Wulijie Steamed Pork

Wulijie Steamed Pork

　　The origin of “Wulijie Steamed Pork”:

　　　　　 Legend has it that when Zhu Yuanzhang led his troops to conquer Wuchang, he used Wulijie steamed pork to reward his soldiers, who all exclaimed, “Great meat!” “Great meat!” Later, after Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne and established the Ming Dynasty, he once visited Longquan Mountain in Jiangxia (where his imperial concubine is buried) on an inspection tour. The local officials served him Wulijie steamed pork, which impressed him greatly with its rich flavor yet not greasy, tender and smooth texture. He highly praised it and bestowed the title of “tribute food” upon Wulijie steamed pork. For a time, Wulijie steamed pork enjoyed an outstanding reputation, which has been passed down to this day.

　　The making of “Wulijie Steamed Pork”:

　　　　Authentic “Wulijie Steamed Pork” is very particular, with the key lying in the “meat” and the “powder,” followed by the steaming technique.

　　　　The “meat” must be genuine “five-layer pork.” Pure fat or pure lean meat cannot be used, otherwise the desired effect won’t be achieved. It’s a common misconception that as long as the “powder” ingredients are good, the resulting steamed pork will taste delicious—that’s wrong. Carefully selected good-quality pork is sliced, then the meat needs to be treated by adding the right amount of salt and seasonings and continuously kneading (a rather labor-intensive task) until oil oozes out. Let the meat rest in the bowl for 2–3 hours, then add the powder and steam.

　　　　For making the “powder,” it’s best to use early rice because it doesn’t stick. A bit of glutinous rice is added to prevent the steamed powder from falling apart. This way, the surface of the steamed pork slices won’t have any sticky, mushy residue. As for the ingredients in the “powder,” the chef said it’s a secret. But he still told me: you must not pour the prepared “powder” directly into the kneaded meat. Instead, place each slice of meat individually into the “powder” and roll it so that the meat naturally sticks to the powder. Then arrange it in the bowl, and it’s ready for steaming.

　　　　If the steaming time is too short, the “meat” will be tough; if it’s too long, the “meat” will be too soft and lose its meaty flavor.