crackling

noun

crack·​ling

plural cracklings

1

ˈkra-k(ə-)liŋ  : a series of small sharp cracking noises

the crackling of frozen snow as we walk

2

\ ˈkra-​klən , -​kliŋ \

a

: the crisp residue left after the rendering of lard from pig fat or the frying or roasting of pig skin

Want to know how to get perfect crisp crackling on roast pork?

—BBC Good Food (online)

… for me fat is a largely a textural pleasure, … and pork crackling is surely the supreme example of this: a blistered top, as dry and crunchy as an autumn leaf, hiding a layer of yielding, creamy fat beneath.

—Felicity Cloake

also : a piece of this residue

We feasted on … fresh hog cracklings from a road-side trailer north of Houston …

—Peter Richmond

b

: food or a piece of food that resembles crackling

duck cracklings

The great Simon Hopkinson, author of Roast Chicken and Other Stories, gave me—appropriately enough—a bag of chicken crackling as a present, and I pressed him for the recipe.

—Nigella Lawson

Examples of crackling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Wood wick candles feature a wooden wick rather than the traditional cotton wick and produce a fun and festive crackling sound when burned. —Michelle Rostamian, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Nov. 2023

The rumble grew into a crackling thunder a few moments later. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 18 Nov. 2023

From the crackling fireplace to the tranquil bedroom, bask in the gentle embrace of its warm white glow. —Matthew Parker, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2023

The holidays are our yearly occasion to celebrate family, passing hours telling stories by the crackling fire and stewing up Grandma's recipes in the kitchen. —Zoe Denenberg, Southern Living, 14 Nov. 2023

For some people, the perfect Christmas vacation involves fully leaning into winter on a snowy mountain somewhere, curled up next to a crackling fire. —Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 24 Sep. 2023

The result is delectably rich, spicy and sweet, with a crackling edge. —Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2023

Get the Recipe 05 Cracklin' Cornbread Tiny morsels of meaty pork cracklings elevate a humble buttermilk cornbread loaf to a special side, worthy of any holiday or family picnic. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2023

Keep in Mind There’s an option for a quiet crackling sound to accompany the flickering light, but it can be turned off with the remote. —Maya Polton, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

crackling

noun

crack·​ling

1

ˈkrak-(ə-)liŋ

: a series of small sharp crackling sounds

2

ˈkrak-lən,

ˈkrak-liŋ

: the crisp remainder left after the fat has been separated from the meat or skin (as of pork)

—usually used in plural