Crispy cooked pig ears with mustard and cider sauce

Recipe

Crispy Pig Ears with Mustard and Cider

Published 12 October 2026 · Updated 12 October 2026

Slow-simmered pig ears become tender enough to slice, then turn crisp in hot oil before being served with a sharp mustard and cider dressing. The contrast is the point: yielding, gelatinous meat and cartilage against a brittle crust, with cider acidity to cut through the richness.

Not kitchen tested by The Black Farmer.
Serves 4
Prep 45 min
Cook 131 min
Total 178 min

Ingredients

  • Pig, Ears

    1 pack, raw; use the complete pack for 4 servings (live listing does not expose a pack weight)

    Keep refrigerated until use. This is raw offal: keep it separate from ready-to-eat food and wash hands, board and utensils thoroughly after handling.

    £4.50

Adds 1 items across 1 products — £4.50 total.

Pantry ingredients such as oil, salt and herbs are not included.

Other Ingredients You'll Need

  • Cider — 150ml, for the dressing
  • Wholegrain mustard — 2 tbsp
  • Honey — 1 tsp
  • Cider vinegar — 1 tbsp
  • Neutral oil — 1 litre, for deep-frying; do not fill the pan more than one-third full
  • Fine salt — 2 tsp, divided between the braising liquid and final seasoning
  • Black peppercorns — 1 tsp
  • Bay leaves — 2
  • Thyme — 4 sprigs
  • Garlic — 3 cloves, lightly crushed
  • Brown onion — 1, quartered
  • Carrot — 1, roughly chopped

Method

Handle and blanch the raw ears

Keep the raw ears chilled until you start. Work on a separate board, trim away any loose bristles or ragged edges, and wash your hands and equipment thoroughly after the raw offal touches them. Put the ears in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold running water; discard the blanching water.

Braise until tender

Return the ears to the clean saucepan with the onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and 1 tsp of the salt. Add enough fresh water to cover by 2–3cm. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 120 minutes, turning the ears once halfway through. The endpoint is texture-led: a skewer should pass through the thickest part with little resistance, and the cartilage should be tender rather than hard or squeaky. If it is still firm, continue simmering and check every 15 minutes; do not slice or fry it until tender.

Cool before slicing

Lift the cooked ears from the liquid and drain well. Spread them on a tray in a single layer and cool for 30 minutes until safe to handle, then chill until firm enough to slice cleanly. Pat the surface very dry. Cut into narrow strips about 5mm wide; dry again with kitchen paper because residual moisture will spit in the oil. Strain and discard the braising liquid once cooled according to local food-safety practice.

Make the mustard and cider dressing

Whisk the cider, mustard, honey and cider vinegar in a small bowl. Season with the remaining 1 tsp salt only after tasting; the dressing should be sharp, lightly sweet and loose enough to spoon over the crisp ears.

Heat the oil safely

Pour the oil into a high-sided, heavy saucepan no more than one-third full. Heat to 180C, checking with a thermometer. Keep the pan stable, keep water and wet utensils away from the oil, never leave it unattended, and do not add damp ear strips. If the oil smokes, turn off the heat and move the pan only if it is safe; never pour water onto hot oil. Keep a lid nearby to cover the pan if a fire starts, and turn off the heat before covering.

Fry until crisp

Lower a small handful of completely dry strips into the oil with long tongs, standing back as they go in. Fry in batches for about 3 minutes per batch, turning carefully, until deeply golden and audibly crisp. Do not crowd the pan or let the oil fall below 170C; allow it to return to 180C between batches. Lift the ears out with a spider or slotted spoon and drain on a rack over a tray.

Rest and serve

Rest the drained strips for 2 minutes, season lightly with the remaining salt if needed, and serve immediately with the mustard and cider dressing spooned alongside or drizzled over just before eating so the crust stays crisp.

Serving Suggestion

Serve as a starter with dressed bitter leaves, pickled onions and warm sourdough, or offer as a sharing plate with extra mustard and cider dressing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when pig ears are braised enough?

Use a skewer in the thickest part: it should pass through with little resistance. Pig ears are not ready for slicing or frying while the cartilage is hard or squeaky; continue the gentle simmer and check every 15 minutes.

Why must the cooked ears cool before slicing?

Cooling firms the gelatin-rich ear so it can be cut into even strips rather than tearing. Drying the chilled strips is also essential because moisture makes hot oil spit.

How can I fry pig ears safely at home?

Use a high-sided pan filled no more than one-third full, keep the strips completely dry, fry in small batches at about 180C and never leave the oil unattended. Keep a lid nearby for an oil fire and never use water.

What does the live product variant mean?

The active Pig, Ears listing currently has one available Default Title variant. The live catalogue response does not expose a pack weight, so this draft uses one complete pack and does not invent a gram amount.