Chicharrones are relatively common across parts of Spain and South America. In fact you could say they’re common in Britain as well as chicharrones are a bit like pork scratchings.
Like most places, Chicharrones on Tenerife are fried pork fat and or skin and you can buy commercially packed chicharrones in supermarkets on Tenerife. Where Tenerife’s (and the other Canary Islands) differ from other parts of Spain is that they’re coated with gofio; toasted grain flour that has been a staple since the time of the Guanches.
Like pork scratchings, they’re not everyone’s cup of tea and can sometimes be a right old test for the teeth. The ones in the picture were at a guachinche in La Matanza; some were rock hard where other bits were chewy. Not the most sophisticated food you’ll find on Tenerife but I found that although I wasn’t initially sure how much I liked them (or not), after my first ‘chew’ my hand involuntary went back for seconds and then thirds.
Jack is co-owner, writer and photographer for BuzzTrips and the Real Tenerife series of travel websites as well as a contributor to lots of other places. Follow Jack on Google+
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