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Yuca frita con chicharrón
Put the pork belly in a cold, wide pan with the crushed garlic, a teaspoon of salt and a splash of water. Set over medium-low heat. Let the water cook off and the fat render, turning now and then, until the cubes are deep brown and crisp, 40-45 minutes.
Tip: Low and slow. If the pan smokes, the fat is too hot and the pork will toughen before it crisps.
Questions about this dish
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Yuca frita con chicharrón take?
1 hr 10 min all in — 20 min prep, 50 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
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What equipment do I need?
Stockpot, Frying pan, Spider or strainer, Blender.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 2 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Fresh pork belly → Bought pork rinds or carnitas. Quick and acceptable. Warm them through so they are not cold against the hot yuca.
What should I watch for?
Dry the boiled yuca well before frying; wet batons spit.
Any tips from this recipe?
Frozen peeled yuca is excellent here and avoids the peeling. Boil it from frozen. Boiled yuca can be done a day ahead and kept in the fridge. Cold yuca fries up even crisper.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Boiled yuca can be done a day ahead and kept in the fridge. Cold yuca fries up even crisper.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.