Pig's ear is the cooked ear of pig. It is found in several cuisines around the world.
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.
In 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, or spiced with chili paste. When cooked, the outer texture is gelatinous, akin to tofu, and the center cartilage is crunchy. Pig's ear can be eaten warm or cold.
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.
In Lithuania, pig's ear, known 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.
In Okinawan cuisine, the pig's ear is called mimigaa (ミミガー). It is prepared by boiling or pickling and is served with vinegar or in the form of sashimi (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).
In Spanish cuisine, pig's ear is served fried or grilled as Oreja de Cerdo, one of the many tapas snacks, or boiled in many variants of stew and cocido.
In Portuguese cuisine, pig's ear is served boiled and then roasted, with garlic and fresh coriander as Orelha de Porco de Coentrada.
In Thai cuisine, pig's ears are used for many different dishes, including the northern Thai dish called chin som mok (fermented sliced pig's ears grilled in a banana leaf) and yam hu mu a salad made with sliced, boiled pig's ears.
United States cuisine
In the southern United States, sliced pig's ears
are a part of soul food cuisine.
Note also that "pig's ears" is a regional colloquial name for a palmiers, or for a pastry made by wrapping fruit or cheese in small circles of pastry, boiling them, and finishing them by baking or frying.
Livermush is a pork product that is common in Western North Carolina prepared using pig livers, pig's ears and snouts, cornmeal and spices.
In Vietnamese cuisine, 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.