Tujia cured pork

Tujia cured pork

　　Tujia families commonly raise a New Year pig, mainly to have meat for the holidays. Any meat left over after the New Year is made into cured pork, which not only preserves better but also enhances the color of the meat. When cooked in a pot, the aroma wafts far and wide, stimulating the appetite. It is a main dish often served when entertaining guests.

　　The method of making Tujia cured pork is as follows:

　　(1) Cut the pork into chunks weighing three to five jin (or larger), for easier flavor absorption, processing, and storage;

　　(2) Stir-fry the salt until yellow, then add Sichuan peppercorns and stir until fragrant before removing from the heat;

　　(3) Rub the meat evenly with warm salt, place it in a basin with the skin side down on the bottom and the meat side up, and the skin side up and the meat side down on the top layers. Arrange neatly, turn the meat every 3–5 days, and after 10 days, drain the moisture and hang it in a smokehouse;

　　(4) Smoke and bake the meat using pine and cypress branches along with fuel materials such as walnut shells, peanut shells, and orange peels. After more than a month, once the meat turns brownish-red, it is ready.

　　The cured meat should be stored in a ventilated place and can remain unspoiled for two to three years. Known as "cured pork," it is also called "Tujia cured pork" or "Enshi smoked meat." Tujia cured pork has a charred yellow color, firm texture, rich smoky aroma, and unique flavor.

　　When cooking, burn the skin of the meat over a flame until charred, then soak it in warm water to soften the skin, scrape and wash it clean before use.

　　There are many ways to cook cured pork. The method varies depending on the cut—ribs and trotters are usually stewed or used in hot pot, while other cuts are typically stir-fried or steamed with broad bean chili paste, garlic sprouts, wild mountain vegetables, or millet.

　　Some well-known cured pork dishes include: Millet-Stewed New Year Pork, Broad Bean Chili Paste Stir-Fried Cured Pork, Sweet New Year Pork, Fern Cake Stir-Fried Cured Pork, and Trotter Hot Pot.