Best Easy Chicharrón Prensado Recipe

Pressed and shredded pork rinds cooked with chile sauce into a dense, flavorful filling. A unique Mexico City street food favorite that makes a satisfying, protein-rich taco filling.

Cook 40 min Difficulty NORMAL 285 kcal
#mexican street food #high protein filling #pork chicharrón recipe #taco meat alternative
Image coming soon
Ingredients
Main ingredients
  • pressed pork rinds (chicharrón prensado) 12 oz
  • Roma tomatoes 3 pieces
  • white onion 0.5 pieces
  • dried guajillo chiles 4 pieces
  • dried pasilla chiles 2 pieces
  • cloves garlic 3 cloves
Seasonings/Sauce
  • vegetable oil 2 tbsp
  • salt 1 tsp
  • freshly ground black pepper 0.25 tsp
Nutrition summary
Carbohydrates 7 g 10%
Protein 17 g 24%
Fat 21 g 66%
Serving size 130g
Cooking steps
  1. 1

    Remove stems and seeds from the guajillo and pasilla chiles. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute, pressing down with a spatula until fragrant but not burned.

  2. 2

    Boil the Roma tomatoes in a saucepan with enough water to cover for 5 minutes until skins split. Remove tomatoes and let cool slightly.

  3. 3

    Blend the toasted chiles, cooked tomatoes, onion, and garlic cloves together with 1 cup of the tomato boiling water until you have a smooth, thick sauce.

  4. 4

    Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the blended chile sauce and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce darkens slightly and thickens.

  5. 5

    Stir in the chicharrón prensado, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook uncovered for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until pork rinds soak up the sauce and the mixture becomes dense. Season evenly with salt and pepper before serving.

Personalized Q&A
Q. What's the key ingredient in this recipe?
The signature ingredient is chicharrón prensado, which is pressed and shredded pork rinds. This unique component defines the dish's flavor and texture, turning a familiar pork product into a rich, savory filling after it absorbs the chile-tomato sauce.
Q. What gives the filling its complex flavor?
The layered flavors come from using both guajillo and pasilla chiles toasted before blending, as well as Roma tomatoes, white onion, and garlic. The chile-tomato sauce saturates the pork rinds, resulting in a deep, smoky, and gently spicy taste.
Q. How should I control the heat to prevent burning the chiles or sauce?
Toast the dried chiles briefly over medium heat, pressing gently and watching closely so they don't scorch—burnt chiles turn bitter. When frying the blended sauce, keep it at medium-high and stir constantly so it simmers and thickens evenly without sticking.
Q. What is the protein and calorie content per serving?
Each 130g serving provides about 17g of protein and 285 kcal. With protein making up around 24% of total calories, this filling is satisfying and protein-rich, making it ideal for tacos.
Q. How do I avoid sogginess or a greasy texture in the final mixture?
Simmer uncovered after adding the chicharrón prensado and stir often. This allows excess moisture to cook off and lets the pork rinds soak up flavor while the sauce thickens, resulting in a dense yet tender consistency rather than oily or soggy.
AI 채팅 아이콘