ZhaZuo Pork Knuckle Hotpot

ZhaZuo Pork Knuckle Hotpot

　　If you want to enjoy tender and flavor-packed pork knuckles without feeling greasy, then you must try the famous Pickled Mustard Pork Knuckle Hotpot in ZhaZuo. The dish uses premium pork knuckles, which are first deep-fried, then steamed for several hours. The whole knuckle is then sliced open and simmered in the original broth, enhanced with the restaurant’s homemade crisp pickled mustard. The taste is beyond words. Even women won’t find it too rich, and for men, it’s even more needless to say. During the Spring Festival, it’s common to see diners not only eating in the restaurant but also taking several portions home to enjoy during the holidays—though the taste naturally isn’t as authentic as dining in.

　　ZhaZuo, the northern gateway to Guiyang, is an important satellite town located southeast of Xiuwen County. It lies along the key southwest exit corridor and is known as the “Dry Port.” The Sichuan-Guizhou Railway and National Highway 210 run north-south through it, while the Guiyang-Bijie and Guiyang-Zunyi expressways intersect here. At some point, Pickled Mustard Pork Knuckle became an overnight sensation, and soon every restaurant on ZhaZuo’s streets was serving it. It’s also widely available in Xiuwen and Guiyang.

　　Ingredients

　　1 pork knuckle (about 1200g), 500g pickled mustard greens

　　Appropriate amounts of caramel color, fine salt, crushed chili pepper, ginger slices, scallions, garlic, tomatoes, etc.

　　Preparation Method

　　Clean the pork knuckle, blanch it briefly in boiling water, then remove and quickly coat it with caramel color while hot. Deep-fry it in hot oil until the skin turns golden brown, then place it in a large bowl and steam it gently over low heat for 6–8 hours until the skin is tender, soft, and not mushy, and the meat is juicy, tender, and not greasy. Remove from heat. Dice the pickled mustard greens; prepare scallions, garlic, and tomatoes. 2. Stir-fry the ginger slices and pickled mustard greens in oil until fragrant, add the original broth, then put in the pork knuckle. Add diced scallions, garlic, and tomatoes, and serve hot at the table. Provide a dipping sauce made with fine salt, crushed chili pepper, ginger, garlic, and scallions, and dip with a bit of the original broth.