Cheese Cracklings (Chicharrón de queso)

Robin: You know that little bit of cheese that oozes out of a grilled cheese sandwich and drips down onto the surface of the pan, where it gets crispy and almost-but-not-quite burns before you scrape it off and pop it into your mouth? It’s sooooo delicious, the very best bite of the whole meal, to be honest. Cheese cracklings, known in Mexico as chicharrones de queso, are basically that delectable mouthful, just in larger quantities—and without the bother of making a sandwich.

Cheese cracklings are an example of the maxim that sometimes simplest is best. This appetizer/snack requires just one ingredient to make—though you will need other elements for any toppings you want to serve with them—and are easy to make on top of the stove. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of these cracklings, though, because they are seriously delicious. Serve these at a party if you want to be sure of a hit. People will wonder why they haven’t been eating cheese like this all their lives.

The cheese you’ll need for this has to be one that is solid and has a relatively high fat content. Think cheddar, Gouda, Monterrey Jack, Parmesan, or a Mexican manchego or Chihuahua cheese. (Fried white cheese, while exquisite, is a whole different concept, one that I’ll go into another time.) Buy it in a chunk and shred it yourself, as pre-shredded cheese has a light coating of cellulose to keep it from sticking together. While that ingredient is useful in bagged cheese, it will work against us in this recipe, so just use the necessary elbow grease to shred your own—it will be worth the effort.

Cultural note about chicharrón: The term chicharrones, when used in Mexico, usually denotes fried pork skins; it’s employed a little more extensively in some other Spanish-speaking countries to refer to any one of a number of fried items. I remember my mom’s amazement when, on one of her trips to visit me in Mexico City, she first saw chicharrones in that country and realized that they were considered a traditional local dish. Mom had eaten pork cracklings regularly while growing up on a Midwestern (USA) farm, a place where they also were considered a very down-home, local food! In this recipe, however, no pork is involved; chicharrón de queso just cheese “fried” into a crunchy-chewy, intensely flavorful, umami-rich delight.

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Cheese Cracklings (Chicharrones de queso)

Don’t let the simplicity of these party snacks fool you—these are seriously good to eat.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Latin American, Mexican

Keyword cheese, chicharron, cracklings

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 6 appetizer servings

Calories 155 kcal

Author Robin Grose / comboplate.net

Ingredients

• 8 ounces block cheese see note below

Instructions

1. Use a box or flat grater to shred the cheese. You’ll end up with about 2 cups of shreds.
2. Heat a non-stick flat griddle or frying pan. (If non-stick is unavailable, lightly grease a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan.)

   Pick up about 1/3 of a cup of cheese shreds with the fingertips of one hand. Sprinkle them loosely onto the heated griddle or pan in a relatively circular shape. As the cheese melts, it will form bubbles. Allow it to “fry,” pouring off excess fat, if necessary, until the cheese lightly browns on the bottom and can be lifted with a spatula. Turn the chicharrón over and fry it on the other side for a few seconds to finish it off. (Degree of doneness is a personal preference thing; I always like my cracking well-browned so it will be extra crispy, but cook it to your own liking.)
   

3. Place the finished cracking on a plate lined with paper toweling, dabbing off any excess oil. Allow it to cool briefly—maybe 20 to 30 seconds—then, if desired, roll it into a cone shape or cylinder, fold it into some other shape, or cut it into smaller pieces.

   Continue making cracklings until the cheese runs out. Keep them warm if planning to serve right away, or store lightly covered at room temperature for a few hours.
   

4. Serve your cheese cracklings by themselves or with the toppings or dips of your preference. Some suggestions:

        Lime halves (for juice to be squeezed directly onto the chicharrones)

        Any Mexican table sauce (particular one made with dried chiles such as our own Chile de Arbol Sauce), bottled sauce, or pico de gallo

        Our own delicious Fresh Pineapple and Bean Salsa, or your favorite homemade chunky salsa

        Avocado slices or cubes, or a prepared guacamole

        Seasoned refried beans or a bean dip

        Ranch, Thousand Island, or some other salad dressing

        A concoction such as our Zucchini and Pepper Salad or Creamy Jicama Slaw

Recipe Notes

Choose a solid cheese that has a relatively high fat content, such as cheddar, Gouda, Monterrey Jack, Parmesan, or a Mexican Manchego or Chihuahua cheese.

Grate your own cheese; do not use pre-shredded or sliced cheese.