Smoking pork ears at home: how to pickle, how to smoke

Smoked pork ears is a great 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 pork ears on store shelves. The ready-to-use product is sold in vacuum packaging. But you can cook such a snack yourself. Smoking pork ears at home is quite simple. The main thing is the presence of a smokehouse and fresh meat product, which must be properly prepared.

Smoked pork ears are popular with beer connoisseurs for their crunchy cartilage.

The value and calorie content of the product

Pork ears are considered a by-product that is not only quite tasty, but also healthy. They contain the following trace elements:

• fluorine;
• calcium;
• phosphorus;
• magnesium;
• zinc;
• sulfur;
• copper;
• manganese.

Calcium helps to strengthen bones, hair and nails. Collagen has a beneficial effect on the organs of the musculoskeletal system. Promotes an increase in the elasticity of tendons, normalizes cartilage tissue, strengthens joints and bones.

This offal is rich in protein and B vitamins. Despite the presence of cartilage, the ears are quite nutritious and high in calories. 100 grams of the 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 pork ears

There are several options for smoking pork 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 or homemade smokehouses from a bucket or old saucepan.

How much do you need to smoke pork ears

On average, hot smoking pork ears should be smoked for about 30-50 minutes. This will be enough to get them fully cooked. In the process, it is necessary to periodically check the readiness, since they can smoke up much faster. Cold smoking is a longer process. It can last about a day.

How to choose and prepare ingredients

You can buy pork ears in the meat departments of shops and supermarkets, as well as in the markets. The main thing is that the seller is reliable and verified. 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 they must be prepared in a special way before carrying out the procedure for cold or hot smoking.

Phased preparation includes:

1. A wash that begins by softening soot, earwax and grime.First, the offal is placed for a short time in warm water, and then in cold water. To clean the inside of the ear, you can use a brush, a hard washcloth, or a brush.
2. Grinding fine wool with a gas burner or over a stove.
3. Using a sharp knife to scrape off the hairs that have been singed by the fire to get rid of the characteristic singed smell.
4. Trimming excess fat and fat at the base of the ears.
5. Rinsing the product under running cold water.

Pork ears must be dried before smoking.

How to pickle pork ears for smoking

Pork ears, intended for cold or hot smoking, must be pre-marinated. Marinade will give the finished dish a special taste and aroma, as well as soften the cartilage tissue. Pickling can be done in two ways:

1. With preliminary boiling.
2. Simple salting.

The recipe for cooking marinade for hot smoking pork ears with boiling assumes 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 seasoning for meat (optional).

Step-by-step cooking:

1. Place the ears in a saucepan and cover with cold water.
2. Boil the offal for about 30 minutes.
3. Add onion, garlic and spices.
4. Cook for another 20 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and leave the marinade to cool.
6. After complete cooling, put the brine with ears in the refrigerator for 5-7 hours.
7. After a while, the offal is removed from the marinade and left to dry on a wire rack for about 30-60 minutes.

You can leave the offal in the marinade for a longer time so that the pork ears are saturated with the aromas of all spices as much as possible.

If there is very little time, then you can prepare the product for smoking by quick salting.

Cooking technology:

1. After washing and brushing, the ears are thoroughly sprinkled with salt, pepper and seasoned. You can also add garlic.
2. Wrap the product in foil or parchment.
3. Leave in a cool place for several hours. To better soften the cartilage and evenly absorb all the seasonings, pickling pork ears for smoking is better for at least a day.

If you have to pickle a large number of ears, then you can use this recipe:

• 5 kg of pork ears;
• 200 g of salt (for lightly salted dishes);
• 20 g sugar;
• 20 peas of black pepper;
• 10 bay leaves.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Boil the pork ears in the marinade for 1.5 hours.
2. Dry for 24 hours.
3. Send to the smokehouse for 6-8 hours.

