Harbin air-dried pork tongue

Harbin air-dried pork tongue

　　Harbin air-dried pork tongue is a specialty snack from Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province. A renowned product of Harbin Zhengyanglou, it is said to have a history of over 150 years. Its texture is neither too soft nor too hard, with a well-balanced saltiness that becomes more fragrant and flavorful the more you eat.

　　How to make Harbin air-dried pork tongue:

　　Ingredients: The recipe requires 10 kilograms of pig tongues, 500 grams of salt, 500 grams of soy sauce, 100 grams of licorice, 100 grams of Sichuan peppercorns, 100 grams of star anise, 75 grams of cinnamon, 50 grams of ground Sichuan peppercorns, and an appropriate amount of old chicken stock.

　　Production process:

　　Ingredient selection – washing – curing – seasoning – marinating – air-drying – boiling – finished product.

　　Key steps:

　　1. Ingredient selection: Only fresh, odorless pig tongues (i.e., pig’s tongues) must be chosen.

　　2. Washing: Soak the tongues in hot water for 10 minutes, then remove, scrape off the tongue coating and white skin, rinse clean with fresh water, and set aside.

　　3. Curing: Mix salt and ground Sichuan peppercorns, evenly rub the mixture onto the surface of each tongue. Wrap them in cloth, lay flat on a wooden board, and press with another wooden board or stone slab. After 4–5 hours, uncover the board, air for 2–3 hours, then repeat the rubbing of salt and Sichuan peppercorns and reapply pressure. Repeat this twice daily for five days until most of the moisture in the tongues has been expelled.

　　4. Seasoning: Heat a clean pot, add an appropriate amount of water and bring to a boil. Add soy sauce, licorice, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and star anise, and simmer over medium heat until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

　　5. Marinating: Pour the seasoned liquid into a container, submerge the tongues, and soak for about two days before removing them.

　　6. Air-drying: Thread each tongue with a thin string and hang them in a cool, ventilated, and dry place. Remove after half a month.

　　7. Boiling: Place the air-dried tongues in old chicken stock and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let them cool in the original broth.

　　8. Finished product: Remove the boiled tongues, drain off excess moisture, and they are ready to serve.