When I was still living in Romania, I used to love buying pig ears and munch on them. It was one of the little joys of each December – as this is the only time when pork ears would be available to buy in the local markets. Living abroad though, and in an area where most butchers are halal, it’s very hard to find pork meat. So you can imagine my surprise, when the local Romanian shop brought some, this year. Whilst the ones I used to have in Romania were already prepared, these ones were raw, so I had to find a recipe on how to cook them.

Today I want to share with you the Romanian fried pork ears recipe, and the way I cooked them. The result was fantastic, and whilst it wasn’t the same as the torch-charred pig ears which I used to enjoy in Romania, it was still delicious. The texture was very crispy, just like crackling. And the seasoning brought the flavour to life. They make a great addition to a December celebratory meal or as a snack along with a glass of beer.

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The Ingredients for This Fried Pork Ears Recipe

A raw pork ear on a wooden chopping board.

You won’t need many ingredients to make this delicious fried pork ears recipe. Besides the obvious, pig ears, you will only need seasonings and oil. Traditionally, in Romania, we use a lot of paprika on many dishes, and this recipe is no exception. I used both spicy paprika, as well as smoked paprika – which is a proper delight. I bought some from the farmers market, the last time I visited my mom, and got hooked on it.

Other ingredients include bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, and garlic.

How to Make Romanian Fried Pork Ears

The pork ear chopped in bite size pieces, covered with a mix of paprika, salt and minced garlic, inside a white bowl with pink polka dots on it.

This recipe is very easy to make but it does take a long time, so make sure you plan for it. It is best to start it the day before you plan to serve it. The first step in making this Romanian fried pork ears recipe is to boil the ears. I only used one, as it was big enough for the occasion I was planning to serve it at. I prepared a pot of water with salt, bay leaves and peppercorns, and when it started to boil, I added the ear. I left it to boil over a medium heat for about 50 minutes. I then took the cooked ear out of the pot, and let it cool down. Once cold, I put it in the fridge until the next morning.

The next day I cut the ear into bite-size pieces and let it marinate for two hours in a mix of salt, minced garlic, hot paprika, smoked paprika, and vegetable oil. After two hours, I heated up two tablespoons of oil in a pan and added the marinated pork ears. I covered the pan with a lid, as the hot oil does splash. I made sure to mix from time to time, to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.

I fried the chopped ear for around 12 minutes. Before taking it out of the pan I lined a bowl with paper towels, to absorb the extra oil. I served the fried pork ears still warm, alongside other appetisers. You can eat them hot, but also cold.

Notes and Tips:

The marinated pieces of pork ear frying inside a black pan

You can adjust the marinade to your own taste. I love smoked paprika and I think it gives this dish an extra layer of flavour. You can also use smoked salt, garlic salt, or any other seasoning you may like.
You can also sprinkle some more salt on the finished dish, especially if you are serving them as a beer snack.