Chicharrón de porc péruvien
Morceaux de porc mijotés puis frits dans leur propre graisse jusqu'à devenir croustillants, servis avec patate douce et salsa criolla.
Portions
Ingrédients
Nutrition
Par portion
Étapes
Season the pork
Put the pork chunks in a wide, heavy pot (4-5 litre / 4-5 quart capacity) with the water, garlic, cumin, salt and black pepper; the water should just about cover the meat.
- 900 g pork
- 1 litre water
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Simmer until the water disappears
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring now and then, until all the water has evaporated and the fat starts to render, about 25 minutes.
- all the pork and water from step 1
✅ C'est prêt quand : all the water has evaporated and the fat has started to render
Fry in its own fat
Once the water is gone, raise to medium heat and turn the pork pieces often so they brown evenly, until deep golden and crisp outside and cooked through, 12-15 minutes; if the pot looks dry before that, add up to half the vegetable oil, saving the rest for the sweet potatoes.
- all pork from step 2
- up to 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil (if needed)
✅ C'est prêt quand : deep golden brown and crisp outside, cooked through
Fry the sweet potato
While the pork fries, cook the sweet potato rounds in a little rendered pork fat, or the remaining vegetable oil if needed, over medium heat, turning once, until tender inside and golden at the edges, about 10 minutes; season with a pinch of salt.
- 500 g sweet potatoes
- up to 1/2 tbsp oil (or pork fat)
- pinch salt
✅ C'est prêt quand : tender inside, golden at the edges
Make the salsa criolla
Rinse the sliced onion briefly under cold water and squeeze dry to remove the harsh bite and keep it crisp; toss with the lime juice, chopped aji, cilantro and salt, then let sit 10 minutes so the flavors blend.
- 1 large red onion
- 2 limes lime juice
- 1 aji amarillo or rocoto
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- 1/4 tsp salt
✅ C'est prêt quand : onion is slightly softened and coated in dressing
Serve
Pile the hot, crackling chicharron onto a plate with the fried sweet potato, spoon the salsa criolla over the top and scatter with toasted corn if using; eat right away while crisp.
- all pork from step 3
- all sweet potato from step 4
- all salsa criolla from step 5
- 50 g toasted corn
✅ C'est prêt quand : chicharrón still hot and crackling, salsa glistening on top
Season the pork
Put the pork chunks in a wide, heavy pot (4-5 litre / 4-5 quart capacity) with the water, garlic, cumin, salt and black pepper; the water should just about cover the meat.
- 900 g pork
- 1 litre water
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Simmer until the water disappears
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring now and then, until all the water has evaporated and the fat starts to render, about 25 minutes.
- all the pork and water from step 1
✅ C'est prêt quand : all the water has evaporated and the fat has started to render
Fry in its own fat
Once the water is gone, raise to medium heat and turn the pork pieces often so they brown evenly, until deep golden and crisp outside and cooked through, 12-15 minutes; if the pot looks dry before that, add up to half the vegetable oil, saving the rest for the sweet potatoes.
- all pork from step 2
- up to 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil (if needed)
✅ C'est prêt quand : deep golden brown and crisp outside, cooked through
Fry the sweet potato
While the pork fries, cook the sweet potato rounds in a little rendered pork fat, or the remaining vegetable oil if needed, over medium heat, turning once, until tender inside and golden at the edges, about 10 minutes; season with a pinch of salt.
- 500 g sweet potatoes
- up to 1/2 tbsp oil (or pork fat)
- pinch salt
✅ C'est prêt quand : tender inside, golden at the edges
Make the salsa criolla
Rinse the sliced onion briefly under cold water and squeeze dry to remove the harsh bite and keep it crisp; toss with the lime juice, chopped aji, cilantro and salt, then let sit 10 minutes so the flavors blend.
- 1 large red onion
- 2 limes lime juice
- 1 aji amarillo or rocoto
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- 1/4 tsp salt
✅ C'est prêt quand : onion is slightly softened and coated in dressing
Serve
Pile the hot, crackling chicharron onto a plate with the fried sweet potato, spoon the salsa criolla over the top and scatter with toasted corn if using; eat right away while crisp.
- all pork from step 3
- all sweet potato from step 4
- all salsa criolla from step 5
- 50 g toasted corn
✅ C'est prêt quand : chicharrón still hot and crackling, salsa glistening on top
The Story Behind the Dish
Chicharrón arrived in Peru with Spanish pig farming, but the way Peruvians cook it, simmering the meat first so it releases its own fat and then fries in it, is a local technique that needs no deep-frying oil. The dish became a classic weekend breakfast and street food, often eaten tucked into bread as pan con chicharrón.
Sweet potato and salsa criolla are the dish's native partners: camote was already a staple crop in Peru long before the Spanish arrived, and the onion-and-lime salsa is a hallmark of coastal Peruvian cooking, bringing acidity and crunch against the rich, fried pork.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It's loved for the contrast: crisp, deeply savory pork against sweet camote and a sharp, fresh salsa, all built from a handful of humble ingredients.
💡 Fun Fact
Many Lima families still consider chicharrón a Sunday-morning ritual, eaten as a hearty mid-morning snack rather than at breakfast time proper.
Lima and the Peruvian coast
-12.05°S, -77.04°W
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