Sichuan Red Oil Pig Ear Strips

红油耳丝

Sichuan Red Oil Pig Ear Strips — SichuanChongqing home cooking.

Ingredients

• pig ears (fresh or thawed frozen)
• ginger
• scallions (white and green parts)
• cooking wine
• rice vinegar
• white pepper

Instructions

1. Scrub pig ears thoroughly with coarse salt and vinegar. Place in a pot with cold water to cover, add half the ginger and half the scallions. Bring to boil, then drain and rinse under cold water. (Water turns cloudy gray; ears shrink slightly and feel firm, not rubbery.)
2. Return ears to clean pot. Cover with fresh water, add remaining ginger and scallions. Simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 45 minutes until a skewer slides through the thickest cartilage with slight resistance. (Edges of ears curl slightly; surface shows fine wrinkles like aged parchment.)
3. Drain ears and immerse immediately in ice water for 10 minutes. This firms texture and makes slicing easier. (Ears turn ivory-white; surface glistens with tiny water beads.)
4. Pat dry. Slice ears thinly against the grain into 3-cm-long, 2-mm-wide strips. Discard any thick cartilage cores. (Strips separate cleanly without shredding; no visible gristle remains.)
5. In a bowl, combine rice vinegar, white pepper, and cooking wine. Pour over ear strips. Toss gently. Let marinate 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. (Vinegar sheen coats each strip evenly; no pooling liquid remains.)