Pig's ear, as food for human consumption, is the cooked ear of

pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), also called swine (: swine) or hog, is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is named the domestic pig when distinguishing it from other members of the genus '' Sus''. Some authorities cons ...

. It is found in several cuisines around the world.

Human consumption

Bulgarian cuisine

In Bulgaria, a pig's ear is used as an appetizer for beer or wine. It is first boiled and then grilled with lemon, soy sauce, salt, and ground pepper.

Chinese cuisine

Chinese cuisine Chinese cuisine comprises cuisines originating from Greater China, China, as well as from Overseas Chinese, Chinese people from other parts of the world. Because of the Chinese diaspora and the historical power of the country, Chinese cuisine ...

, pig's ear is often an appetizer or a side dish, called ''zhū ěr duo'' (豬耳朵 "pig's ear"), often abbreviated to ''zhū ěr'' (豬耳). In some regions, pig's ears are known as ''ceng ceng cui'' (层层脆 "layers of crunch"). It can be first boiled or stewed, and then sliced thin, served with

soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

, or spiced with

chili paste Chili sauce and chili paste are condiments prepared with chili peppers. Chili sauce may be hot, sweet or a combination thereof, and may differ from hot sauce in that many sweet or mild varieties exist, which is typically lacking in hot sauces ...

. When cooked, the outer texture is gelatinous, akin to

tofu or bean curd is a food prepared by Coagulation (milk), coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', and ''extra (or super) firm''. It originated in Chin ...

, and the center

cartilage Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. Semi-transparent and non-porous, it is usually covered by a tough and fibrous membrane called perichondrium. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints ...

is crunchy. Pig's ear can be eaten warm or cold.

Cantonese cuisine

Cantonese cuisine Cantonese or Guangdong cuisine, also known as Yue cuisine ( zh, t=廣東菜 or zh, labels=no, t=粵菜), is the cuisine of Cantonese people, associated with the Guangdong, Guangdong province of China, particularly the provincial capital Guan ...

, it is another ingredient used in '' lou mei'' (braised dishes). The emphasis is on using all edible parts of the pig. Pig's ears (and ''lou mei'' in general) are not considered as

delicacies A delicacy is a rare food item that is considered highly desirable, sophisticated, or peculiarly distinctive within a given culture or region. A delicacy may have an unusual flavor or be expensive compared to everyday foods. Delicacies va ...

Filipino cuisine

In the Philippines, the dish known as ''Sisig'' may sometimes use pig ears together with the animal's tail and cheeks as part of its ingredients.

Lithuanian cuisine

Pig's ear, known in Lithuania as kiaulės ausis, is served either smoked and cut into thin strips as a beer snack, or boiled whole and served as the main dish with horseradish and fresh vegetables or pickles.

Okinawan cuisine

Okinawan cuisine is the cuisine of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The cuisine is also known as , a reference to the Ryukyu Kingdom. Due to differences in culture, historical contact between other regions, climate, vegetables and other ingredients, Okinawan cuisine ...

, the pig's ear is called ''mimigaa'' (ミミガー). It is prepared by boiling or

pickling Pickling is the process of food preservation, preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either Anaerobic organism, anaerobic fermentation (food), fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The pickling procedure typically affects t ...

and is served with vinegar or in the form of

sashimi is a Japanese cuisine, Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or Raw meat, meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce. Origin The word ''sashimi'' means 'pierced body', i.e., "wikt:刺身, 刺身" = ''sashimi'', whe ...

(sliced raw meat). The entirety of the pig's face is also eaten in Okinawa, where it is known as ''chiragaa'' (チラガー).

Spanish cuisine

Spanish cuisine Spanish cuisine () consists of the traditions and practices of Spanish cooking. It features considerable regional diversity, with significant differences among the traditions of each of Spain's regional cuisines. Olive oil (of which Spain is ...

, pig's ear is served fried or grilled as ''Oreja de Cerdo'', one of the

tapas Tapas () are appetisers or snacks in Spanish cuisine. They can be combined to make a full meal and are served cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as , which are battered, fried baby squid; or , spicy potatoes). In some bars ...

snacks, or boiled in many variants of

stew A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been Cooking, cooked in Soup, liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for ...

and cocido.

Portuguese cuisine

Portuguese cuisine Portuguese cuisine () consists of the traditions and practices of cooking in Portugal. The oldest known book on Portuguese cuisine, entitled ''Livro de Cozinha da Infanta D. Maria de Portugal'', from the 16th century, describes many popular dish ...

, pig's ear is served boiled and then roasted, with garlic and fresh coriander as ''Orelha de Porco de Coentrada''.

Thai cuisine

Thai cuisine Thai cuisine (, , ) is the national cuisine of Thailand. Thai cooking places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with aromatics and spicy heat. The Australian chef David Thompson (chef), David Thompson, an expert on Thai food, observes that ...

, pig's ears are used for many different dishes, amongst others in the northern Thai dish called ''chin som mok'' (fermented sliced pig's ears grilled in a banana leaf) and in ''yam hu mu'' (a Thai salad made with sliced, boiled pig's ears).

United States cuisine

Pig's ears are a part of the

soul food Soul food is the ethnic cuisine of African Americans. Originating in the Southern United States, American South from the cuisines of Slavery in the United States, enslaved Africans transported from Africa through the Atlantic slave trade, sou ...

cuisine, which originated among

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

s in the

southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...

. "Pig's ears" is also a regional colloquial name for a boiled pastry. A dough similar to pie crust is rolled out and then cut into large circles (typically 3-inches in diameter). A sweet fruit filling, or a savoury cheese filling, is placed in the centre. The pastry is folded over and then sealed with the tines of a fork. The "pig's ears" are boiled until they are done, and eaten while they are warm. They can also be "finished" after boiling by baking, deep frying or pan frying; often with powdered sugar sprinkled over them.

Livermush Livermush is a Southern United States pork food product prepared using pig liver, parts of pig heads, cornmeal and spices. It is a regional cuisine, regional dish that is common in Western North Carolina. It is typically consumed as a breakfast an ...

is a pork product that is common in

Western North Carolina Western North Carolina (often abbreviated as WNC) is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains; it is often known geographically as the state's Mountain Region. It contains the highest mountains in the Eastern United S ...

prepared using pig livers, pig's ears and snouts, cornmeal and spices.Poteat, Bill (18 August 2018)
"Livermush victim of hateful prejudice"
'' The Gaston Gazette''.

Vietnamese cuisine

Vietnamese cuisine Vietnamese cuisine encompasses the foods and beverages originated from Vietnam. Meals feature a combination of five fundamental tastes (): sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and Piquant, spicy. The distinctive nature of each dish reflects one or more ...

, pig's ear is thinly sliced and mixed with roasted, finely-ground rice flour. It can either be eaten on its own or wrapped with herbs in rice paper, served with Vietnamese dipping sauce.

Dog treats

In some countries, pig's ears are used as dog treats and are commonly available from pet shops.

References

External links

Okinawan regional cooking

How About Some Pickled Pig’s Ear or Goat Soup?
{{Cantonese cuisine Pork dishes Offal Cuisine of the Southern United States Cantonese cuisine Japanese cuisine Okinawan cuisine Filipino cuisine Spanish cuisine Portuguese cuisine Lithuanian cuisine Bulgarian cuisine Thai cuisine Vietnamese cuisine Soul food