The French aren’t really into crackling I think. Some years ago a French friend was happily tucking into some pork scratchings when she discovered what they were. “Beuch!”
I know! I did attempt to look but couldn’t find my glasses and it is in such small writing (still not used to not being able to read small print anymore 
) and figured it would be OK as I had 3 different brochures, all with the special!
I ended up going to the big Hyper in Creysse (Bergerac) yesterday and it was fab, the meat was actually in the butcher cabinet so he helped me choose 2 really nice looking rotis d’epaule (for my fig and pork slow cooker recipe) and I asked for the smallest of the epaules and it was over 7kg slightly concerned that it a/ won’t fit in the tray or worse b/ won’t fit in the oven 
I have a plan if it is too big for the roasting pan (which I think it will be), I have an extendible baking tray that I will line with double foil and baking paper and I’ll put that under the main pan then if there is fat dripping it won’t end up all over my oven! I’ll be cooking it over the weekend while it is lovely and cool so I’ll let you know how I get on!
Absolutely! I think it is just unknown to them as they don’t have it as a food tradition.
1 Like
Bizarrely enough, for the first time ever in 20 years here, I saw crackling (in the raw state obviously!) for sale separately in our local Intermarche . And we don’t live in a remotely ‘Brit’ area at all, so maybe taste are changing!
1 Like
Oh really??? I’ll have to have a look out, I guess they must do something with all that skin 
I’m suposed to be eating lo carb and this would be amazing as I could make my own proper crackling as totally no cab snack. I’ll start keeping my eyes out!
the rind “couenne” is sold in thick rolls by our local butchers.
Around here, the couenne gets chopped up small and cooked along with the haricot blanc…
At first I thought I was finding lumps of fat in my beans… and it was explained to me that “this is a delicacy”…
Absolutely delicious (now that I’m used to it)…
1 Like
Ahhh yes, we are watching Rick Stiens France at the moment and he just had some of that!
1 Like
It gets brewed up in huge cauldrons at local fishing competitions… events like that… 
smells fabulous while it’s cooking… no vampires within a million mile radius…
1 Like
Is he on TV or YouTube ???
He was on TV (UK) a while ago (beginning of the year maybe) and we recorded the series on our box, we have far too much to watch so things take a while to get to! You can probably find it on youtube too. Was quite a good series, he does a different region each night. His French is terrible which is quite amusing!
1 Like
You can always cut it in half, will need a hacksaw for the bone though.
1 Like
Or you could bone it out!
1 Like
Ahhh but that was half the fun to have the bone to improve flavour etc!
I’ll contemplate both your suggestions if it really doesn’t fit
You might find that you could find a place for the bone when it is out of the shoulder and then replace it and tie it back in, or put a stuffing in place of the bone and roast the meat on top of the bone in your roasting tin.
2 Likes
That’s a very good idea!
I have in my possession 2kg of high quality free range ‘chair a saucisse’ 
Any ideas what I can do with this apart from sausage rolls (as I can’t eat them , unless I can find an idiot proof GF pastry recipe which I very much doubt…)?
1 Like
Stuff tomatoes / courgettes or peppers? Make into little meatballs and serve with an omlette or fried eggs (my kids love this for breakfast)
2 Likes
You could make sausage balls in a tomato sauce.
1 Like
Scotch eggs? Papillottes?or just season and fry flat to have for sunday brunch with bacon, egg, mushrooms etc. Or just let me dispose of it for you…
1 Like
Forgot to mention that I can’t eat tomatoes / aubergines / peppers or potatoes (real PITA!!) - meatballs sound good - what do you add to yours?
Many of us love duck scratchings (and crackling when we are given it!) Most of us happily eat pork scratchings on holiday in Spain, the Spanish love them.