Vietnamese Pig Ear Salad (Gỏi Tai Heo)

Why Pig Ears?

If you didn’t grow up eating them, working with pig ears might seem a little intimidating, but they are actually quite simple to prepare. You really just need to boil them. And they don’t take long to cook.

The real appeal of pig ears in Asian cooking is all about the texture. The cartilage provides a distinct crunch.

It is also a wonderful nod to nose-to-tail cooking where no part of the animal goes to waste.

What Do Pig Ears Taste Like?

To be honest, the flavor of the ear itself is quite plain. It is a blank canvas, so the taste is really all about the dressing you toss it with.

What You Will Need

To make this authentic and classic Vietnamese pig ear salad, gather the following ingredients:

• Pig ears: You can find fresh pig ears at most Asian supermarkets. Look for them in the meat department, usually with the organ meats. They may be sold whole or already sliced into thin strips. I’m using about 4 small pig ears in this recipe.
• Aromatics for boiling: Ginger and shallot will ensure the meat has a clean flavor.
• Vegetables: I’m using pickled daikon and carrots (Đồ Chua) that I’ve already made ahead of time, along with thinly sliced shallots or red onion for a nice color contrast. You can also add other vegetables like cucumber or red and yellow bell peppers.
• Fresh herbs: A mix of fresh mint, cilantro, and Vietnamese coriander (rau răm) is traditional. Rau ram adds a specific peppery flavor to Vietnamese salads and can be found in the produce section of Vietnamese grocery stores. You can use other Vietnamese herbs as well.
• Fish sauce dressing: You will need a good quality fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and Thai bird’s eye chilies to make the sweet and savory dressing. You can also add ginger which I love pairing with pig ears and other organ meat. A small knob of ginger goes a long way.
• Garnishes and serving: Crushed roasted peanuts and fried shallots are standard for texture in a Vietnamese salad. Get them already prepared at the grocery store or make them yourself.
• Optional Vietnamese salad accompaniments for a heartier version: The salad is typically scooped up and eaten with shrimp chips. If you need a shrimp-free alternative, you can substitute the shrimp chips with sesame rice crackers (Bánh Tráng Nướng).

How to Make Gỏi Tai Heo

Step 1: Prepare the pig ears

The most important part of this recipe is properly preparing the pig ears so they have a clean flavor. Rub them with salt. If you have vinegar or lime juice, use it along with the salt as well. Rinse well and drain. This process helps remove any strong porky smell.

Once they are done boiling, immediately transfer them to an ice bath for about 5 minutes. This rapidly sets the gelatin for that signature crunch and it makes it much easier to slice them thinly.

Once cooled, remove from ice bath and pat dry with paper towels. Slice thin and set aside.

Step 2: Make the dressing

Step 3: Prepare the vegetables

Coarsely chop the herb leaves and thinly slice the shallots or onions.

Step 4: Assemble and serve

When ready to serve, toss the pig ears, fresh herbs, and vegetables with the dressing. You can add it a few tablespoons at a time to taste, but I usually end up using all of it.

Tips for Success

• Chilling the pig ears in an ice bath rapidly sets the gelatin and tightens the cartilage to ensure a clean, snappy crunch. Once cool, pat them completely dry and slice them as thinly as possible.
• Taste and adjust the dressing: Because fish sauce brands vary in saltiness and limes vary in tartness, always taste your dressing before pouring it over the salad.
• No need to add water to the dressing: I often get asked why there is no added water like in Vietnamese dipping sauce (nước chấm). The answer is that this dressing is meant to be concentrated. Once poured over the vegetables and herbs, it naturally draws out their moisture. Adding extra water would make the dressing too watery.
• Marinate pig ears: For even more flavor, toss the sliced pig ears in a few tablespoons of the fish sauce dressing to marinate.
• Dress just before serving: Add the dressing to the fresh vegetables right before serving to keep them fresh, and to prevent them from wilting.

Make it in Advance

This is a great dish to prep in advance. Boil the pig ears and make the fish sauce dressing a day or two ahead. Fried shallots and pickled daikon and carrots can also be prepared ahead, making assembly much easier on the day you plan to serve it.