Qingzhen Liangshuijing Old-Fashioned Preserved Pork

Qingzhen Liangshuijing Old-Fashioned Preserved Pork

　　A Guizhou specialty—Qingzhen Liangshuijing Old-Fashioned Preserved Pork is one of the region’s most famous local products. Though unassuming in appearance, it boasts excellent flavor. When chewed, it stimulates saliva production and leaves a lingering aroma in the mouth. The steamed preserved pork and sausages can be torn off piece by piece or strand by strand. Cleaned fatty preserved pork is crystal clear and translucent—when placed in sunlight, you can even see your reflection. It's rich yet not greasy.

　　 Preparation Method: People in Guizhou have a unique technique and method for making preserved pork and sausages. During the lunar month of December, families slaughter pigs they’ve raised themselves, with most of the meat used to make preserved pork. First, the meat is cut into strips or chunks—some weighing four or five jin (about 2–2.5 kg), others just one or two jin (about 0.5–1 kg). Then salt is rubbed onto the meat, which is placed in jars or wooden barrels so the salt can penetrate all parts. This curing process typically takes five to seven days. The meat is then removed, hung in a ventilated area to drip dry and allow it to contract before it’s ready for smoking. In winter, many rural households dig a fire pit in their main room, and the meat is hung above the pit—or sometimes above the stove—so that while cooking and keeping warm, the meat gets smoked at the same time, achieving two goals at once.

　　 Storage Method: If you plan to eat the preserved pork within two to three weeks, and the indoor temperature is below 20°C with humidity under 60%, you don’t need to refrigerate it—just keep it in a ventilated spot away from direct sunlight. Otherwise, it must be stored in the refrigerator’s insulation compartment at around 4°C. This way, it can be preserved for three to four months. If kept in the freezer, it can last up to six months. When storing preserved sausages or pork in the fridge, wrap them in portions for single use using保鲜袋 (preservation bags). This method extends storage life but it's still best to consume them as soon as possible.