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Porco à pururuca is pork with skin so crisp it shatters, a showpiece of festive meals in Minas Gerais and the interior of São Paulo. The secret is drying the skin, roasting the pork slowly, then pouring sizzling hot oil over the top until it puffs into golden bubbles. This pork belly version brings that crackling to any home kitchen.
Per serving: 896 calories · 1.2 g net carbs · 16 g protein · 91 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 3 pounds skin-on pork belly in one slab (much of the fat renders out)
- 6 cloves garlic finely grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt plus extra for the skin
- Lard or avocado oil for the crackling pour (about 1 tablespoon absorbed)
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- The day before, pat the pork very dry. Mix the garlic, lime juice, oregano, pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt and rub it only on the meat side and edges, keeping the skin dry.
- Place the pork skin side up on a rack over a tray. Rub the skin with the remaining salt and refrigerate uncovered overnight so the skin dries out completely.
- Heat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Brush off the salt from the skin and pat it dry again. Roast the pork on the rack for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the meat is tender when pierced.
- Move the pork on its rack to a sheet pan set in the sink or another heatproof spot. Heat 2 cups of lard or oil in a small saucepan to about 375°F (190°C).
- Carefully ladle the hot fat over the skin a little at a time. It will crackle and puff into crisp bubbles. Keep pouring until all the skin is blistered and golden.
- Rest for 10 minutes, then cut into thick slices or squares with a heavy knife. Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
About This Dish
Pururuca describes pork skin that has been puffed and crackled until crisp, and the technique of pouring very hot fat over the skin is a classic in Minas Gerais and the interior of São Paulo. For big celebrations, cooks prepare a whole suckling pig, called leitão à pururuca. Pigs were central to Mineiro farm life, providing meat, lard for cooking and crackling. Lard was the main cooking fat in rural Minas for generations. Leitão à pururuca is still a showpiece at weddings, holidays and country festivals.
Pairs Well With
- Brazilian Farofa de Ovo e Bacon, Keto Toasted Farofa with Egg and Bacon
- Brazilian Couve à Mineira, Minas-Style Garlicky Collard Greens
This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 6: Pork (Historic Paraty). See all Brazilian recipes