How to cook pig's ears sous vide

Pigs' ears

How to cook pig's ears sous vide

by Great British Chefs3 November 2015

How to cook pig's ears sous vide

Pig’s ears are an unusual option but make a delicious snack or canapé when deep-fried and crispy. Generally very cheap as they are not the most popular choice, you will need to order pig’s ears in advance from your butcher. Cooking them sous vide for twelve hours breaks down the cartilage until it is meltingly soft and ready to fry. They make a great treat when cooked this way.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

1
Wash the pig’s ears in lots of cold running water and pat dry on kitchen paper
2
Salt liberally and leave to cure for 6 hours
3
Preheat the water bath to 85°C
4
Wash off the salt and place the ears in a vacuum bag with the oil and seal
5
Place the bag in the water bath to cook for 12 hours
6
Leave to cool then drain and place in the fridge
7
Once the pig’s ears are cold cut them into 1cm strips and dust with rice flour
8
Fry the strips at 190°C for 2 minutes or until crispy and golden in colour
9
Season with sea salt and serve

Variations

To add a little heat, mix ½ tsp of cayenne pepper into the rice flour before frying.

For added texture, try coating the pig’s ears in Panko bread crumbs before serving.

Serving suggestions

Crispy pig’s ears make a great canapé served with celeriac remoulade or sauce gribiche. They also add great texture to any pork dish that doesn’t have crispy skin. Simon Hulstone serves crispy pig’s ears with nasturtium and caper tartare sauce.

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