Chef notes
We always have fried pork skins (cracklings) around for snacking. They make a great vehicle for dipping, crumbling into recipes or just to use in place of a cracker. This is great for folks who are trying to cut down on carbs and who may be on a high-protein diet. Combine those with creamy, sharp pimento cheese and you've got a snack nobody will be able to resist.
Technique tip: Hand grate the cheddar cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating of cornstarch to keep the shreds from sticking together and that affects the texture of recipes.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup mayonnaise, preferably Duke's
- 1 (7-ounce) jar diced pimentos
- 1 small sweet onion, minced or pulverized in a food processor
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 smoked sausage links, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 cup Pimento Cheese (recipe above)
- 24 fried pork skins, preferably 4505 brand
Preparation
For the pimento cheese:
1.In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir together to combine.
2.Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper or hot sauce.
3.Store refrigerated for up to two weeks.
For the cracklings:
1.In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage discs.
2.Spread a little pimento cheese onto each pork rind.
3.Top with a sausage disc.
