How to Cook Pig's Ears

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 21, 2020 References

Pig ears are an underappreciated gem at the local butchers. If you're lucky enough to get your hands on some, you can create some really interesting dishes that can spice up any dinner party. Pig ears can be prepared as dignified fine cuisine, like something out of the local Chinese takeaway, or even straight off the griddle.

Ingredients

Pig Ears on a Griddle

2 pig ears
1 carrot
1 onion
Thyme or oregano

Chinese-Style Pig Ears

2 pig ears
60 ml (4 tbsp) of rice wine or sake
45 ml (3 tbsp) of soy sauce
30 grams (2 tbsp) of sugar
1 star anise
1/2 of a cinnamon stick

Fancy Pig Ears

2 pig ears
1 diced carrot
1 diced shallot
1/2 a leek, diced
6 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme
100 grams (1 cup) of plain flour
2 eggs
50 millilitres (0.21 c) of whole milk
Panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cooking Pig Ears on a Griddle

1
Boil the ears in a pot for a few minutes. Pour 1 litre (2.1 US pt) of water into a pot then bring it to the boil. Once the water is boiling, gently place the pig ears into the pot and parboil them for 5 minutes.
- This process is to remove any potential scum or impurities.^{[1]
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2
Add the ears and vegetables into another pot. Remove the pig's ears from the boiling water and place them into a separate pot. Add enough water to cover the ears. Then, add 1 chopped carrot, 1 peeled and halved onion, and a pinch of thyme or oregano into the pot, then bring it to the boil.^{[2]
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- After it's boiling, add some salt and pepper.
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3
Simmer the ears for 2.5 hours. Once all the ingredients are in and the water is boiling, bring the heat down to a gentle simmer and leave the mix for 2.5 hours, checking every so often that the ears are still submerged.^{[3]
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- You can check if the ears are cooked by piercing them with a fork. If the flesh is soft, they're ready.
4
Remove the ears and allow them to cool. With a pair of tongs, remove the pig ears from the pot and lay on a chopping board, allowing them to cool off. While they are cooling, start heating a skillet over high heat.
- If you wish, the remaining mixture inside the pot can be reserved for later as a flavorful pork stock.^{[4]
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5
Fry both sides of the ears until crispy. Put the pig ears onto the hot skillet and immediately press down on them with a spatula so that their other sides will fry fast. Keep pressing down on them for around 3 minutes, checking the other sides frequently so that when it is crispy you can flip them over and do the same to the other side.^{[5]
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6
Serve the dish immediately. Take the ears off the skillet then immediately plate them up before serving with whichever sides you wish.
- Dijon mustard is a classic that goes wonderfully with pork.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Chinese-Style Pig Ears

1
Heat a pot of water to boil the ears for 5 minutes. Fill a pot of water with 1 litre (2.1 US pt) of water then bring it to boil over a high heat. Once the water has started to boil, slowly lower the pig ears into the pot. Let them boil for 5 minutes so that any impurities can be safely removed.^{[7]
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2
Add the ears and other ingredients into another pot. Remove the pig's ears from the boiling water and place them into a separate pot. Add enough water to cover the ears. Then, add 60 milliliters (2 fl oz) (4 tbsp) of rice wine, 45 milliliters (1.5 fl oz) (3 tbsp) of soy sauce, 30 grams (2 tbsp) of sugar, 1 star anise, and 1 cinnamon stick into the pot with the ears.^{[8]
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3
Heat the ears for 2.5 hours. Bring the heat down to a gentle simmer and let the mix cook for 2.5 hours checking every so often that the ears are still submerged.
- You can tell if the ears are done by their rich red-brown color or by piercing the flesh with a chopstick. If the chopstick goes through easily, they're ready.^{[9]
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- The Chinese-style syrup left over can be used for a side dish to give it a Chinese flavor.
4
Let the ears cool, then refrigerate them for 1-2 hours. With a pair of tongs, remove the pig ears from the pot and lay them on a chopping board. Allow them to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate them for 1-2 hours until they are completely solid and chilled.^{[10]
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5
Slice the ears and serve them. Remove the ears from the fridge and put them on a chopping board. Slice the pig ears into thin slivers then organise the slivers on a plate so that the wafers stack on top of each other. Once you've finished stacking the slivers, serve the dish cold.
- This dish is best eaten cold and works as a tasty accompaniment to the host of other cold Chinese appetizers.^{[11]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Preparing Fancy Pig Ears

1
Remove impurities by boiling the ears. To remove any potential scum or impurities, pour 1 litre (2.1 US pt) of water into a pot then heat it until it's boiling.^{[12]
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Research source} Once the water comes to a boil, put the ears into the pot then boil them for 5 minutes.
2
Add the ears, vegetables, and aromatics into a separate pan. Remove the pig's ears from the boiling water and place them into a separate pot. Add enough water to cover the ears. Then, add 1 diced shallot, 1 diced carrot, 1/2 of a leek, 1 bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, and 6 peppercorns.^{[13]
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3
Cook the ears for 2.5 hours. Now that all the ingredients are together, raise the heat to a low simmer and cook the dish for 2.5 hours. Make sure to check that the ears are completely submerged every so often.
- You can tell if the ears are cooked when a knife can easily pass through the flesh.^{[14]
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4
Remove the ears and allow them to cool. With a pair of tongs, remove the ears from the pan and place them between 2 sheets of greaseproof or wax paper pressed down by some weights. The paper will prevent the ears from sticking as they cool.^{[15]
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5
Prepare the dusting while the ears cool. Fill 1 bowl with 100 grams (3.5 oz) (1 cup) of plain flour, another with 2 eggs and 50 millilitres (0.21 c) of whole milk, and the final bowl with panko breadcrumbs.^{[16]
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6
Slice the ears, then dust them. Once cool, remove the greaseproof or wax paper from the ears then slice them into thin wafers. Dust each slice thoroughly in the flour bowl first. Then, coat the slice in the contents of the egg bowl, then coat them in the breadcrumbs.^{[17]
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Research source}Then, set aside the strips.
7
Deep-fry the strips for about 5 minutes. In a deep-fat fryer, heat vegetable oil to 180 °C (356 °F). Then, deep fry the pig ear strips until they are golden brown. This usually takes around 5 minutes, but can vary depending on the size of the strips and the amount of batter. Drain the oil, season the strips with salt and pepper, then serve them for a tasty and dignified meal.^{[18]
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