Pork rinds and keto should go hand in hand. Here are some of the very best pork rinds you can have while on a low carb diet.
Can we just agree there’s nothing like a good crunchy and salty snack?
I mean potato chips and tortilla chips are good but they are also packed with carbs and not exactly low-carb diet friendly
Pork rinds on the other hand… They are almost always keto-friendly snack that packs a punch.
What are pork rinds?
Before jumping in on the discussion of low carb pork rinds is great to first clear the air. What are exactly pork rinds and how are they made?
Pork rinds are basically pig skin. But before you turn up your nose at me, they are a delicious crunchy snack that has bee popular since the start of time.
Pork rinds are a super aerated snack that’s slightly salty, can be smoky (with a. flavor that reminds me of bacon) and with the perfect amount of crunch.
How are pork rinds made?
This crunchy snack is one that’s not easy to make which is why almost everyone purchases their fix from grocery stores.
First the skin of a pig is boiled, then it’s separated into bite sized pieces, also called pellets.
These pellets are left to cool down and once they are cold and the fat has solidified they are baked in a low heat oven for several hours.
Finally they are deep fried to perfection which results in the super crunchy snack we all know and love.
Pork rinds can be fried in vegetable oils, olive oil, canola oil or peanut oil.
The fried pork skins are then seasoned with sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, classic chili or artificial flavors (like that sour cream flavoring or the BBQ one).
Are pork rinds keto?
Not all pork rind brands are keto friendly and low carb. Some brands actually use sugars, filler ingredients or even starches to make their pork rinds so it’s best to double check the label to make sure.
Traditional pork rinds are a great snack to have while on a ketogenic diet.
Best pork rinds to have on keto
Now to the important part and the reason you came to this blog post. What are the best crunchy pork rinds to enjoy as healthy snack?
Proudly pure fried rinds
This brand of keto friendly pork rinds is gluten free and zero carbs making it one of the bests keto snacks.
They are also high protein and incredibly crunchy and airy.
Each package has 4 servings and each servings has a fairly good nutritional information:
- 80 calories
- 6 grams of fat
- Zero net carbs
- 8 grams of protein
Their only ingredients are fried pork skins and salt.
4505 Chicharrones
There’s something about original chicharrones that’s just perfect.
This brand has different variations of pork rinds. However, the chili and salt pork rinds are to die for.
They are made with pork skin, salt, chili powder and spices and are fried in rendered pork fat. They honestly make a delicious snack to have on the go or to pack for travels, camping and road trips.
1/2 oz of chicharrones has the following nutritional information
- 80 calories
- 6 grams of total fat
- 7 grams of protein
- 0 gramos of total carbohydrates
- 0 sugar
Crunchy Utz pork rinds
Utz is one of those huge companies we all heard about, they make some classic snacks after all!
Their pork cracklings are incredibly famous and for good reason: they are really good!
The original flavor has
- 80 calories per serving
- 6 grams of fat
- 0 trans fat
- 0 carbs
- 0 sugar
- 8 grams of protein
It’s also made with simple ingredients and only uses fried pork skins and salt.
Southern Recipe blackberry habanero pork rinds
OMG. This brand. If you are looking for a tasty snack that has some unique flavors then you need to check this one out.
They are a small batch product that’s high in protein and low carb. What I really like about this brand is that the cooking process is slightly different and their pork rinds are oven baked instead of fried.
Their ingredient list is a bit longer than the other brands we featured and I feel they make a better choice for those following a paleo lifestyle than those following a keto one (however they still have less than 1 gram of carbs per serving).
One serving has:
- 70 calories
- 10 grams of protein
- Less 1 gram of carbs
- Only 3 grams of fat
So if you are looking for a lower calorie alternative this might be great for you.
How to use pork rinds
What I love about pork rinds is that they come in clutch when you are following a ketogenic lifestyle.
Not only they make a great low-carb snack (we already know that) but you can also use them as breadcrumbs.
Say what? Yes! Breadcrumbs!
I prefer to use some plain pork rinds to make a no-carb breadcrumb substitute that’s to die for.
Basically you want to process your pork rinds until you get some finely ground bread crumbs like texture. These pork rind crumbs can be used to coat anything you like. I have used it to make some KFC inspired friend chicken for example.
Final words
Next time you are craving an airy snack with just the perfect amount of crunch think about a bowl of delicious pork rinds! Most are made with keto ingredients and packed with healthy fats and no carbs.
One of the most important aspects you want to check is that they don’t use fillers or sugars (or starches) on their ingredients, but a quick scan on the label will clear things up quickly.
The good news are that some brands are going out of their way to offer some gourmet pork rinds with various flavors made with keto dieters on mind.