Leite's Gribenes

By stancec44

While gribenes are usually a happy by-product of making schmaltz, or rendered chicken fat—hands-down the loveliest by-product we’ve ever experienced—this recipe celebrates the skin for its own sake. Sprinkle them on salads. Incorporate them into deviled eggs. Or simply nibble them at will.

Ingredients

• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 9 ounces chicken skin (available from most local butchers), cut into pieces
• 3 tablespoons homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
• Sea salt, to taste

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 5mins
Cooking time 75mins
Adapted from leitesculinaria.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
2. Toss the thyme sprigs in a roasting pan and plop the chicken skins on top. Add the chicken stock, and roast, uncovered, for 40 minutes, stirring or flipping the chicken skins every 10 minutes.
3. When the 40 minutes are up, drain the fat, called schmaltz, and save. It’s great to cook with.
4. Return the pan to the oven until the chicken skins are crisp, about 20 minutes more. (Note, the chicken skins will be more like the crisp skin on a roast chicken than the puffed skin of pork rinds.) Lavish with salt to taste.