Caoyan Braised Pork

Caoyan Braised Pork

　　Caoyan Braised Pork is a specialty from Caoyan Village, Nanzheng County, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province. The pork is dark red in color with an incredibly fragrant aroma—just looking at it and smelling it will make your mouth water.

　　The hometown of traditional Chinese braised pork is located on Caoyan Street in Nanzheng County, two kilometers east of the county town and eight kilometers from Hanzhong, situated along the major traffic route between Dahuikan and Zhoujiaping. If you’re walking through the streets of Nanzheng and catch a whiff of a tantalizing aroma, just turn your head—you’ll likely see a pot at a shop entrance, with Caoyan Braised Pork simmering inside. The pork is generally cooked and sold fresh, with various kinds of glossy, brown-red braised meat piled up on the table, giving off an enticing fragrance that often leaves pedestrians and diners salivating and stopping to buy some. Eating braised pork is a beloved habit among the people of Nanzheng, as can be seen from the frequent signs outside urban and rural pharmacies advertising the sale of cured meat seasonings. In Nanzheng, whether in the city or the countryside, nearly every household has a jar of curing brine. When guests arrive, they can easily take some out to cook meat, which is very convenient. In the city, many office workers, after getting off work, will often find themselves unconsciously stopping by to buy a jin (500g) of braised pork to take home for their families to enjoy. Both children and adults are particularly fond of this dish.

　　As the name suggests, braised pork is meat cooked in curing brine. The so-called “braising sauce” refers to this curing liquid, but it differs from dried cured meat. The key difference is that dried cured meat is smoked, while braised pork is also distinct from regular stewed meat, which is cooked in a seasoned broth made with salt, spices, or soy sauce. Braised pork, however, does not use scallions, ginger, cooking wine, or sugar for coloring. Instead, it is simply boiled with a few Chinese herbs and spices. This method is truly unique in Chinese culinary culture and can be considered an original creation of the people of Nanzheng, reflecting the local customs and flavors.

　　The Chinese herbs and spices used in Nanzheng’s curing brine include: Nardostachys jatamansi, Kaempferia galanga, Piper longum, Alpinia officinarum, Amomum villosum, Amomum kravanh, Asarum heterotropoides, Angelica dahurica, Cinnamomum cassia, Syzygium aromaticum, as well as star anise, fennel, and black cardamom. These ingredients are mixed together to form a spice bag, which is then used to brew the curing brine. In addition to providing a distinctive aroma, the brine also aids digestion, soothes the stomach, moistens the lungs, regulates qi, dispels cold and wind, relieves pain, reduces stagnation, clears the orifices, and stimulates appetite.

　　Once cooked, the braised pork is dark red with a rich fragrance—just looking at it and smelling it will make your mouth water. The most common way to eat braised pork is to slice it thinly and serve it on a plate, to be dipped in a flavorful sauce made with chili oil, minced ginger, mashed garlic, chopped scallions, vinegar, and MSG. Pick up a slice, dip it in the sauce, and take a bite—it has a distinct herbal flavor, but the taste is fragrant, chewy, refreshing, and deliciously aromatic. Another way to enjoy it is to dice or shred the braised pork and stir-fry it with scallions, ginger, garlic, cooking wine, and a variety of vegetables, resulting in equally tasty dishes.

　　In Nanzheng, braised pork often becomes a favorite accompaniment for drinkers. As they sip their drinks, they enjoy slices of braised pork—the aroma of the liquor, the meat, and the herbs... hey, that flavor is truly unforgettable, indescribably wonderful. That’s precisely why outsiders who try it also become hooked. Its magic lies in the fact that the slight bitterness of the herbs in the pork significantly reduces any meaty gaminess, leaving it neither greasy nor heavy. Take a bite, and yes, there’s a slight bitterness—but that bitterness is quickly overpowered by the flavors of the meat and the drink, growing richer the more you savor it. After a few tries, you’ll realize there’s no better drinking snack in the world. After finishing their drinks, people often take home another half jin or so of braised pork. As a result, the braised pork sellers often do even better business than the bars.

　　In truth, you can probably find delicious braised pork almost anywhere in Hanzhong, but the braised pork from Caoyan in Nanzheng County is the most classic and commonly found at night markets. When I arrived at Caoyan’s Braised Pork Street in Nanzheng County, it was already afternoon. The vendors had carefully arranged different types of meat on display, including pork knuckles, pork belly, beef, and chicken legs—all of which made my mouth water. If you ever get the chance to visit, you absolutely must give it a try.

　　With a long tradition, it stands as a model of braised pork aroma. Nowadays, Caoyan Braised Pork from Nanzheng County can be found all over the streets and alleys of both Nanzheng County and even Hanzhong City. Caoyan Braised Pork doesn’t need to rely on high-end restaurants to attract customers. Just set up a stall at a neighborhood intersection or along a street corner, and its rich fragrance will stop passersby in their tracks, drawing them in. And worthy of note, despite its accessibility, Caoyan Braised Pork hasn’t lost any of its “prestige”—instead, it has earned widespread praise and a stellar reputation.