Lianshui Bundled Hoof

Lianshui Bundled Hoof

Lianshui Bundled Hoof is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Bundled Hoof is a specialty of Lianshui County with a history of over 100 years. Legend has it that during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, when the local market was bustling and merchants frequently interacted, the Zheng brothers—renowned smoking and roasting masters from Gaogou Town—created the Bundled Hoof as an extra dish to accompany drinks for their guests. At that time, only four shops in town were capable of producing and supplying it. The main ingredient of Bundled Hoof is lean meat from the pork trotter, with carefully selected seasonings and meticulous preparation. From start to finish, it undergoes more than ten processing steps. The finished product boasts a soy-sauce-red color, tender texture, and a deliciously salty, spicy, sweet, and savory flavor. It’s best enjoyed slowly, savoring the lingering aftertaste. It makes for a tasty treat at any meal and a delightful dish in all seasons.

　　Features: (1) Bright red meat color with a sweet-salty taste; (2) Chewy texture with a rich aroma; (3) Commonly served as a cold dish.

　　Bundled Hoof is primarily made from premium lean pork trotter meat and dried small pig intestines, along with 18 other ingredients including cinnamon, cloves, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, fennel, nutmeg, licorice, orange peel, cardamom, bean paste, saltpeter, yellow rice wine, rock sugar, refined salt, monosodium glutamate, scallions, ginger, and sesame oil. The production process generally involves cleaning fresh lean pork trotter meat, slicing it into strips, mixing selected seasonings in proper proportions and mashing them, then sprinkling the mixture onto the meat slices and stirring evenly. Next, the meat is marinated in soy sauce for several hours before being wrapped in cut-open dried small intestines into cylindrical shapes. These are tightly bound with string (preferably straw rope), then returned to the original broth to be boiled until cooked. Each finished Bundled Hoof weighs about 400–500 grams, measures approximately 18–20 cm in length, and about 4 cm in diameter. For consumption, it is sliced crosswise into thin pieces with a sharp knife, arranged on a plate as a cold dish—or prepared in other ways if preferred. With its soy-sauce-red hue, distinct layers, rich aroma, complex flavors, and non-greasy texture, it makes an excellent drink accompaniment. Additionally, Bundled Hoof is rich in collagen, vitamins, and muscle fibers, which help improve human cellular nutrition and metabolism. It also offers benefits such as nourishing essence, enriching blood, moisturizing skin, and adding luster to hair. While traditionally homemade as a flavorful family dish, Gaogou Bundled Hoof is now also mass-produced by the Gaogou Bundled Hoof Factory. In 1988, it won the “Golden Crane Cup” award for national high-quality health products and the silver medal at the first China Food Expo.