Yuanling Cured Meat

Yuanling Cured Meat

　　Yuanling Cured Meat is a specialty of Yuanling County, Huaihua City, Hunan Province. Known as Yuanling Smoked Meat outside of Hunan, this cured meat boasts a spicy, salty, and savory flavor that is both delicious and highly favored by consumers.

　　The people of Yuanling have a unique tradition of curing meat over a two-year period. Every year, as the Lunar New Year approaches, after butchering the New Year’s pig, they cut the pork into chunks weighing three to five pounds, rub them with salt and various spices, and let them marinate for three to five days until the seasonings penetrate the meat. Then, they thread the meat onto bamboo or rattan skewers and hang them over the hearth to slowly smoke-dry. Well-cured meat can typically be preserved for more than six months. If smoked with tangerine peels, the cured meat takes on a red hue with an oily sheen and a bright, clean appearance—free from ash marks—for an even more appealing color. Before cooking, the cured meat must be washed, boiled or steamed until tender, then sliced. It can be served directly with a dip of sour soup and chili, or stir-fried with seasonings to bring out its distinctive aroma and attractive presentation.