Don’t Fear the Ear: Big Mama’s Kitchen Serves Up Soul Food and a Pig Ear Sandwich That’ll Make You a Believer
Patricia Barron, who calls herself Big Mama, spent 30 years at the phone company and did a stint in the military before retiring to pursue her real passion: cooking soul food the way her grandmother and mother taught her. She started out cooking in her church’s basement, but then she found something better—a former Nebraska School for the Deaf cafeteria that closed in 1992. Now she’s bringing everybody to the family table in North Omaha.
“It’s definitely old school,” Guy observed as he walked into the place. And he wasn’t wrong—Big Mama’s Kitchen is literally housed in an old school, serving up classics like chitlins, smothered pork chops, collard greens with bacon drippings, fried okra, and sweet potato pudding.
Oven-Fried Chicken: The Best of Both Worlds
Big Mama’s oven-fried chicken starts with a buttermilk soak, then gets hit with lemon pepper, no-salt seasoning, and her special rub made from cumin, paprika, and chili powder. After marinating overnight, the chicken gets a good coating of self-rising flour. Here’s a technique worth noting: Big Mama folds the wing into itself so it doesn’t dry out as much. “It’s like chicken yoga,” Guy quipped.
Don't lose this list! Drop your email and we'll send it to you, so you've got it handy next time you're hungry or planning a trip.
The chicken goes into canola oil, then into a convection oven—15 minutes per side. “It’s baked while it fries,” Big Mama explained. The result? Guy called it “pretty tasty” and “awesome”—moist, flavorful, with breading that doesn’t overpower the chicken itself. Similar to the comfort food you’d find in dishes like DYNAMITE Mac & Cheese, this is cooking that tastes like home.
The Afro Burger: Heat That Builds
Big Mama picked up this recipe during a church mission trip to Africa, and it’s not for the faint of heart. Into 10 pounds of Angus beef goes fresh red peppers, chopped bell peppers, onions, brown sugar, chili powder, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, granulated garlic, salt, bread crumbs, and what Guy described as “all of the pepper available in the Western United States.”
The meat gets portioned into 6-ounce balls, flattened, folded, wrapped in cellophane with a specific rolling technique (“You want to lock it in as we roll it”), then frozen until ready to cook. After about 25 minutes of cooking, they’re soaked in barbecue sauce.
Guy’s reaction? “Wow that is hot. You turning red. Spicy big mama.” He loved it, even as the heat built—noting he didn’t know why he was speaking louder.
The Pig Ear Sandwich: A Soul Food Classic
Guy needed some convincing on this one. “Don’t Fear the Ear,” Big Mama told him. The ears get salted, rubbed with her grandmother’s seasoning (sugar, salt, paprika, chili powder, garlic), then slow-cooked in a crock pot with water and a little vinegar for about 8 hours on low.
Big Mama was liberal with the mustard for some “zing,” and Guy hesitated—”I mean that part… that scares me”—but took the bite. His verdict? “It’s tender. The cartilage cooked down to a nice tender state. Very tasty. I would call it natural bologna.” He admitted he didn’t think he’d be a fan, but proclaimed the big ear sandwich “yum yum” and said he’d recommend it.
For those who love bold flavors and aren’t afraid to try something new—much like a Grilled Turkey Po’ Boy | Big Bite—this is the kind of soul food destination worth seeking out.
“When it’s meant to be, things like this just happen,” Big Mama said. And based on Guy’s reactions throughout, this was definitely meant to be.
Looking for more Triple D destinations? Check out our restaurant directory to find your next stop.