How to stew pork that is both tender and fragrant

The key to stewing pork until it is tender and fragrant lies in the selection of ingredients, pre-treatment, and control of heat. There are mainly methods such as selecting appropriate parts, blanching thoroughly, controlling heat, pairing seasonings, and using auxiliary tools.

1. Choose appropriate parts

When stewing meat, it is advisable to choose parts with rich connective tissue, such as pork belly, forelimb, or elbow. These parts contain a lot of collagen, which will be converted into gelatin after long-term stewing, making the meat soft and tender and the soup thick. Pork belly is a combination of fat and lean, and when stewed, the melted oil can enhance its aroma; The muscle fibers of the front leg muscles are relatively fine, making them easy to stew and soften; The elbow skin is thick and gelatinous, suitable for long-term stewing. Avoid using pure lean meat parts such as pork loin, as it can easily burn firewood.

2. Adequate blanching treatment

Blanching in cold water can effectively remove blood foam and fishy smell. Heat the sliced pork with cold water, add ginger slices and cooking wine, and continue boiling for 3-5 minutes after the water boils. After blanching, rinse the surface foam with warm water to avoid shrinkage of the meat caused by cold water. For parts with a strong fishy smell, such as pig trotters, you can first rub them with flour and then blanch them for better deodorization effect.

3. Control the heat time

The core technique is to boil on high heat and then reduce the heat to slow stew. At the initial stage, use the high fire to make the soup boil quickly, then turn to the low fire to keep it slightly boiling, and the stewing time is controlled at 1.5-2 hours. Using a clay pot or enamel pot can better maintain temperature stability. The standard for judging whether meat is cooked or not is that chopsticks can easily penetrate the meat pieces. A pressure cooker can shorten the time to 30 minutes, but the aroma may be slightly inferior to slow stewing.

4. Scientific pairing of seasonings

Basic seasonings include scallions, ginger, star anise, fragrant leaves, etc., which can remove fishy smell and enhance fragrance. Sugar or dark soy sauce can give the meat a bright red color, but it should be noted that soy sauce should be added when the meat is half cooked to prevent premature softening of the meat. Acidic substances such as hawthorn and vinegar can help break down connective tissue, but the dosage should not be excessive. Salt should be added last to avoid premature protein coagulation.

5. Use auxiliary tool

The insulation of the sand pot is suitable for long-term stewing, and the cast iron pot is heated evenly. Adding beer or yellow wine instead of some water will remove the fishy smell when the alcohol evaporates. Adding a few slices of dried seafood such as dried scallops or squid can enhance the freshness level. During the stewing process, oil absorbing vegetables such as radish and potatoes can be added to relieve greasiness and absorb the meat aroma. The soup after stewing meat is rich in collagen, which can be made into meat jelly or used for cooking noodles. The remaining meat pieces can be shredded to make meat sandwich filling. Daily recommendations include consuming vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as broccoli, to aid in iron absorption. Patients with hypertension should control the amount of soy sauce used and those with gout should drink less concentrated meat soup. Pork from different parts can be matched with different spices. For example, ribs are suitable for adding Fermented bean curd, pig hooves are suitable for matching soybeans, and nutrition and delicious food can be enjoyed through various cooking methods.