They are served as a side accompaniment to eggs at breakfast, to beans, to stews, or scattered on tops of dishes as a garnish.
The rinds or salt pork can be can be fried, baked or deep-fried. Sometimes they are fried or baked up on a bed of onions to flavour the strips.
Now, though, Oreilles de Crisse are mostly deep-fried, and made very crispy.
Substitutes
Cut salt pork in strips about 1/2 inch (1 1/2 cm) wide, and about 3 inches (7 1/2 cm) long.
Blanch it in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain.
Bake it in the oven at about 350 F (175 C) until the pieces are roasted, crispy and golden brown. Turn several times during this.
Drain on paper towel.
Language Notes
“Oreilles” in French means “ears”.
“Crisser” in French means to squeak, squeal or grate. It can also be interpreted to make “craquer”, crack. Refers to the various sounds an Oreilles de Crisse might make in your teeth as you eat it.
Because “Christ” in French is pronounced “Crisse”, popular belief now has it that the name means “Christ’s ears.”