Pork Skins

[aficion]

Anyone used them for an extended period of time? Any ill effects? Will they keep if you mash them to bits to save space? Lotta protein and fat and high calories/oz. May be the ultimate ultralight food. Thoughts?

[Mountain Maiden]

Anyone used them for an extended period of time? Any ill effects? Will they keep if you mash them to bits to save space? Lotta protein and fat and high calories/oz. May be the ultimate ultralight food. Thoughts?

One thing you might want to consider is that they get stale (soggy) very easily. But, for the the caloric and nutritional value--I guess that would not matter. You might be able to vacuum seal them for space and freshness. Crumbled, they are a good "thickener" and add flavor, too. They might be good as a supplement to noodles, rice etc. They are usually readily available but prices vary.

You might be on to something!

Sunny

[Cheesewhiz]

I packed pork skins out all the time but they did take up alot of space.

[highway]

Anyone used them for an extended period of time? Any ill effects? Will they keep if you mash them to bits to save space? Lotta protein and fat and high calories/oz. May be the ultimate ultralight food. Thoughts?

I would give the (possible) cholesterol factor a glance or two.

I am of an age where I can remember a time when the pork fat was rendered for the lard for cooking, in a huge iron pot, upon an open fire outside. When those tasty huge rinds were boiled free of all the fat (lard) clinging to it, they would float to the surface of the bubbling pork fat and all the youngsters would gather around that pot, taking turns to pick each one up, shake off a few drips of the fat, and commence to gobble it up. But that was a long time ago. And, even though I am still in quite good shape for my age, my cholesterol is slightly elevated. I wonder if i may have eaten a few rinds too many, way back then. I dont eat them anymore.

[aficion]

Thanks all for the replies. I'm considering options other than the usual tuna/chicken/etc pouch for adding protein to my food bag. Pork rinds/skins are lighter, cheaper, more calorie dense, and more readily available. I guess the low carb crowd loves em for snacks. Seems I read that dietary cholesterol has not been shown to directly relate to blood cholesterol levels; something about artheriosclerosis not being present in tribal poulations of hunter gatherers with high protein and fat levels in their diet, until they were introduced to western diets which are higher in sugars and starches. Was wondering if any one had tried powdering the things, used them a lot, and had any ideas about them pro or con.

[highway]

Thanks all for the replies. I'm considering options other than the usual tuna/chicken/etc pouch for adding protein to my food bag. Pork rinds/skins are lighter, cheaper, more calorie dense, and more readily available. I guess the low carb crowd loves em for snacks. Seems I read that dietary cholesterol has not been shown to directly relate to blood cholesterol levels; something about artheriosclerosis not being present in tribal poulations of hunter gatherers with high protein and fat levels in their diet, until they were introduced to western diets which are higher in sugars and starches. Was wondering if any one had tried powdering the things, used them a lot, and had any ideas about them pro or con.

It might be, but I am just not so sure. I think activity, or lack of it, plays a big part of the cholesterol increase (weight increase) of our population. It is most decidedly is so for type II diabetes.Of course genetics does play a part in both afflictions but I remain convinced that our activity level is also significant.

Those hunter-gatherers you spoke of were not very sedentery-not having refrigerators near TV's, autos to ride around in, fast food or supermarkets full of refined, enriched carbs.

Those pork rinds are animal fats, though, and we only occasionally hike (exercise). Hmmmm.....

[TIDE-HSV]

Speak for yourself. It's not true that "we" only occasionally hike...:)

[Heater]

I would give the (possible) cholesterol factor a glance or two.

I am of an age where I can remember a time when the pork fat was rendered for the lard for cooking, in a huge iron pot, upon an open fire outside. When those tasty huge rinds were boiled free of all the fat (lard) clinging to it, they would float to the surface of the bubbling pork fat and all the youngsters would gather around that pot, taking turns to pick each one up, shake off a few drips of the fat, and commence to gobble it up. But that was a long time ago. And, even though I am still in quite good shape for my age, my cholesterol is slightly elevated. I wonder if i may have eaten a few rinds too many, way back then. I dont eat them anymore.

Called them Cracklins. ;)

[TIDE-HSV]

I'll live with Lipitor and Zetia with what remains of the rest of my life, so I have room for a few cracklins...:)

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I was on a low-carb diet for two years and used ground pork rinds as a substitute for flour in non-rising items (mixed with butter as a crust for quiche, mixed with egg whites as a crust for pizza) and used pieces in salads in place of croutons. Pork rinds lose their crunch when exposed to moisture and they will go rancid within a few weeks of being opened. The best way I found to eat them was as a chip with french onion dip.

When using them in recipes, always remember they are salty so add less salt.

[highway]

Called them Cracklins. ;)

Nope!
Cracklins are smaller, still have some fat on them and you can still buy them in stores. They are great in cornbread-as in 'cracklin cornbread'. When fat was rendered in rural homes years ago, the skins that floated to the top were huge, maybe as much as a foot or so long