-2 hours.To keep the skins submerged in the water, you may want to weigh them down by placing a heat-resistant plate on top of them as they boil.

Step 2

Remove the skins from the water. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to take your pork skins from the boiling water and lay them on a cooling rack set over a baking pan to catch the drippings. Discard the cooking water.At this point, if you'd like to give your chicharrónes an extra dash of flavor, sprinkle your vinegar evenly over the pork skins.

Step 3

Cool the pork skins. Place the pork skins (still on the cooling rack) in the refrigerator uncovered. Let the skins cool completely - usually this takes several hours.

Step 4

Remove any subcutaneous fat from the skins. Use a spoon or another kitchen scraping tool to remove any fat clinging to the bottom of the pork skin. The fat should separate from the skin easily. Be careful not to tear the skin, as it will be still be soft from cooking.

Step 5

Dry the skins. Next, the cooled, cleaned pork skins must be allowed to dry. This can be done several ways, which are described below. Regardless of the method you choose, allow plenty of time for drying - you'll know the skins are ready when they're shrunken, brown, and brittle. It's not uncommon for the process to take more than eight hours, so you may want to allow the skins to dry overnight. Several methods for drying the skins are listed below:The easiest way to dry the skins is in an oven. Set the oven to its absolute lowest setting. Aim for no higher than 200o F (about 93o C). Place the skins on their cooling rack and baking sheet in the oven overnight.Traditionally, chicharrónes are dried in the hot sun. If you live in a hot, dry area, try setting the chicharrónes outdoors in a secure spot that receives constant sunlight all day, checking on them occasionally.Other methods for drying can also work well. If you have access to a heat lamp or an electric drying fan, you may want to experiment with these things.

Step 6

Deep fry the chicharrónes. Split the dried skin into long strips or small squares about 1 inch (2.2 cm) per side. Heat a deep-sided pan over high heat. When it is hot, add lard or cooking oil. Fry the chicharrónes one or two at a time, prodding them until they puff up and start to float. When done, remove the chicharrónes to a paper-towel lined plate.Be ready to remove the chicharrónes quickly - the frying process can take as little as 10-20 seconds!

Step 7

Optionally, rub the pork with pepper before frying. For a spicy chicharrón, season each chicharrón with black or cayenne pepper before frying. You can lightly dust the entire pile of dried skins at once or give each individual piece of skin your desired level of spice before popping them into the pan.Other great seasonings include various other chile powders, sugar, and Chinese spice blends. Try experimenting with your own seasoning mixes!

Step 8

Serve. Congratulations - you've made your very own delicious plate of chicharrónes. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. Pairs well with beer or red wine.