Dini Ham

Dini Ham

　　The Dini Village Committee encompasses over 30 natural villages, with nearly a thousand farming households, all of whom are ethnic Yi. Dini belongs to Tongchang Township, located 21 kilometers from the township government seat and 23 kilometers from Yimen County. It sits at an altitude of 2,250 meters with an average annual temperature of 12.5°C. The annual pigs raised by the Yi people grow up from a young age in such a high-altitude, cold climate environment. The patient Yi raise them on pine needles as bedding, cooked cornmeal as their staple food, supplemented with fresh grass cut from dry fields and crushed wheat straw. Locals refer to these pigs as native or “local breed” pigs. This method of raising native pigs results in long growth cycles and meat that is tender, delicate, and naturally sweet. In Dini’s Yi villages, there is a saying: “The family that raises the biggest annual pig is the most capable.”

　　The Winter Solstice is the coldest period of the year and also marks the “Annual Pig Festival” for the people of Dini in the high-altitude mountainous region. With the arrival of the Winter Solstice, the New Year draws nearer. The Yi choose an auspicious day to slaughter their well-fed, glossy, and plump annual pigs, lay out food and drinks, and warmly invite relatives and friends to gather together and share the joy of the season.

　　During the annual pig slaughtering days, from morning till night, the farmyards are bustling with activity. Different groups are busy with their tasks: the men slaughter the pigs, remove the hair… Once everything is done, they slice parts of the pig that are evenly marbled, mix them with seasonings, and let the children or visiting relatives from the city help stuff them into sausages. The intact limbs and some cuts of meat are placed in cool, clean spots to cool down for later curing into cured meats. The women wash vegetables, clean dishes… and prepare meals. Dishes that can only be enjoyed during pig-slaughtering time—such as cold sliced pork, fried pork ribs, and spicy pork stir-fry—along with the Yi’s homemade rice wine, are served at dinner.

　　The best ingredients often require minimal seasoning and simple cooking to bring out their deliciousness. During the feast, take big bites of the rich but not greasy cold pork slices, drink several bowls of the Yi’s homemade rice wine—this marks the beginning of the New Year celebration. After eating and drinking their fill, guests gradually leave as the sky darkens. By then, the remaining warmth of the prepared pork has dissipated, and the skilled artisans who cure cured meats set up their tables, bring out curing vats, salt jars, wine flasks, and begin the process of curing ham and cured pork, getting busy. As the artisans repeatedly knead and rub the meat, they carefully balance the amount of wine and salt, layering and repeating the process until the meat is packed into vats, sealed, and covered. The entire procedure takes over an hour. Curing cured meats largely depends on the salt—how much to use relies entirely on experience. Too much salt will make the meat tough, too little will make it soft or even spoiled. Beyond that, the strength and technique used are all very particular, and those artisans who are skilled in this craft are deeply respected and beloved by the Yi people.

　　In the high-altitude climate, the meat curing in the vats slowly ferments, with the brine gradually seeping into the meat. After a period of sealed curing, when the vat is opened, the cured meats are taken out one by one, tied with string, and once dried, stored in bags.

　　The Yi hang the bagged hams on the walls of their main rooms. This is not only a scenic feature of the Yi mountain farmhouse, but also part of their New Year goods. In the high-altitude mountainous area of Dini, it is customary to light fires in the main room morning and evening to keep warm, boil water, and cook in a traditional pot. The smoke from the fire used to ward off the cold gradually smokes the hams hanging on the walls. Over time, the hams absorb the fragrant aroma of the firewood, which becomes one of the reasons behind the unique taste of Dini ham. After more than half a year, the newly cured ham can be eaten, but its flavor is not as mellow as that of aged ham. In Dini, many Yi households hang several hams of different ages. Dini ham can be preserved for up to two years, with the fat and lean blending seamlessly, without spoiling.

　　On New Year’s Eve, when you slice open the bright red, fragrant ham, you can retain its original aroma through various cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, stir-frying, or deep-frying. Paired with dairy fan, termite mushrooms, chili, and other ingredients for stews, it enhances the flavor of the dish. A pot of white kidney beans and dried vegetable stewed with ham can fill the air with fragrance from afar. Adding a bit of dried matsutake mushroom to stir-fried rice instantly elevates both texture and appearance. Choosing a well-marbled cut to make pastries or eight-treasure rice results in a texture loved by many… No matter how it’s cooked, it brings satisfaction to the Yi people as they gather with their families amid laughter.

　　For the Yi people, the New Year is about mood, feeling, and above all, leisure; it’s about reunion, sweetness, and even more, happiness. Amid the busyness and after the hard work, the rich aroma and warm sentiments lead the Yi to express their anticipation for the New Year and longing for their children through cured meats. And this deeply flavorful New Year tradition also passes down the wisdom and ingenuity of the Yi people from generation to generation.