Chicharrones — A Must-Try Item At Your Local Cuban Restaurant

13 August 2019
 Categories: , Blog


When you sit down and begin to peruse a menu at your local Cuban restaurant, one thing that you'll notice is that many of the dishes' names will appear in Spanish. In some restaurants, there will be an English translation of the name of the dish, as well as a description of it, posted below. One item that you'll almost always find on a Cuban restaurant menu is something called chicharrones — which is the Spanish term for pork rinds. If you haven't tried pork rinds in the past, there's no better place to sample them than in an authentic Cuban restaurant. Here are some things to know about this dish.

How They're Served

Depending on the restaurant that you visit, chicharrones might be present on the menu in a handful of different ways. It's common to find chicharrones served as an appetizer in a plain manner. Often, this can simply consist of the pork rinds served in a dish, warm, and gently salted. If you're dining at the Cuban restaurant with some family members or friends, you may wish to consider ordering a serving of chicharrones for the table. Their crunchy texture and salty taste make them an enjoyable appetizer and a good dish to share.

How They Taste

Some people can feel a little resistant to try new dishes, especially when they're experiencing a type of cuisine that is new to them. Don't worry about trying chicharrones. Even if you aren't the biggest fan of pork, there's a good chance that you'll enjoy the flavor of this popular dish. Chicharrones have a mild pork flavor, and because they're prepared and served with a liberal amount of salt, you can expect the flavor of salt to come through. Depending on their preparation method, some chicharrones have a smoky flavor, which can be enjoyable, too.

Don't Overlook Their Value

While it's true that you might not order chicharrones for their nutritional value, it's also true that you might not have considered what this dish brings to the table in this way. If you're craving something hot and crispy, you'll often think about breaded foods. The problem is that some people can't consume breading while following a number of different diets. Chicharrones aren't breaded, so they can give you the satisfaction of something crispy without being breaded. Additionally, as a meat product, they're high in protein — which is ideal if you're following a high-protein diet.


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