Chicharrones, Chicharrines and Carnitas, Anyone, Anyone?

Carnita is the Guatemalan Spanish word for chunks of meat from pork. Chicharrón is the word for pork rinds or deep-fried pork skin which still keep a little bit of meat or fat. Chicharrines are pork rinds made from just the pork skin, no fat or meat left on the chicharrines (these are very crunchy).

Believe it or not, Guatemalans still cook with lard and they enjoy their carnitas very much, chicharrones and chicharrines, especially when they are cooked on the spot and served still hot along an ensalada de rábanos (radish salad) freshly made tortillas, lemon slices and deep fried jalapeños. A portion like the one above can set you back Q15; not bad for 4 ounces of carnitas.

If you want to abandon your healthy lifestyle for a day, you can find this booth of carnitas and chicharrones on the exit road to Ciudad Vieja, right across the Nestle factory, just one block away from the Soleil hotel (previously Radisson) on Thursday through Sunday everyday. ¡Buen provecho!

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