Are pork rinds healthy? We certainly think so! Our pork rinds have 0 grams carbs per serving and 7+ grams of protein. Find out more about where our products come from and who we are.

What are Chicharrones?
Chicharron is the Spanish word for pork rinds, a delicious snack made from fried pork skin. Pork rinds, or Chicharrones, are found all over the United States and in many cuisines internationally. Our chicharrones are endearingly known as “crispy clouds of porkaliciousness” because of their light and airy texture.

How do you pronounce “chicharrones”?
Chicharrones is pronounced “CHEE-cha-roe-nays.” If you are just talking about one, the singular is “chicharron” pronounced “CHEE-cha-rone” with a silent “e.” 

What are Cracklings? How are they different from your chicharrones and why are they crunchier?
Cracklins differ from our chicharrones in two major ways:

• Cracklins come from the shoulder skin whereas our chicharrones come from the back or side of the hog.
• Cracklins have the fat attached to the skin before frying to create a denser, more flavor-packed bite.

Why did Ryan want to make Chicharrones?
Living in the Mission District of San Francisco, he found chicharrones in many of the small neighborhood markets and realized that creating his own recipe would be a great way to make use of leftover pork skin that is often discarded and was so plentiful in traditional butchery practices. He started frying pork skins in his home kitchen, packaging them up, and walking them around to local bars and markets to sell them to make extra money, and bring delicious savory snacks to thirsty beer enthusiasts. He quickly moved this operation to a commercial kitchen and his 4505 Chicharrones became notorious throughout San Francisco.

What kind of fat do you fry your pork rinds in?
We fry our chicharrones in lard to utilize another part of the animal that is often thrown away.

What kind of pork do you use?
We source our high-quality, all-natural pork from a collective of family farms in Iowa. The pork we use is free of added hormones and antibiotics and humanely raised. The farms we work with are not certified organic but practice organic and sustainable husbandry.

Where are your pork rinds produced?
Our pork rinds are produced just outside of Los Angeles, CA.

Are pork rinds healthy?
We certainly think so! Pork rinds are a high-protein snack with 0 carbs per serving. We always recommend them to anyone looking to eat a low-carb diet that is high in protein and/or fat. Our chicharrones contain 80 calories per serving and 5-6 grams of fat. Compared to a potato chip or most other salty snacks, our products are a cleaner, less-greasy way to cure your salty, savory crunchy cravings. In addition, our products are minimally processed unlike many other meat products and snack foods.

I found a purple/pink spot on my pork rind? What is this? And can I eat it? 

All of our pork is USDA inspected and certified. All pork that undergoes this process is stamped with a blue vegetable based dye to mark that it passed inspection and meets certain quality standards. The ink is completely safe to eat. In fact, we like to think of those pink and purple pieces as a testament to the quality of pork we use to make our pork rinds. You can read more about this stamp on the USDA website. 

Do you sell other products?
Currently, we sell two varieties of pork rinds: chicharrones and cracklings. Our chicharrones are light and airy and our cracklins are dense and crispy. Each comes in a variety of flavors. We also have a BBQ restaurant in San Francisco. If you find yourself in San Francisco, come check out 4505 Burgers & BBQ!

What flavors of pork rinds do you sell?
We sell our Chicharrones in 3 flavors: Classic Chili and Salt, Smokehouse BBQ, and Jalapeño Cheddar. Classic is seasoned with a blend of three different peppers, salt, and a touch of sugar. The BBQ is seasoned with the same spice rub that we put on our pork ribs at our restaurant. The Jalapeño Cheddar contains dairy and a spicy jalapeño kick. Our sea salt cracklings are simply seasoned with just sea salt. And our green chili and lime cracklings are seasoned with hatch green chilis and a touch of lime oil for tang.

How much do your pork rinds cost and where can I find 4505 pork rinds?
Our 1-ounce bag of chicharrones usually retails for $2.99 and the 2.5-ounce bag and cracklings bags retail for $4.99. They are available at retailers nationwide as well as our online store.

Are your products Gluten Free?
Our products are naturally entirely free from gluten as they are simply made from pork skin. Our spices and flavorings are free from gluten as well, making all three products gluten-free. We are not certified gluten-free.

Are your products Paleo Certified? What does Paleo Certified mean?
Our Classic, Smokehouse BBQ, Sea Salt, and Chili lime are Paleo Certified. The Paleo Foundation is a foundation dedicated to forwarding the Paleo Movement by making it easy for consumers to make better lifestyle choices. Such products are free from additives, dairy, legumes, and grains.

Are your products Keto Certified?
Our Classic, Smokehouse BBQ, Sea Salt, and Green Chili Lime are Keto Certified. The Paleo Foundation is a foundation dedicated to forwarding the Paleo Movement by making it easy for consumers to make better lifestyle choices. They created the Keto Certification to help standardize Keto claims and make it easier for consumers to identify foods that comply with the Keto lifestyle.

Your product is listed as having zero carbs and zero grams of sugar, but I see sugar on the ingredient list. Why?
From the beginning, our chicharrones have had a very small amount of sugar in the recipe. However, this amount is so small --less than 1 gram of sugar-- that it actually registers as zero in the nutrient panel.

Are your products high in protein?
Yes! Our pork rinds have 7+ grams of protein per serving (or 18 grams if you eat the entire 1-ounce bag!). Our products also contain 0 grams of carbs per serving so they will fill you up without slowing you down.

I’m not sure I want to eat pork skin. Do you think I will like them?
The best way to find out is to try them! Our chicharrones are light, crispy, and not greasy, which makes them a delicious snack. Our cracklings are dense and crunchy with a luscious layer of pork fat perfect for anyone who loves pork!

What are some good ways to enjoy 4505 Chicharrones?
Our all natural pork rinds are great with guacamole, salsa, queso dip, or other spreads. They are also great for recipes! They can be used in place of croutons on salads or even dipped in chocolate! They are the perfect crunchy topping for tacos, soup, even mac and cheese! You can also grind them up and use them as a breading for chicken or fish, to add extra porky flavor without any carbs.

Why the name 4505 Meats?
“4505” is a dedication to our founder’s friend and a fellow chef who passed away before his time. He believed in doing your best work and always following your stomach, a mantra that’s led Ryan throughout his career and helped him to create 4505 pork rinds and other meaty snacks!