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

Post-trek, unwind by the crackling fireplace, or indulge in a spa treatment infused with local ingredients at Gushimisha Spa & Sauna. —Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2024

There’s almost always a crackling fire going and a group of regulars gabbing in the comfy chairs near the warm, welcoming spot. —Leslie Kelly, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

The wooden wick makes a soothing crackling sound while burning, which shoppers say is relaxing and adds ambiance to the home. —Kaitlin Gates, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2024

Spill into a boho country-style living room housing a 200-year-old cast iron range oven with a crackling fireplace, woven oatmeal rugs, a traditional Welsh dresser, a cocktail cabinet, regal upholstered armchairs, cream canvas sofas (with fluffy throws), and an oak writing desk. —Lewis Nunn, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

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