Tacos de chicharrón prensado
Chicharrón prensado is a dense, reddish block of pressed pork made from the crisp scraps left over from frying chicharrón; stewed with guajillo chile and tomato, it is a classic filling for gorditas, quesadillas and tacos in Mexico City.
What it is
Despite the name, chicharrón prensado is not crisp pork rind. El Financiero explains that it comes from no particular cut of the pig: it is made from the oily, dark residue that collects at the bottom of the vats in which chicharrón is fried. This material is fried again and then pressed into blocks, which compacts it and squeezes out more fat; Excélsior adds that it is then left to dry, giving it a denser texture than other chicharrones. A little sal de nitro, potassium nitrate, gives it its characteristic reddish color. Butcher shops and markets sell it in large blocks. It should not be confused with chicharrón de la Ramos, a Monterrey specialty made from pork jowl that El Financiero describes separately.
Background
Pigs and lard reached Mexico with the Spanish conquest, and with them came frying, a technique largely absent from earlier Mesoamerican cooking, which relied on steaming, griddling and roasting. El Financiero cites the writer Salvador Novo's suggestion that the word chicharrón is linked to chichinar, a Mexican Spanish verb of Nahuatl origin meaning to scorch or sizzle. Chicharrón prensado makes use of what would otherwise be waste from the chicharrón makers, and it has become one of the defining street-food fillings of Mexico City.
Preparation and serving
The block is chopped and stewed as a guisado. The most popular version cooks it with onion, garlic, tomato and guajillo chile until it softens into a thick, spicy paste; some cooks make it soupier in a sauce. In Mexico City it is the standard filling for gorditas and quesadillas made from fresh masa, and it is also eaten in tacos, tortas and as an addition to soups and stews. At Taquería El Jarocho in Roma Norte, chicharrón prensado is combined with bistec in a campechano taco. Excélsior advises keeping uncooked chicharrón prensado in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for about a week, and refrigerating the cooked guisado for no more than four days.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g chicharrón prensado, chopped
- 3 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 200 g ripe tomatoes
- 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
- 16 corn tortillas
- Salsa verde, chopped onion and cilantro
Steps
- Toast the guajillos lightly and soak in hot water for 10 minutes. Blend with the tomatoes and 1/4 cup of water.
- Heat the oil over medium heat and fry the onion and garlic until golden.
- Add the chile-tomato purée and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the chicharrón prensado, stir well and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until thick. Season with salt; it may need little.
- Fill warm tortillas and top with salsa verde, onion and cilantro.
The same filling can be folded into raw masa for gorditas and cooked on a comal.
Where to try it
- Taquería El Jarocho, Mexico City: Roma Norte taquería known for a bistec and chicharrón prensado campechano.
- Tacos de Canasta El Abuelo, Los Angeles, California
Reviews
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See also
References
- "¿De qué está hecho el chicharrón prensado?". El Financiero. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "¿Qué es el chicharrón prensado? Aprende cómo guisarlo en casa". Excélsior. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Dónde comer tacos campechanos". Chilango. Retrieved 2026-10-10.