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Smoked pig ears are an excellent dish for the whole family, tasty, satisfying, but at the same time not heavy. In many countries it is even considered a delicacy. You can buy pig ears on store shelves. The ready-to-eat product is sold in vacuum packaging. But you can prepare such a snack yourself. Smoking pig ears at home is quite simple. The main thing is to have a smokehouse and a fresh meat product, which must be properly prepared.
Smoked pig ears are popular among beer connoisseurs due to the cartilage that makes them crispy
Product value and calorie content
Pig ears are considered an offal, which is not only quite tasty, but also healthy. They contain the following microelements:
- fluorine;
- calcium;
- phosphorus;
- magnesium;
- zinc;
- sulfur;
- copper;
- manganese.
Calcium helps strengthen bones, hair and nails.Collagen has a beneficial effect on the organs of the musculoskeletal system. Helps increase the elasticity of tendons, normalizes cartilage tissue, strengthens joints and bones.
This offal is rich in both protein and B vitamins. Despite the presence of cartilage, the ears are quite nutritious and high in calories. 100 grams of product contains 211 kcal.
The presence of antioxidants and the high energy value of the dish contribute to the rejuvenation of the body
Nuances and methods of smoking pig ears
There are several options for smoking pig ears at home. This can be done using hot and cold methods. Each of them has its own characteristics and nuances. For smoking, you can use factory-made or homemade smokehouses from a bucket or an old pan.
How long does it take to smoke pig ears?
On average, hot smoking of pig ears should take about 30-50 minutes. This will be enough for them to be fully prepared. During the process, it is necessary to periodically check readiness, since they can become soggy much faster. Cold smoking is a longer process. It can last about a day.
How to select and prepare ingredients
You can buy pig ears in the meat departments of stores and supermarkets, as well as in markets. The main thing is that the seller is reliable and trusted.The meat product must be fresh, not frozen. The taste of smoked meats prepared from frozen offal will be significantly reduced.
It is not possible to smoke pig ears right away, since before carrying out the cold or hot smoking procedure they must be prepared in a special way.
Step-by-step preparation includes:
- Washing, which begins with softening the remaining soot, earwax and dirt. First, the offal is placed in warm water for a short time, and then in cold water. To treat the inside of the ear, you can use a brush, a hard sponge or a brush.
- Oiling fine wool with a gas burner or over the stove.
- Using a sharp knife to scrape off fire-scorched hairs to get rid of the characteristic scorched smell.
- Trimming excess lard and fat at the base of the ears.
- Rinsing the product under running cold water.
Pig ears must be dried before smoking.
How to marinate pig ears for smoking
It is important to pre-marinate pork ears intended for cold or hot smoking. The marinade will give the finished dish a special taste and aroma, and also soften the cartilage tissue. Marinating can be done in two ways:
- With pre-cooking.
- Simple salting.
The recipe for preparing a marinade for hot smoking pig ears with boiling requires the presence of the following ingredients:
- pork ears – 700-800 g;
- soy sauce – 100-125 ml;
- onion – 1 pc.;
- garlic – 3 cloves;
- anise (star) – 1 pc.;
- Bay leaf;
- dill (stems with umbrellas) – 50 g;
- Jamaican pepper (allspice) – 3 pcs.;
- salt;
- black pepper;
- any seasonings for meat (optional).
Step-by-step preparation:
- Place the ears in a saucepan and cover with cold water.
- Boil the offal for about 30 minutes.
- Add onion, garlic and spices.
- Cook for another 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and leave the marinade to cool.
- After cooling completely, put the brine with the ears in the refrigerator for 5-7 hours.
- After a while, the offal is removed from the marinade and left to dry on a wire rack for approximately 30-60 minutes.
You can leave the offal in the marinade for a longer time so that the pig ears are maximally saturated with the aromas of all the spices
If you have very little time, you can prepare the product for smoking by quick salting.
Cooking technology:
- After washing and oiling, the ears are carefully sprinkled with salt, pepper and seasoned. You can also add garlic.
- Wrap the product in foil or parchment.
- Leave in a cool place for several hours. To better soften the cartilage and absorb all the seasonings evenly, it is better to marinate pork ears for smoking for at least a day.
If you have a large number of ears to marinate, you can use this recipe:
- 5 kg pig ears;
- 200 g salt (for lightly salted dishes);
- 20 g sugar;
- 20 black peppercorns;
- 10 bay leaves.
Step-by-step instruction:
- Boil the pork ears in the marinade for 1.5 hours.
- Dry for 24 hours.
- Place in the smokehouse for 6-8 hours.
