Dam White Pork (Wrapped Foot Pork)

Dam White Pork (Wrapped Foot Pork)

　　Commonly known as "Wrapped Foot Pork," it uses high-quality "second-cut pork" sliced horizontally with an extremely sharp kitchen knife. The resulting slices are rectangular, long and thin — so thin they can reflect a person’s image, and so long that one slice can fill an entire plate. Its distinctive shape and excellent texture make it highly popular among tourists.

　　Some say that the "Wrapped Foot Pork" from Dam Miao Autonomous Township should simply be called "Dam White Pork." However, locals do not agree with this, believing it creates the misconception of trying to associate with "Lizhuang White Pork." In everyday conversation, they often refer to it as "Thin-sliced Pork." "Wrapped Foot Pork" describes both the long and thin nature of the slices and the way it is eaten — wrapped up with chopsticks in coils.

　　According to local chefs, making Dam Wrapped Foot Pork depends on four essential elements: premium ingredients, precise heat control, exceptional knife skills, and flavorful dipping sauce. None can be missing.

　　The selection of ingredients must be precise. The choice of meat for Wrapped Foot Pork is quite particular. It comes from the section behind the pig's thigh, right after the first cut at the rump, commonly known as "second-cut pork." Each pig yields only about two kilograms of this part. This section has excellent meat quality, with balanced fat and lean, minimal spongy texture and tendon, and when cooked, the fat and lean connect tightly without separating, making it aesthetically pleasing on the plate. The raw material must include skin and meat; the skin side is scorched over fire, then washed and scraped clean before moving to the next step.

　　The heat must be accurate. When cooking the pork, it should first be placed horizontally to ensure quick cooking. During the boiling process, blood foam floating on the surface must be frequently removed, and the water temperature should be maintained at around 90 degrees Celsius — adding cold water whenever it boils to ensure even heating from the outside in. If the water is too hot, the outer layers may become overcooked while the inside remains raw, which affects the final dish. The timing and temperature of cooking are crucial — just cooked is best.

　　Knife skills must be exceptional. The most distinctive aspect of Wrapped Foot Pork lies in the slicing technique. Slicing the pork is a true art of Dam Wrapped Foot Pork. A long, narrow blade enters through the skin side of the pork, and each slice can be 20 to 30 centimeters long, 15 to 20 centimeters wide, and only 1 to 2 millimeters thick. This requires years of practice for chefs to master. The resulting slices are nearly transparent. Generally, when Dam locals eat it themselves, they slice the pork as long as it is. Only when serving guests from out of town, to appear more refined, do they slice it into pieces around 15 centimeters long and arrange them neatly on the plate. It is said that a few years ago, Yuan Naigang, a chef known as the "No. 1 Knife of Southern Sichuan" from Dam, was the master of this slicing skill. At the 2010 Dam Gaungzhuang Culture and Arts Festival Wrapped Foot Pork competition, Ye Yongqiang from Ye Shan Restaurant in Dam won the title of "No. 1 Knife of the Miao Countryside."

　　The dipping sauce must be fragrant. Wrapped Foot Pork is all about the dipping sauce. Its unique characteristic lies in its bright color, rich aroma, and especially strong garlic flavor and freshness. The main condiments are: roasted chili paste, soy sauce (homemade in Dam is best), mashed garlic, MSG, Sichuan pepper, a little sugar, and vinegar. The mashed garlic and ginger can be soaked in the hot water used to boil the pork. Once dipped, the sauce gives a fresh and savory taste in the mouth — rich but not greasy, tender and easy to melt, leaving an unforgettable aftertaste. Of course, it should be eaten one slice at a time to truly capture the Dam locals' style of "eating meat in big chunks and drinking wine from big bowls."