1-½lbspig ears (local farm raised, organic, and grass-fed preferred)about 5 or 6
2whole garlic clovespeeled
1tspdried thyme
1tsppepper or black peppercorns
water
oilfor deep frying
1/2-1cupbuffalo sauce
bleu cheese dressing
Instructions
Crunchy Buffalo Pig's Ears
Wash pig ears thoroughly and scrape off any hair, if you need to.
Place pig ears in a large pot and with the garlic, thyme, and peppercorns. Fill pot with water until all the ears are covered. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot with a lid and simmer until ears are tender, which should be about 3 hours. Check the pot occasionally to make sure the ears are always completely covered by water while they cook.
Remove the ears and place cooling rack-- save the stock for a later use. Once cool, dry the ears and place in covered container and refrigerate overnight.
When ready for frying fill a large pot with 3-4 inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat to 350F degrees. While the oil is heating, take the ears and pat dry with paper towels (if necessary), and cut into ¼" strips. Fry strips in batches for 2-3 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack or paper towels to drain.
Place all the strips in a bowl and toss with the buffalo sauce. Serve immediately with your favorite blue cheese dressing!