Pork Ruffle Fat

Chicharon Bulaklak?

Ruffle fat is the fat of the mesentery attached to the intestines of slaughtered animals.

You first rinse and/or marinade pork ruffle fat in vinegar or some other mix, then you deep-fry it in oil to make a crunchy treat called “Flower Chicharrones” (if you’re familiar with the Latin Spanish term for crispy/crunchy pork rinds).

In the Filipino language, these classic pork rinds that are a pig’s skin are one-r Chicharon (tsitsaron in Tagalog). When you use this ruffle fat instead of pig’s skin, it’s called “Flower Chicharon.” (Bulaklak is the Tagalog word for “flower”).

This is Pampango brand. There are other “bulaklak” / “pork ruffle fat” sold under the Gold Medal brand and Tropics brand by other Filipino American companies.