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Pork Scratchings with Apple Compote

Pork scratchings are one of those weird British pub snacks which are hardly known outside of the UK. Yet they’re super awesome and would definitely delight discerning drinkers from around the world. You see, these salty, crispy pork crisps are absolutely amazing with a cold pint of beer or a glass of wine. And they’re even better dipped into tangy apple sauce.

Plus they’re super easy to make. Just make sure you order pork skin in advance from your butcher, as it’s not something that they’d usually sell. In terms of baking time, 20 minutes should do. I once left some in for 30 minutes, and they became so crunchy that they were proper teeth-breakers. The ideal texture of a pork scratching is crispy yet chewy – for that, it’s good if there’s a thin fat layer left under the skin. If you just roast the skin, they tend to become very hard.

Oh, and feel free to play with your flavours: I’ve added fennel seeds to mine, but you could use crushed black peppercorns instead. Also, the apple compote could be replaced with a guacamole dip – and then I’d serve it alongside margaritas, olé!

I made these pork scratchings at the Foire Agricole in Ettelbruck in the Sou Schmaacht Letzebuerg tent. More info here.

July 2, 2015
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