CHERÉ COEN PHOTOGRAPHS BY SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

BY ACADIANA’S FAVORITE LOCAL SNACK SNACK LOCAL FAVORITE ACADIANA’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ABOUT KNOW TO NEED YOU EVERYTHING

38 ACADIANA PROFILE DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 CRACKLINS HE CAJUN BOUCHERIE DATES BACK CENTURIES, per cook but most know cracklings are “Crackling gets under your skin,” wrote a communal hog butchering where done when they pop and form “eyes” and George Graham in his cookbook Acadiana careful attempts were made to use every float to the surface. Some cooks pull the Table: Cajun and Creole Home Cooking from Don’s inch of the animal to adequately feed cracklings from the fat and allow them chicken the Heart of Louisiana. “It burrows deep the coterie. Usually held in cold weather to cool before deep-frying them a second cracklins into your psyche and finds a portal lobe months, the boucherie produced items for time at a higher temperature. Once doused to a sensory connection you never knew backbone stew, sausage such as andouille with seasoning, the final product becomes existed. In the real sense of the word, it’s and boudin, ham hocks, bacon and pork a crispy, tasty snack. addictive. The fact that most every little roasts, among other pork products. Cracklings are cooked throughout store around Acadiana sells pork crackling Even the skin of the pig was used. Called the South, but the fatty pork nibble is at the register bodes well for how far this grattons in French, or by the more pop - especially popular in Acadiana. Fresh porky addiction has spread.” In that spirit, ular name of crackling or cracklin’, South cracklings under heated lamps or those we huddled with University of Louisiana Louisiana residents drop the pig skin with packaged to go can be found in both meat at Lafayette history professor and Cajun fat and sometimes meat attached into markets and grocery stores and at your cuisine expert Robert Carriker to bring Tvats of hog lard. The frying time varies local convenience shops or gas stations. you this guide to Acadiana’s favorite snack.

there.” producing producing WHAT The key to to The key MAKES and their own and their own Barre Cracklin Cracklin Barre final products. said and done. festival’s cook- festival’s “I look for the the “I look for starts with the with the starts Seasoning also Seasoning also hardness,” said said hardness,” the annual Port the annual Port off season their off season their tasty cracklings cracklings tasty the outer skin is skin is the outer many have used used have many and pepper, but but and pepper, turn dark brown dark brown turn SO GOOD ? and chewy while while and chewy what the judge’s the judge’s what vinegar, cayenne cayenne vinegar, frying. Leave the the frying. Leave softness and the and the softness crispy when all is when all is crispy cracklings in lard in lard cracklings Ardoin explained. explained. Ardoin plays a role. Most Most a role. plays and burn. The fat and burn. The fat spokesperson for for spokesperson happy medium in medium in happy seasoning blends, seasoning blends, contestants in the in the contestants taste buds are and and buds are taste Festival. “There’s a a “There’s Festival. should remain soft soft should remain said of the winners’ said the winners’ of cracklings with salt with salt cracklings looking for,” Ardoin Ardoin looking for,” CRACKLINS Desiree Ardoin, the the Ardoin, Desiree too long and they’ll long and they’ll too what the judges are the judges are what “It just depends on depends on “It just 5 Drain and season. Drain with out the cracklings Scoop spoon and drain a slotted time on paper, them a second then add salt and pepper or a Enjoy! seasoning. favorite

