Pork Skin

Pork skin is a byproduct of pork processing with a wide range of uses in traditional cooking. Boiled pork skin is added to headcheese, black pudding, and other processed meat products, contributing a gelatinous texture thanks to its high collagen content. Dried and fried pork skin becomes a popular crunchy snack known as pork rinds or cracklings. Pork skin is also used as a raw material for the production of food-grade gelatin. In health-conscious cooking, it is valued as a natural source of collagen. When slow-cooked, it releases a rich broth and helps naturally thicken dishes.