These ears must be smoked cold and then aired in the open air for several days. Then you need to put the smoked meats in a bag. Tie it tightly and refrigerate for about 7 days. Smoked pig ears can be packaged in vacuum bags. Store in the freezer or refrigerator.
Another way to marinate:
- Put 4.5 liters of water on the fire.
- Add 1/2 tbsp. l. carnations.
- Add 3 dessert spoons of sea salt (adjust to taste).
- Put 3 pods of green and red pepper (chili), 7 juniper berries, 5 bay leaves.
- Add 15 black peas and 10 allspice.
- Bring the brine to a boil.
- After boiling, place the ears in the marinade.
- Cook over low heat for about 1 hour.
- Remove the ears and place on napkins or paper towels. Also blot them on top and inside.
- Leave the ears to dry for a while.
How to smoke pig ears correctly
Even an inexperienced cook can prepare hot and cold smoked pig ears. The process of treating offal with smoke is not labor-intensive and quite simple. It is important to prepare the smoker, as well as wood chips and foil.
Cold smoked pork ears
Cold smoked pork ears are not as popular as a similar product prepared using the hot method. But at the same time, they are much more useful, since with this method of processing, a larger amount of vitamins is preserved. The cold smoking process takes place at a temperature of no more than 25 °C. This mode allows you to prepare a healthy dish while preserving the biological value of the food.
Preparing cold smoked meat products is a rather lengthy process. In this case, it is recommended to marinate the offal only with preliminary cooking.
In order for the smoke to cool to the required temperature, it must pass through a very long chimney (about 2-3 meters)
How to smoke hot smoked pig ears
Smoke treatment of a product with a temperature above 100 °C is called hot smoking. Thanks to additional heat treatment, pig ears are very soft. The process of hot smoking takes place in a special smokehouse, with wood chips poured into the bottom.
The procedure for hot smoking:
- The bottom of the smokehouse is covered with foil (heat-resistant).
- Chips from fruit trees are poured evenly on top of it.
- Install a tray designed to collect fat. On top of it are grates for food, greased with vegetable oil.
- Place the marinated product on the racks. It is important to place the ears loosely, leaving small gaps.
- Install blocks or bricks as a stand under the smokehouse. A fire is lit between them.
- At the end of smoking, you need to remove the smokehouse from the open fire and leave it until it cools completely.
How to smoke pig ears at home
You can also smoke ears at home, in a house or apartment. For this you can use a mini-smokehouse with a water seal system, which is placed on the stove. In this case, the smoke exhaust pipe is placed over a special pipe located on the lid. The second edge goes out the window or into the hood. The rest of the process is similar to outdoor smoking.
What can you cook from smoked ears?
You can prepare many delicious and aromatic dishes from smoked meats. Recipes for snacks based on boiled-smoked pig ears are very diverse. Asian-style versions of them are very popular.
A spicy and aromatic snack can be prepared “Korean style”. To do this you will need the following products:
- smoked ears - 2 pcs.;
- seasoning for Korean carrots – 2 tbsp. l.;
- vegetable oil (any) – 100 ml;
- chopped garlic – 20 g;
- granulated sugar – 20 g;
- apple cider vinegar – 20 ml;
- soy sauce – 2 tbsp. l.;
- pepper (hot).
Step-by-step preparation:
- Cut the ears into strips.
- Sprinkle with garlic and pepper.
- Add vinegar.
- Leave to marinate for about 15 minutes.
- Pour in soy sauce, add spices and sugar.
- After cooking, you can serve it to the table.
Instead of seasoning, you can add carrots cooked “Korean style” to this appetizer, which will make the dish more nutritious
You can make an original salad from smoked ears - spicy and spicy. The ingredients for the snack will be:
- pork ears – 1-2 pcs.;
- radishes – 6-7 pcs.;
- cucumber – 1 pc.;
- soy sauce – 2 tbsp. l.;
- sesame oil – 2 tbsp. l.;
- onion – 1 pc.;
- honey – 1 tsp;
- garlic – 2-3 cloves;
- chili pepper – 1 pc.;
- green onions - to taste.
The ears must be cut into strips, vegetables into pieces. Prepare the dressing by mixing butter, honey and sauce. Add chopped garlic. Season the salad, bringing the spices to the desired taste. Let the dish steep before eating.
Storage rules
It is best to store smoked pig ears in their entirety. At temperatures from 0 to + 4 °C - 1 week, in vacuum packaging - no more than 20 days. In a cool place, pickled ears can be stored in a closed container for about six months.
Conclusion
Smoking pig ears at home allows you to prepare a delicious meat snack with minimal cost. In this case, you can get a tasty, natural product without any harmful chemical additives. Following the above tips and recommendations will allow you to prepare a delicious smoked delicacy.