4 Next fry high. Next the of the temperature Raise the cooled and drop grease time a second in for cracklings or two, a minute but only for popcorn. pop like they until home chef.) Large pots, preferable black home chef.) iron, are required for boiling the lard, and the popping grease and overwhelming this make cooking skin pig of aroma endeavor more appropriate for an The process can be so outdoor affair. RoweMike personality TV dirty, and hot cook cracklings to Cabins Bayou visited with Rocky Sonnier’s son Baylon Sonnier and his godson Eli Breaux for an episode of Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs. “ The trio got both dirty and greasy. cracks in your mouth leaving aleaving when you “The skin of pork fatof when fried, bite into it” into bite that squirtsthat underneath juicy pocket 3 Drain. from the cracklings Scoop with a slotted grease the hot them on spoon, then place to newspaper or paper towels grease. off the excess drain Graham suggests that it’s all about about all it’s that suggests Graham HOW THEY MAKE THEM THINGS HOW squirts in your mouth when you bite into it,” Link wrote in his cookbook, “Real Cajun.” “But these days cracklings are which mostly made from the pork belly, lessbit a (and flavorful more actually is fatty big a have still they because fatty) skin.” the under attached meat of chunk who butcher good a from meat” and fat will cut the fat into strips. (Note: Cooking average the for advisable not is cracklings acquiring “the right amount of skin, acquiring “the right amount of skin, - 2 First fry low. lard in hot Deep fry cracklings begin they until or grease and produce on top float to calls Cajuns and Creoles what or blisters. “eyes” BOUCHERIES STILL EXIST, BUT FOR THE EVERYDAY COOK COOK EVERYDAY THE FOR BUT EXIST, STILL BOUCHERIES THE PROCESS We’re not showing you this so you can try it at home, but for the sake of curiosity, here’s how the pros do it do it the pros how here’s curiosity, of the sake but for home, try it at can this so you you showing not We’re CREATING CRACKLINGS CAN BE A TOUGH — AND HEAT INTENSIVE — JOB JOB — INTENSIVE HEAT AND — CAN TOUGH A BE CRACKLINGS CREATING “When they start floating and blis He then raises the grease to about 400 Sonnier learned how to cook cracklings “In 1985, everyone had a different way They also used cured ham skins. forskins] ham [cured them cooked “We restaurant Cochon New Orleans-based “The skin cracks when fried, leaving a 1 ROCKY SONNIER, WHO RUNS BAYOU CABINS ROCKY BAYOU SONNIER, WHO RUNS in Breaux Bridge, creates batches of cracklings for his bed and breakfast visitors, serving them up for the first The former winner of meal of the day. numerous crackling cook-offs through the years, Sonnier begins with four gallons of hog lard and 75 pounds pig slabs long into pork the slicing skins, 45 and hour an for them cooking and minutes in the boiling grease. tering, what we call eyes emerging, take them out,” Sonnier explained. degrees and drops the cracklings back in for about a minute or two. In the second round they pop like popcorn, Sonnier said, and that means they’re done. Removed from the boiling fat with a slotted spoon, Sonnier places the cracklings on newspaper and seasons them with salt, red pepper and a little garlic. from his elders 35 years ago. of cooking them,” he said. years and they were the best cracklings you would ever eat,” Sonnier said. “Now, everyone sells pork bellies.” Award-winningand James Beard owner Chef Donald Link, who hails from southwest Louisiana, prefers cracklings made from a pig’s back fat. juicy pocket of pork fat underneath that up pork belly. Cut skin, of belly consisting Pork be cut into may or meat fat although some little squares, and long slices cut pork into them in the grease. throw

42 ACADIANA PROFILE DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 THE SEARCH CRACKLIN CRACKLINGS CAN BE FOUND ALMOST ANYWHERE IN ACADIANA, FESTIVALS AND USUALLY ARE SOLD AT THE SAME MARKETS THAT SPECIALIZE IN BOUDIN SAUSAGE

