Preserved pork from Shennongjia

Preserved pork from Shennongjia

　　Preserved pork from Shennongjia is a specialty of Shennongjia in Hubei Province. Items such as preserved pork belly, preserved beef, preserved sausages, preserved liver, preserved pork ribs, and preserved pig trotters are essential festive dishes for locals during the New Year.

　　The process of making Shennongjia preserved pork involves salting the meat for about a week until it is well cured. Once cured, it is placed on a heated kang bed and smoked with fragrant materials such as tangerine peels and mugwort until it turns yellowish-brown. The aroma of these materials infuses into the meat. Before eating, the rind is scorched and the meat is boiled, then stir-fried with garlic and chili, or used in hotpot. It has a subtle smoky flavor. Well-preserved pork can be stored for years without spoiling or attracting insects.

　　There are various ways to enjoy preserved pork. One is stir-fried preserved pig tail with soybeans. The soybeans absorb the flavor of the pork, and the pork takes on the aroma of the beans, creating a chewy and satisfying bite that leaves you wanting more. Another is scrambled eggs with preserved pork. The thinly sliced pork is stir-fried with eggs—an unlikely pair—and a touch of scallions, resulting in an exceptionally unique flavor. Third is preserved pork stir-fried with fermented black beans. With good-quality pork and fermented black beans, paired with a dish of pickled radish, no other delicacies compare.

　　When cooking preserved pork in a stew in Shennongjia, potatoes are always added. These potatoes are different from the ones we commonly eat—they never turn mushy no matter how long they’re boiled, staying firm even after hours on the stove. Adding some wild greens to a preserved pork hotpot also tastes wonderful. Commonly used greens include wild cabbage, sesame leaf, Chinese lovage leaves, and mountain purslane.

　　In rural households, preserved pork is typically only served to honored guests. The age of the preserved pork—how long it’s been smoked—reflects the host’s level of hospitality. The longer the pork has been smoked, the warmer the welcome.