>   What would be the recommended way of cooking these?  The traditional
> >way is deep frying.

I've thought of posting this tidbit and here's a good time.  I don't know
about croquettes (sounds fancy to a redneck like myself) but I've found a
good way to "bread" meat.  Use ground whatever (pork rinds, flaxseeds,
sesame seeds) just as you would flour breading; dip meat in eggs, then in
"breading".  Cook in a frying pan just long enough to get a crispy coating
effect, then bake.

Why?  Some fish I eat tends to either break apart or doesn't hold onto
"breading" well when fried.  This solves that problem.  It also keeps
"breading" from burning while leaving the meat inside less than done.  Two
down.  And if you find long-cooked animal fat a little on the risky side,
baking seems to take care of that.  That's just a guess, but it makes sense
to me.

As for pork rinds and using animal fat to fry, I don't know much about this.
  But if you get the right brand, pork rinds are just that; the skin of pork
fried in oil with some salt.  BUT!  Maybe the pig was on the receiving end
of hormones.  Or they fried up the rinds in soybean or some other unhealthy
oil.  Sometimes a label answers what oil was used, sometimes it doesn't.

But I will say this; if you're batting .900, I can't imagine an occasional
piece of fried food or a few pork rinds would hurt you.  All things are
relative.  To me, anyway.

Finally, if you're going to use pork rinds for a breading, I find the
mass-produced, airy ones to be the best.  The heavier they are, the more
oily they are and just weigh down what you're cooking.

Dori Zook
Denver, CO
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