It is necessary to smoke such ears in a cold way, and then ventilate them in the open air for several days. Then you need to put the smoked meats into a bag. Tie it tightly and refrigerate for about 7 days. Smoked pork ears can be packaged in vacuum bags. Store in a freezer or refrigerator.

Another way to marinate:

1. Put 4.5 liters of water on the fire.
2. Add 1/2 tbsp. l. carnations.
3. Pour in 3 dessert spoons of sea salt (adjust to taste).
4. Put 3 pods of green and red pepper (chili), 7 juniper berries, 5 bay leaves.
5. Add 15 black peas and 10 allspice.
6. Bring the brine to a boil.
7. After boiling, put the ears in the marinade.
8. Simmer for about 1 hour.
9. Remove the ears and spread on napkins or paper towels. Also blot them on top and inside.
10. Leave the ears to dry for a while.

How to properly smoke pork ears

Even an inexperienced cook can cook hot and cold smoked pork ears. The process of processing offal with smoke is not laborious 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 hot cooked pork ears.But at the same time, they are much more useful, because with this method of processing, more vitamins are retained. The process of cold smoking takes place at a temperature not exceeding 25 ° С. This mode allows you to cook a healthy dish while preserving the biological value of the products.

Cooking cold smoked meat products is a rather lengthy process. At the same time, it is recommended to marinate the by-product with pre-cooking.

In order for the smoke to cool down to the required temperature, it must pass through a very long chimney (about 2-3 meters)

How to smoke hot smoked pork ears

Smoke treatment of a product with a temperature above 100 ° C is called hot smoking. Thanks to the additional heat treatment, the pork ears are very soft. The process of hot smoking takes place in a special smokehouse, at the bottom of which chips are poured.

Hot smoking procedure:

1. The bottom of the smoker is covered with foil (heat-resistant).
2. Chips of fruit trees are evenly poured over it.
3. Install a drip tray for collecting fat. On top of it there are food grids greased with vegetable oil.
4. Place the marinated product on the lattice. It is important to position the ears loosely, leaving small gaps.
5. Place blocks or bricks as a stand under the smokehouse. A fire is kindled between them.
6. At the end of smoking, you need to remove the smokehouse from an open fire and leave to cool completely.

How to smoke pork ears at home

You can smoke your ears at home, in a house or apartment. You can use for this a mini-smokehouse with a water seal system, which is placed on the stove. In this case, a pipe for removing smoke is put on over a special pipe located on the lid. The second edge is brought out into the window or into the hood. The rest of the process is similar to outdoor smoking.

What can be cooked from smoked ears

Many delicious and aromatic dishes can be prepared from smoked meats. Recipes for boiled-smoked pork ears are very diverse. Asian-style cooking options are very popular.

A savory and aromatic appetizer can be prepared "in Korean". To do this, you 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 cooking:

1. Cut the ears into strips.
2. Sprinkle with garlic and pepper.
3. Add vinegar.
4. Leave to marinate for about 15 minutes.
5. Pour in soy sauce, add spices and sugar.
6. After cooking, you can serve it to the table.

Instead of seasoning, you can add Korean-style carrots to such an appetizer, which will make the dish more nutritious.

You can make an original salad from smoked ears - spicy and piquant. The ingredients will be the basis for the snack:

• pork ears - 1-2 pcs.;
• radish - 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.

Ears must be cut into strips, vegetables into pieces. Prepare a dressing by mixing butter, honey and sauce. Add chopped garlic. Season the salad, bringing the spices to the desired taste. Let the dish brew before use.

Storage rules

It is best to store smoked pork ears whole. At a temperature from 0 to + 4 ° C - 1 week, in a vacuum package - no more than 20 days. In a cool place, pickled ears can be stored in a closed container for about six months.

Conclusion

Smoking pork ears at home allows you to prepare a delicious meat appetizer with a minimum amount of cost.At the same time, you can get a tasty, natural product without any harmful chemical additives. Following the tips and tricks above will create a mouth-watering smoked delicacy.

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