Linhuan Fermented Milk Pork

Linhuan Fermented Milk Pork

　　Linhuan Fermented Milk Pork is highly favored for its rich aroma, pure flavor, and nourishing properties. Compared to red-braised pork, it is tender and fatty without being greasy, melting in your mouth with endless aftertaste; compared to lean meat cuts, it offers a softer, more tender texture, especially with its distinctive milky fragrance that fills the air, making it irresistibly delicious. The pork boasts a bright color and plump shape. It is also highly nutritious, containing not only key nutrients like protein and fat but also carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin.

　　Locals in Linhuan have a special fondness for Fermented Milk Pork—almost everyone loves it. Often, they crave it before it’s even mentioned, and the aroma alone makes their mouths water. Eating this dish is an indescribable delight. No matter where Linhuan natives go, the taste of their hometown’s Fermented Milk Pork lingers in their minds and on their lips, leaving an unforgettable impression. Those who leave Linhuan often feel a subtle sense of loss when dining out in the city, stemming from their longing for this beloved dish. Perhaps it’s not just about the taste—eating Fermented Milk Pork has become a nostalgic sentiment and a homesick feeling, with memories of home mingling with the savory aroma of the pork, warming their hearts.

　　According to local historical records, during the Huaihai Campaign in November 1948, the General Front Committee, under the leadership of Comrades Liu, Chen Yi, and others, faced a complex situation. At the time, the headquarters of the Huaihai Campaign General Front Committee was set up in a small thatched cottage in Xiaolijia, Linhuan. To support the revolution, the locals, moved by the leaders’ hard work, sent their finest meals to the committee. Among the dishes on their table was a Linhuan specialty—Fermented Milk Pork. Upon trying it, one general immediately fell in love with it, eating one piece, picking up another with his chopsticks, and eyeing yet another on the plate. Inspired, he drew a connection to the battle strategy they had just been discussing and proposed the “Eat one, pick up one, watch one” plan. “Eat one” meant focusing forces to annihilate the Huang Wei Corps first; “pick up one” meant tightly encircling the Du Yuming Group to prevent their escape; and “watch one” meant closely monitoring enemy reinforcements from the Bengbu direction to block their advance.

　　The making of Fermented Milk Pork is delicate and meticulous. Historical accounts say that in 1860 (the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign), Pan Hengguang, the grandfather of Pan Xiaowu—a renowned pickled vegetable maker from Linhuan—fled war and settled in Luyi County, Henan. To make a living, Pan Hengguang started helping others make pickles, learning the craft from local masters. After mastering the skills, he partnered with others to run a pickle business and passed the techniques on to his son, Pan Shichang. Later, the Pan father and son returned to Linhuan to continue their pickle trade. While making pickles, they discovered that those soaked in the ancient spring water by the Hui River in Linhuan had an exceptionally delicious taste, surpassing those made elsewhere. During the pickle-making process, they found that using brine fermented with maggots—dubbed “meat sprout vegetables”—created an unusually tasty dish. They later used the pickle brine to cook fatty pork, resulting in an even more unique flavor. After repeated experimentation, they finally created Fermented Milk Pork.

　　The crafting of Fermented Milk Pork is meticulous, requiring the soup from locally fermented pickles and fermented tofu as an auxiliary ingredient. High-quality pork belly is selected and cut into large square pieces, then boiled in water to remove excess fat. After cooling, it is sliced evenly, drizzled with Fermented Milk sauce (the quality of which determines the color and flavor of the pork), mixed with seasonings, and placed in bowls or on plates. It is then steamed for a period to further reduce greasiness and allow the flavors to penetrate the meat. After steaming, it is chilled and later steamed for another 15 minutes before serving.

　　Today, most locals in Linhuan can prepare this dish, but Wang Guilin, owner of Guilin Restaurant in Linhuan, stands out for his refined technique and exceptional flavor. He has further improved the traditional method. In March 2007, to promote the dish, Guilin Restaurant registered the trademark “Guilin” for its signature Fermented Milk Pork with the Suixi County Administration for Industry and Commerce. Their product is now made into finished goods and vacuum-packed, with some packaged as gift boxes. These are sold as far as Hefei, the provincial capital, and are popular festive gifts among locals. The renowned local cultural scholar Chen Lei praised “Guilin” brand Fermented Milk Pork in a poem: *Linhuan, an ancient town of three thousand years, with the meandering Huan River and four famous springs. The fermented delicacy crafted here is truly unmatched, its milky fragrance spreading across the land. Fatty yet never greasy—an extraordinary wonder. Guests regret arriving too late. Hard to forget taking some home upon departure, gifted to family and friends who praise it endlessly.*