Food is so celebrated in Louisiana that there is at least one festival per indigenous food. Naturally, two almost three-inch cubes. After almost an festivals honor hour in the heat, Bourque’s cracklings cracklings in Louisiana: The emerge moist with a nice crust on top, three-day Port Bourque said. Barre Cracklin The supermarket cooks up cracklings Festival, sponsored by the Port Barre daily in 30-gallon pots before the sun Lions Club, is held rises. They add their own Cajun spices every November, to the mix and sell the fresh cracklings and for two days in April things get in the store throughout the day. poppin’ in Parks for “I keep cooking mine fresh all day,” he the annual Parks Cracklin Cook-off. said. “To me, that’s a big deal – freshness.” Bourque started working for the Over in Basile, the Louisiana family business 30 years ago, straight Swine Festival has out of college. This past January, he pur- been celebrating everything pig, chased the business and expanded into which includes the Lafayette market, opening its latest cracklings, since location last August on Johnston Street. 1966. In addition to the pageant, Over in Scott, known as the “Boudin greasy pig contest Capital of the World,” cracklings may be and boudin eating just as popular. Both boudin and crack - competition, there’s a cook-off in four lings are top sellers at Don’s Specialty categories — pot, Meats. pit, Cajun microwave and cracklings. Don’s has been cooking their crack - In Mansura, the lings “the old school way” since 1993. equally long-running Owner Mark Cole explained how they Cochon de Lait Festival features start cooking pork skins at 2 a.m. daily,

vendors selling then place the cooked product into a traditional pork cooler. When it’s time to sell, they drop food products. the cooled pieces into 350-degree heat The best day “to pop them” and then douse them with to attend the festivals is during Don’s seasoning to sell the finished the cook-offs, said product to the public fresh. Desiree Ardoin, Don’s offers pork skins four different the spokesperson for the Port Barre ways: hog cracklings, chicken cracklings, Cracklin Festival. PORT BARRE’S CRACKLING FAME MAY HAVE Today, Bourque’s is owned by third- pork rinds and crackling crumbs, which For the Port Barre event, for begun with Adolph “The Boss” and generation family member Shannon customers use in cooking dishes, such instance, vendors Yvonne Bourque. In 1948, the couple Bourque, who still cooks up the store’s as cornbread. They ship their crackling and contestants began selling vegetables, meats cracklings using a 38-year-old recipe variety nationwide with California one alike will be stirring pots of goodness and other food products from their and a unique seasoning mix. Bourque’s of the biggest markets, Cole said. on the final day. one-bedroom house. Over time, the cracklings have nabbed first-, second- That’s just two of the many establish- “Sunday is the best business grew, evolving into Bourque’s and third-place awards several times at ments throughout Acadiana that cook time to visit the Supermarket, which became well known the Port Barre Cracklin Festival. and sell cracklings. But, don’t bypass festival because everyone will be for its specialty meats, boudin and pork Bourque chooses his cracklings from the smaller players. Sometimes a filling Cracklins cooking cracklings cracklings, not to mention its famous from the belly of the pig, cooking up pieces station or convenience store may serve and everyone will jalapeno sausage and cheese bread. Bourque’s of skin, fat and meat in hog lard into up the tastiest Cajun snack. be on top of their game,” Ardoin said.

WHERE TO GET ‘EM Here’s a sampler of South Louisiana establishments offering hot, fresh cracklings

B&O Kitchen The Best Stop Bourgeois Bourque’s Don’s Specialty Earl’s Cajun Famous Foods Rabideaux’s The Sausage Link

SULPHUR Supermarket Meat Market LAFAYETTE Meats Market LAKE CHARLES Sausage Kitchen SULPHUR 337-625-4637 SCOTT 337-233-5805 THIBODAUX AND PORT BARRE SCOTT LAFAYETTE 337-439-7000 IOWA 337-528-6900 985-447-7128 337-224-9305 AND AND CARENCRO 337-237-5501 There’s nothing For years, folks 337-585-6261 337-234-2528 We love Famous This family-owned like hot cracklings This meat market Visit for the plate Foods for the 337-582-3184 meat market have been Bourque’s love on a cold morning, takes the cake for Every day at 2 lunch specials, barbecue and accompanies planning trips affair with The sights and fresh off the history. Started in a.m., employees their boudin plate lunch LeBleu’s Landing along Interstate cracklings hails smells of fried grease at B&O 1891, the market arrive to cook and specialty specials but the restaurant in 10 to include a back decades, foods, specialty Kitchen. The continues to cracklings. Once meats, but don’t cracklings, cooked Sulphur, but while pause at Best which is why the meats and, of establishment sell its unique the market doors leave without up fresh from the diners may choose Stop in Scott. establishment has course, cracklings also produces beef jerky, open, the cooled sampling Earl’s back kitchen, are the restaurant at The supermarket won numerous will greet diners wonderful tasso, boudin cracklings are tasty cracklings. a winner as well. night, folks visit started in 1986 awards at the when they enter sausage, hog’s and cracklings. dropped into They ship as well. the market in the is known for annual Port Barre Rabideaux’s and head cheese They ship their a fresh pot of early mornings its boudin, Cracklin Festival. spot the many and boudin. cracklings too. lard and served for hot boudin cracklings and Bourque’s cooks items inside to the public. and cracklings. specialty meats. its cracklins display cases. fresh daily. Plate lunches are served weekly. THE MENU WHILE MOST PEOPLE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO ENJOYING CRACKINGS AS A STANDALONE TREAT OR PERHAPS IN CORNBREAD, MORE AND MORE CHEFS ARE INCORPORATING IT INTO DISHES

