Homemade Pork Rind - "Kiep Moo"

My share of pork from Walpole Valley Farms included several sheets of pork skin with an inch of fat on them. I knew right away that I would make Kiep Moo with it.  Kiep Moo is the Lao version of pork rind.  Green Papaya Salad and Kiep Moo is my favorite Lao food combination.  Rich, crunchy pork skin is the perfect foil for the spicy, salty, sweet and sour Tum Maak Houng, the Lao name for Green Papaya Salad. 

Kiep Moo (Homemade Pork Rind)

Though it's been many years since I've indulged in Kiep Moo, I wanted to make it.  My mother gave me long instructions, involving several hours boiling, several hours drying and then frying the pork.  That seemed like a lot of work to indulge my guilty pleasure.  After digging around for recipes, I decided to follow Paula Deen's method that is to simply put the pork skin with a sprinkling of salt in a 325 F degree oven for about three hours, until "nice and crispy."

I cut skin and fat into bite size pieces and arrange them skin side down so as the fat renders out it will naturally fry the skin.

The fat melting away in the oven had to be drained off several times.

After almost four hours, these look ready but they still had a lot of fat attached to the skin.  Next time I would remove most of the fat and leave only a very thin layer.  

Drain, let cool and dry completely. Scrape off all the fat, sprinkle with salt and serve only the crispy skin, they're especially addictive as cocktail nibbles.

Kiep Moo and Tum Maak Houng, a match made in Lao heaven.

Related links:

• How to Make Green Papaya Salad
• Green Papaya Salad Recipe
• Walpole Valley Farms
• Paula Deen's Homemade Pork Rind