Guangzong Meat Hotpot

Guangzong Meat Hotpot

　　Guangzong’s meat hotpot is quite famous and a local specialty. Since the meat tastes authentic, not fishy or greasy, many visitors from other places always make it a point to try it when they come to Guangzong, which has made it consistently popular.

　　Meat hotpot means stewing pork offal in a large iron pot. The pork offal mainly includes the pig’s head, heart, liver, lungs, stomach (tripe), intestines, and so on. This type of meat hotpot has a history of over 30 years locally, and there are more than 20 meat hotpot restaurants in the county town alone. Its cooking method is very traditional, yet the recipe is unique—the meat flavor is incredibly authentic, delicious, and unmatched elsewhere, making it a truly delightful delicacy.

　　Recently, I went to interview about this delightful cuisine and was deeply impressed—it truly lives up to its reputation.

　　Not far ahead is a meat hotpot shop in the county town. Even before reaching it, the aroma of meat had already wafted through the air. Look, at the entrance of the meat hotpot shop, there is a large pot with a diameter of about 1.2 meters, inside which pork offal is almost fully cooked. By now, the place is surrounded by customers coming to buy meat, and suddenly, the shop owner shouts “Uncover the pot!” and the customers rush to buy.

　　According to the shop owner, the craft of stewing meat hotpot has been passed down from her grandfather’s generation. Over the years, both the recipe and the heat control have been gradually improved through constant experimentation, and the resulting meat flavor has become increasingly delicious, which is why everyone loves it—and business is thriving.

　　There are several main reasons why Guangzong meat hotpot is so well-known far and wide.

　　First, it must be emphasized that the stew uses old broth. The old broth is accumulated over time, and it all comes from the very first batch of broth. The longer the meat broth simmers, the richer its nutrients and aromatic compounds become, resulting in increasingly delicious flavors in the stewed meat. Second is the unique blend of seasonings. It uses a secret family recipe made with ginger, star anise, chili peppers, and over 20 kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs. These herbs have multiple benefits such as clearing heat, detoxifying, nourishing the stomach, and strengthening the spleen. There are three spice packs in total, used in rotation: every day, a new spice pack is added while the old one is removed, ensuring there are always three packs in the pot. This ensures the meat retains a pure flavor. According to the shop owner, Guangzong meat hotpot has a long history, and each shop uses different seasonings, resulting in distinct and unique meat flavors. Third is the careful selection of ingredients. The shop owner explained that they never use offal from sick or dead pigs, nor from injured pigs’ heads. Without good ingredients, even the highest skill and best seasonings can’t produce good flavor. If the food doesn’t sell well, the shop’s reputation is ruined. Fourth is the preparation of the ingredients. Cleaning the ingredients is the most labor-intensive step—if not done carefully, the flavor will be off, and it could spoil the old broth. Pig heads are first blanched in 75–80°C hot water to remove hair, then scraped clean, and further treated using the traditional method of “rosin depilation” to eliminate hair roots. Pig stomachs, intestines, and lungs are turned inside out during cleaning, dirt is washed away with clean water, then rubbed with vinegar and salt. This not only disinfects but also removes oil and fishy odors. Pig hearts and livers are rinsed in cold water to remove blood. Once everything is ready, it’s all put into the pot and slow-cooked over gentle heat for about three hours until cooked.

　　The interview wrapped up just around mealtime, so I bought a big bowl of pig head meat at the small shop, added some meat broth, sprinkled it with cilantro, ordered two steamed buns, and enjoyed the meal. Whoa—the meat was tender, smooth on the palate, fragrant without being greasy, and absolutely fantastic. It was a real treat for the taste buds. Because of its unique preparation method and relatively complicated process, it’s not suitable for making at home. If you want to eat it, come to Guangzong. (By Li Zhong & Zhang Xinsuai)