SANJAY MAHARAJ LEFT NEW YORK TO OPEN a restaurant with his partner, Kevin Robin, an Arnaudville native. Robin’s family owns Russell’s Catering in the heart of town, so Robin was no stranger to Cajun cuisine. Maharaj, on the other A CRACKLINGS PRIMER hand, was in for an eye-opener. For one thing, he had never sampled Many people confuse cracklings with pork rinds, a similar pork snack, cracklings before, but over time learned to love the crunchy pork snack. Which is so here are a few definitions to clarify terms why Arnaudville’s Little Big Cup restau- rant serves up a crackling-crusted mac and cheese burger. The cheese patties are deep fried with the crackling outer Pork Rind layer, then placed on top of a 100-percent When butchering pigs, beef, flame-grilled burger served with the skin — known as Cracklings/ onion fries. The crackling concoction pork rind — may be fried quickly in lard and eaten. Cracklins is also offered as mac and cheese ball These puffy, curly pork If a layer of fat and/or for appetizers. rinds are usually sold meat is included in a cut “We wanted to put a mac and cheese in a bag and appear of pork skin and deep burger on the menu but make it local,” as light as popcorn. fried, it is considered Maharaj explained. “We had to make it cracklings. These are usually seasoned after being fried.

Cajun and not just any mac and cheese Fatback burger. And it took off.” The pork meat The crackling-enhanced burger is not from the back for the faint of heart, however. of a pig. “It’s definitely a sharing burger,” Maharaj said. Chicharrónes On weekends, the Little Big Cup lays A similar version of out a “Boucherie Brunch,” featuring pork rinds that’s dishes that contain a variety of pork popular in Mexico, items, including fresh cracklings. but it can also “Kevin wanted a boucherie brunch refer to cracklings, usually consisting and cracklings are such a local favorite,” of fried pork belly. Maharaj said. “We’re in Arnaudville and we’re on the bayou so we go all out.” At the end of the spread — which includes a variety of dishes from crème brulee French toast to chicken and smoked sausage gumbo — lies a basket of fried hog cracklings, which delight locals and visitors alike, Maharaj said. “People go crazy about the cracklings,” he said. “It’s like a cherry on top of the cake.” Now, whenever the duo considers a new menu item, there’s a running joke. “I say, ‘Let’s dust it with cracklings,’” Maharaj said with a laugh.

DID YOU 1 2 3 4 5 KNOW? They may contain no For lagniappe, peel and Acadiana-born, New In England, they cook Louisianans aren’t the only carbs due to its protein cut yams into half-inch Orleans Chef Donald Link up a similar dish to our crackling lovers. Mexicans but pork crackling is slices and fry in the serves cracklings on top pork rinds called pork love pork rinds, known 5 facts about high in fats and sodium. crackling lard. Sprinkle of grits and pork roasts scratchings, which are as chicharrón, which cracklins It’s a good idea to eat with cinnamon after but also mixed into made from shank rind may also be made from cracklings in moderation. cooked, then serve. cornbread batter. and cooked only once. chicken, mutton or beef.