How to Make Chicharrón Prensado with Just Two Ingredients
Chicharrón Prensado is one of Mexico City's most beloved street foods, and once you try it, you'll understand why. The best part? You only need two ingredients and an air fryer to recreate it at home.
Before coming to Australia, I didn't fully appreciate my love for pork. So many of my favourite Mexican dishes are made with it: Pozole, tamales, carnitas, cochinita pibil, tacos al pastor, and more. Here in Sydney, I discovered I could make another mouthwatering one: Chicharrón Prensado, which translates to pressed pork rinds, but trust me, it's so much more delicious than it sounds.
Carnitas and chicharrones are cooked in large copper pots, simmering in rendered fat for hours. The result is tender, juicy meat (carnitas) and crispy, flavourful bits of pork (chicharrones). What settles at the bottom of the pot is then collected and pressed into perforated moulds to remove the excess fat. The end product is a block of pure deliciousness.
Chicharrón Prensado is hugely popular in Mexico City, especially in the famous gorditas de chicharrón, a thick corn tortilla stuffed with chicharrón and topped with your choice of salsa. While you can find gorditas and other Mexican snacks in the city, out here in my little corner of just outside of Sydney I had to take matters into my own hands.
I stumbled upon a recipe on the La Capital YouTube channel, where chef Oscar Meza shares his cooking tips and style with the world. I love watching him cook and listening to his northern Mexican accent. He made chicharrón prensado using pork belly and an air fryer, and I decided to give it a go. It turned out to be incredibly easy, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process.
I used my chicharrón as a snack for a gathering with friends — grabbed some round corn chips and layered them with refried beans, chicharrón, and salsa. The result was finger-licking good. Little tostadas that were both adorable and perfect as party appetisers.
Here's a simple recipe to make your own:
Ingredients
- 1 piece of pork belly
- Salt
Instructions
Cut the pork belly into strips, then into small, squarish chunks.
Season generously with salt.
Place in your air fryer basket and cook at 200°C for 40 minutes. If your air fryer is small, cook in two batches — don't overcrowd the basket.
Once crispy, let it cool, then finely dice.
Add the diced pork to a dry pan and cook in its own fat until golden.
Mix in your favourite salsa and cook for a few minutes to let the flavours come together.
Use in tacos, gorditas, quesadillas, and more.
Give it a go and enjoy the irresistible flavours of homemade chicharrón prensado. ¡Buen provecho!
