Cured Pork

Cured Pork

　　Cured pork is a traditional specialty of the people in areas such as the Luohe River Valley and Fucun River Valley in Ganquan County. It has been passed down from ancient times to the present, though the exact origin remains unknown. In the lunar month of December, as the New Year approaches, rural families slaughter a pig. After setting aside enough meat for Spring Festival meals and preserving the head, feet, and offal, the remaining meat is cured in varying amounts depending on the household’s needs, to be consumed in the coming year. There are two methods of curing pork: cured after cooking (熟腌) and cured raw (生腌). For the cooked method, the meat is deboned, cut into chunks, and boiled in a seasoned broth until about 80% done. It is then taken out, drained, cooled, and braised before being placed in a jar. When packing the jar, layers of meat and salt are alternately arranged, with a relatively heavy use of salt emphasized. For the raw method, the meat is deboned, cut into chunks, and placed in a jar, with salt layered between the pieces. Lard is then melted and poured over the meat until fully submerged, and the mixture is left to cool naturally. Regardless of the curing method, the preserved pork can be stored for a long time without spoiling, until the next pig is slaughtered and the process is repeated.

　　Cured pork has transitioned from being a delicacy of wealthier households to a staple enjoyed by common families. There are many ways to prepare it—such as chopping it up for meat sauce soup, stir-frying it into shredded or sliced pork dishes, or making cured pork with potato starch noodles, cured pork with braised taro, or cured pork with pickled cabbage soup. But the most famous dish is cured pork with taro and pickled cabbage soup, sometimes referred to as Ganquan’s everyday dish or Ganquan’s signature dish. Its color, aroma, and flavor are indescribable—beyond words, yet deeply felt. Rural residents never tire of eating it; for urban dwellers, having a single meal of it feels like celebrating the New Year.