What are Pork Scratchings?
Pork Scratchings are not the same Pork Rinds or Pork Crunch, even though they all are snack foods made from pig skin. Pork Scratchings are a british snack, made from deep-fried pig skin. They are served cold, relatively heavy, hard and have a crispy layer of fat under the skin. Sometimes there's a little bit of meat and if you are really lucky you might find a few hairs. Traditional Pork Scratchings are generally simply flavoured with salt and maybe some other basic seasoning. There are also varieties that have additional flavourings, like you would expect from a packet of crisps.
What is Pork Crackling?
Pork Crackling (not the type you have with your roast pork) is a sub-type of the British snack called pork scratchings. They are cooked twice or sometimes even three times. This makes the skin lighter, more bubbly, less dense. The fat layer is also cooked in such a way as to make the fat lighter and less oily. Pork crackling are pork scratchings that your nan could eat, because you don't really need teeth like the James Bond character 'Jaws'. They are usually salted and seasoned. Sometimes they are flavoured like pork scratchings and pork crunch
What is Pork Crunch?
Pork Crunch (UK) are the same as Pork Rinds (USA). They are made form pig skin. they have no meat, no fat, no hair. Just the rind is fried which then 'puffs up'. They are usually salted and seasoned. Sometimes they are flavoured like pork scratchings and pork crackling.
What are Leaf Scratchings?
Leaf Scratchings are made as by-product of the lard making industry. Lard made from the 'leaf' of the pig (the tissue surrounding the kidneys) is superior to other types of lard, and when the leaf is clarified to make the lard the tissues and bits of meat remain. These bits are then compressed and cooked. The result is flaky rather than crispy, with an intense porky flavour - reminiscent of parma ham. Leaf Scratchings are the rarest of scratchings. You never see them in the shops, and rarely in the butchers.
