How to remedy the bitterness of stir fried sugar colored stewed meat

The bitterness of stir fried sugar colored stewed meat can be improved by adjusting the heat, adding acidic ingredients, prolonging the stewing time, pairing with sweet additives, filtering sugar residue, and other methods. Bitter sugar color is often caused by excessive caramelization or sugar carbonization, and needs to be treated according to specific reasons. When frying sugar color, the sugar undergoes caramelization reaction when heated, and bitter substances are easily produced when the temperature exceeds 170 degrees. If the bitterness is mild, you can reduce the heat and add a little white vinegar or lemon juice. Acidic substances can neutralize some bitter compounds. Adding acidic ingredients such as hawthorn and preserved plums during the stewing process can soften the meat and alleviate the bitterness. Extend the stewing time appropriately to allow bitter substances to evaporate, while adding natural sweet ingredients such as rock sugar and red dates to balance the taste. When the sugar color is boiled for too long and causes carbonization and blackening, a large amount of bitter substances will adhere to the surface of the meat. At this point, it is necessary to remove the meat and rinse it, then change the water and stew it again, and filter the soup with gauze to remove burnt particles. If the bitterness is too strong to conceal, it is recommended to abandon the sugar color and use soy sauce or red yeast rice for coloring. Sugar color production requires low heat stirring throughout the entire process. When amber color appears, immediately remove from heat to avoid the color being too dark.

It is recommended to use rock sugar instead of white sugar to stir fry sugar color in daily cooking. Rock sugar has a higher melting point and is not easy to burn. Before stewing meat, the sugar color can be separately boiled and stored in the refrigerator. When using, take it as needed to avoid repeated heating. Paired with spices such as star anise and cinnamon, it can distract attention from bitterness. At the same time, choosing a combination of fat and lean pork belly can help absorb some bitter substances. If multiple methods still fail to improve, alternative cooking methods such as braising or braised sauce can be used instead.