Spicy Pork Bone with Chili from the Miao Village of Longlin, Baise

Spicy Pork Bone with Chili from the Miao Village of Longlin, Baise

　　The Miao people are one of the ethnic minorities in southern China, widely distributed across Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hainan, Hubei, and other regions. Currently, the total population of the Miao people in China is 7.384 million, with around 430,000 in Guangxi. The Miao in Guangxi mainly reside in four autonomous counties: Rongshui, Longlin, Sanjiang, and Longsheng. The Miao people are hardworking, kind, and brave. Due to the terrain and climate, they have developed a unique food culture over the past 300 years. Today, we’re introducing a specialty homemade by the Miao people of Longlin — Spicy Pork Bone with Chili.

　　This uniquely flavorful Spicy Pork Bone is a traditional food and excellent seasoning for the people of the Longlin Zhuang and Miao Autonomous County. Unlike regular chili paste, Spicy Pork Bone is not overly spicy but boasts a rich aroma, tender crispness, smooth oiliness, and is highly nutritious and delicious. Used to season cooked dishes or soups, it offers a spicy yet fragrant taste that lingers, enhancing the flavor of meat, aiding digestion, warming the body, and improving blood circulation.

　　There is an interesting legend behind the origin of Spicy Pork Bone. During the era of Tusi rule, a Miao farming family raised a large, fat pig. As the Spring Festival approached, a greedy local official plotted to claim the pig for himself. He tricked the whole village into going up the mountain, then took several servants to the farmer’s home, slaughtered the pig, and stole the meat. That night, when the farmer returned and saw the mess—piles of bones and bristles in the main hall—he learned that his precious pig had been stolen. Furious, and with no pork for the New Year feast, he put the bones into a pounding mortar, added some chili and salt, and while pounding, cursed, “Greedy officials, evil officials, I’ll pound your bones into dust.” By the time of the Spring Festival, he boiled these spicy bones to serve guests. The guests loved the taste, and word spread quickly. From then on, families began making Spicy Pork Bone every Spring Festival when they butchered their pigs—not only as a gesture against the officials but also as a festive dish. Over time, other ethnic groups adopted this Miao tradition, turning it into a beloved classic delicacy.

　　Spicy Pork Bone is usually made with pork bones, but sometimes chicken, beef, or lamb bones are used. The method involves first smashing the meaty bones into small pieces, then mixing them with chili powder, walnut powder, Sichuan pepper powder, five-spice powder, ginger, salt, and strong rice wine. After blending, the mixture is pounded in a mortar, then placed in a clay jar and sealed for over two months before it's ready. It can be served as a side dish or used as a seasoning.

　　Main ingredients: red chili peppers, pork bones, ginger, alcohol.

　　Recipe: Confidential

　　Preparation method: I only know roughly — first, the pork bones are smashed using a special tool (it’s made of iron, and every Miao household has one), then soaked in alcohol. Next comes the pounding of chili and ginger — the entire process is done by hand. The pounded chili and smashed pork bones are mixed together, then a special recipe is added and stirred evenly. The mixture is placed in a large earthenware jar (also handmade by the Miao, specifically for making Spicy Pork Bone, and found in every home), sealed, and left to ferment for about a year before it can be eaten. Don’t worry about spoilage — the longer Spicy Pork Bone is stored, the more aromatic it becomes.

　　Features: The product is entirely handmade during production, using pollution-free, homegrown, and self-raised ingredients from the Miao mountains.

　　Taste: Mellow, mildly spicy, appetizing, with a uniquely fragrant plant aroma.

　　Appearance: Bright red, with visible mashed pork bones and ginger fibers.

　　How to eat: Usually used as an ingredient — add it to stir-fried dishes according to personal taste. It’s best to first stir-fry the Spicy Pork Bone until fragrant, then cook the vegetables together. In winter, it can also be used as a hotpot base. To eat it alone, stir-fry it in oil until fragrant, add some water and chopped scallions — it tastes really good.

　　During the New Year, the Miao people spontaneously gather to offer the year’s harvest as sacrifices to their ancestors, expressing gratitude for the bountiful harvest blessed by their forebears, and praying for favorable weather and another abundant harvest in the new year, as well as smooth trade. This has been an unchanged custom among the Miao people for centuries. Most notably is the custom of slaughtering the New Year pig (raised at home). Perhaps due to the Miao people’s traditional frugality, nothing goes to waste. For example, when a pig is slaughtered, the meat is usually cured, the intestines are made into sausages as next year’s food, and other offal is prepared as festive dishes. The bones are turned into Spicy Pork Bone. Living in high-altitude areas with daily labor, the Miao rarely come down to buy food, so Spicy Pork Bone becomes a household essential. Their meals are simple — a big pot of water-boiled, homegrown vegetables with little oil, accompanied by a big bowl of Spicy Pork Bone as the “meaty” dip. Very appetizing.