Badong Preserved Pork

Badong Preserved Pork

　　Badong Preserved Pork is a specialty of Badong County in Enshi Prefecture, Hubei Province. The Tujia-style preserved pork from Badong features a charred yellow hue, firm exterior with tender interior, rich smoky aroma, and unique flavor. It has been sold across the country and is considered an excellent choice for gifts.

　　Preserved pork is common throughout China, but only Badong’s traditional version is truly distinctive.

　　Speaking of preserved pork, one must talk about pigs. In Badong County, pigs are called “financial joy,” as they are one of the main sources of income for rural families. The size of the New Year pig is even seen as a measure of a housewife’s capability—next year’s cooking oil and meat all depend on it.

　　Due to the relatively high altitude, winter in Badong seems to arrive earlier than in other places. As early winter begins, rural households start preparing their hearths. In the past, most rural homes had tile-roofed houses where fires could be lit directly in the main hall. Now, with most homes being reinforced concrete buildings, direct indoor fires are inconvenient, so a separate tile-roofed room—called a fire room—is built next to the main house for heating. The half-walls of the fire room usually have two thick wooden posts, which serve as racks for smoking the preserved pork.

　　In Badong County, it is customary to slaughter pigs for the New Year during the winter and lunar months. If someone’s New Year pig is small, people jokingly say, “This year our family only slaughtered a cat for the New Year.” In rural families, it’s common to raise one or two pigs. To preserve them for the long term, after slaughtering the New Year pig, the meat is first salted for about a week. Then it is placed on a rack made of thick wooden posts and smoked with fragrant materials such as tangerine peels, mugwort, and cypress branches until it turns charred yellow. The aroma of tangerine peels, mugwort, and other scents infuses the meat. The smoking time depends on the length of winter and generally continues until spring arrives and no more heating is needed. By then, the preserved pork is considered fully smoked. When stored properly, the preserved pork can last several years without insects or flavor loss.

　　Prosperous farmers sit by the fire, smoke the preserved pork, and chat about daily life. Before eating the meat, the skin is scorched over the fire and washed. If the skin turns yellow after washing, it means the smoking process was done right. If not scorched well, the skin turns black after washing. Then the meat is boiled. Once cooked, it gives off an incredibly rich aroma. The sliced meat has vivid color contrasts, especially the lean parts, which show alternating shades of red. When stir-fried with garlic and chili, it carries a subtle smoky flavor that leaves a memorable aftertaste.