Air Fryer Pork Crackling (Flæskesvær)
Air Fryer Pork Crackling (Flæskesvær)
Flæskesvær are crisp pieces of pork rind. They are easy to make yourself: you need raw rind from the butcher and coarse salt, and the air fryer handles the rest.
The most important thing is dryness. The pieces of rind must be patted completely dry before they go in the basket — the less water, the crispier they get. The salt is rubbed into the rind and gives both flavor and crispness, while a single layer in the basket ensures that the hot air can circulate all the way around.
Unlike the oven method, you don’t need to weigh the rind down. The circulating hot air puffs them up on their own, so they turn light and crisp all the way through. The result is salty, crisp pieces with a deep flavor of crisp-fried pork — good with a cold beer or as a crunch on a soup or salad.
Pork rind has always had a place in Danish cooking; the rind from a flæskesteg was rarely thrown out. Here we make them from scratch out of loose rind, so you can make a batch whenever you feel like it, without roasting a whole joint first.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 500 g raw pork rind, cut into strips about 1 cm wide
- 2 tbsp coarse salt (flake salt or coarse sea salt)
- 1 tsp baking powder (optional)
- water, for pre-boiling (optional)
Directions
Cut the rind into strips of about 1 cm and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towel. Choose rind with a good amount of fat — it puffs the best.
If you want to render off some of the fat and get a more even crispness, you can pre-boil the rind: bring lightly salted water to a boil, add the rind and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Tip it into a colander, rinse with cold water and let it drain well. If you skip the pre-boiling, go straight on.
Dry the rind completely in a clean tea towel or with paper towel. This is where the crispness is decided — the less water, the better. If you have time, you can lay them on a rack in the refrigerator, uncovered, for a couple of hours, so they air-dry.
Toss the rind with the coarse salt, and the baking powder if using, so it is evenly distributed. The baking powder is optional, but it helps the rind puff up extra.
Place the rind in the air fryer basket in a single layer, so the pieces don’t sit on top of each other. Set the air fryer to 390°F (200°C) and give them 20-30 minutes.
Shake the basket halfway through, so the rind turns crisp all the way around. Keep an eye on it toward the end — they should be golden, puffed and crisp through, but not dark and hard. Thin rind can be done after 10-12 minutes, while thick or pre-boiled rind can take up to 35.
Lay the finished crackling on paper towel, so excess fat is drawn off, and season with a little extra salt. Let them rest for a couple of minutes and serve them crisp.
Notes
Crispness comes down to dryness, salt and heat. The most important factor is that the rind is completely dry before it goes into the air fryer.
Go by the look rather than the clock. The rind is done when it is golden, puffed and crisp through — the time varies with the thickness.
Don’t weigh the rind down. The circulating hot air handles the puffing; a single layer and a shake along the way are enough.
Store the crackling in an airtight container. They lose their crispness if they draw moisture.
See Also
Danish Pork Roast with Crispy Crackling
Danish Roast Pork with Crackling
