Stewed Pig's Head Meat in Baked Wheat Cake

Stewed Pig's Head Meat in Baked Wheat Cake

　　Besides grilled tofu, stewed pig's head meat in baked wheat cake is also one of the most common snacks among locals in Gaoping.

　　 The pig's head meat is tender and bright red in color, with a rich but not greasy taste. This snack consists of cooked pig’s head meat mixed with seasonings like chopped green onions and garlic juice, then stuffed inside a baked flatbread. It’s somewhat similar to Beijing’s Lu Zhou stewed meat flatbread or the Shaanxi-style Bai Ji flatbread.

　　 For an authentic stewed pig's head meat in baked wheat cake, the flatbread is best baked in a traditional iron charcoal oven. The dough is brushed with oil and placed on the metal plate above the oven. Once it turns yellow, the flatbread is then stuck onto the inner wall of the oven. Under high heat, steam from inside the bread causes it to slowly puff up.

　　 When making this dish, the slicing technique for the pig’s head meat is crucial—the meat must be cut evenly to ensure a good texture. People in Gaoping often add pig’s ears and pig liver together with the pig’s head meat into the flatbread. The crispiness of the ears, the tenderness of the liver, along with the rich yet non-greasy taste of the pig’s head meat, come together to create this unique and iconic local dish of Gaoping.

　　 Flatbreads made using this traditional baking method are the perfect match for stewed pig’s head meat in baked wheat cake.

　　 People in Gaoping are straightforward and unpretentious in nature. This attitude extends to their food as well. Sliced thickly, the pig’s head meat is dipped in garlic juice and sandwiched inside the baked flatbread, becoming not only a satisfying meal but also a beloved local specialty in Gaoping.