What are the crispy fried pork skins called in Cajun cuisine?

The crispy fried pork skins called in Cajun cuisine are cracklins, also spelled cracklings. They are made by frying pieces of pork fat with some attached skin until browned and crunchy, then seasoning them, often with peppery Cajun spices.

Cracklins developed from traditional pork preservation and lard-making. Before refrigeration and widely available cooking oils, rendering a hog produced both useful lard and a flavorful byproduct: the fried pieces left behind. In Louisiana, cracklins became a familiar snack and foodway tradition, especially during communal hog-butchering events.

Cracklins are related to pork rinds, but the terms are not always interchangeable. Commercial pork rinds are usually mostly skin that is dried, fried, and puffed, while Cajun cracklins generally contain more fat and may include a small amount of meat. Louisiana French speakers may also call them gratons. They should not be confused with andouille sausage, tasso ham, or boudin, which are different Cajun pork foods.