Chicharron in Red Salsa, made with tomatoes and peppers, is an outstanding dish from the Mexican gastronomy. It can be prepared for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and can be eaten by itself or as a stuffing for antojitos (like gorditas, quesadillas or tacos).
How to Make the Perfect Chicharron in Red Salsa
Chicharrones is the name we use in Mexico for pork cracklings – crispy pork skins. While they can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, from eating them in tacos with corn tortillas to using them to scoop up guacamole, their most common use is in salsa-based stews. The sauce can be either a green salsa, red (tomato) salsa, or salsa made with dried peppers.
You can make this one into a spicy salsa by using Arbol pepper, morita pepper, or even piquin pepper. As I always say, use your imagination when cooking, and use whatever you have available, just like we Mexican cooks do, adapting to whatever’s on hand.
Besides chicharron in salsa verde or salsa roja, you can also make chicharron in Guajillo sauce with nopales. You can also mix in other vegetables into the stews, such as squash or potatoes. When cooked in salsa, chicharrones can be used as a filling for many Mexican antojitos, like gorditas, quesadillas, tacos, steamed tacos, and burritos.
In case you’re wondering where you can buy pork Chicharrones, check your local Latin store, as many of them have a butcher that sells “pork carnitas” as well as chicharrones. Some of the stores have them available every day, while others only offer them on the weekends.
If there is no Latin store near you, see if your local grocery store carries pork cracklings in the snack and potato chip section. Just make sure that the ones you buy say “pork skins” in the ingredients, as there are varieties that are made out of flour.
Chicharron in Red Salsa with Tomato
INGREDIENTS:
- 9 oz. Pork Cracklings (“Chicharrones”)
- 18 oz. plum tomatoes (about 6)
- 2 serrano peppers (or 1 Jalapeño pepper)
- 3½ oz. onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 Cilantro sprig (optional)
NOTES:
- In this recipe, I first soak the pork cracklings in water before adding them to the salsas. Other recipes only say to add the pork cracklings directly to the sauce without soaking them in water. You can go with either of these options, just make sure that you add more water to the sauce if adding the pork cracklings without soaking since they will absorb a lot of the liquid from the salsa.
DIRECTIONS:
- Place the chicharrones/pork cracklings in a bowl with 2 cups of warm water and let them soak for 20 minutes until they become a little soft.
- Place the tomatoes, peppers, and garlic clove in a medium-size saucepan. Cover them with water and cook at medium heat for 15 minutes, or until they are soft.
- Once the tomatoes and peppers are cooked, place them in your blender along with the garlic clove. No water is needed, unless your tomatoes are not juicy, in which case add ¼ cup of water. Process to form a smooth sauce. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the chopped onion for 3 minutes. Pour the sauce in and cook for 5 minutes.
- Drain the chicharrones and add to the sauce. Season with salt, and add the cilantro spring. Cook for 5 more minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
CHICHARRON IN RED SALSA WITH TOMATO
Ingredients
- 9 oz. Pork Cracklings “Chicharrones”
- 18 oz. plum tomatoes about 6
- 2 serrano peppers or 1 Jalapeño pepper
- 3½ oz. onion chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 Cilantro sprig optional
Instructions
- Place the chicharrones/pork cracklings in a bowl with 2 cups of warm water and let them soak for 20 minutes until they become a little soft.
- Place the tomatoes, peppers, and garlic clove in a medium-size saucepan. Cover them with water and cook at medium heat for 15 minutes, or until they are soft.
- Once the tomatoes and peppers are cooked, place them in your blender along with the garlic clove. No water is needed, unless your tomatoes are not juicy, in which case add ¼ cup of water. Process to form a smooth sauce. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the chopped onion for 3 minutes. Pour the sauce in and cook for 5 minutes.
- Drain the chicharrones and add to the sauce. Season with salt, and add the cilantro spring. Cook for 5 more minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Other recipes using Chicharrones – Pork Cracklings: Chicharron in Salsa Verde, Easy Chicharron Appetizer .
Does this dish freeze well?
I cook for my elderly parents and need dishes that freeze well & can be reheated in microwave
Hello Margarita,
I think it will freeze well. Chicharron in salsa is usually a dish made to eat the same day, but my guess is that it will be fine if you freeze it.
Chicharrón freezes well. If you wish for the pork cracklings to have additional flavor, substitute the salt with Knorr beef bouillon and add chopped coriander when you are frying the salsa. The flavor is incredible! My Mom taught us this as we were growing up.
Hello Martha, Thank you for your tips.
I have been looking for a recipe for this ever since my mother-in-law made it for me. I am so excited to try this, thank you for posting.