The correct method for washing pork belly

When cleaning pork belly, it is recommended to first rub it with flour and salt to remove mucus, then soak it in white vinegar or lemon juice to remove fishy smell, and finally rinse thoroughly with water. The correct handling of pork belly mainly involves three key steps: removing impurities, neutralizing odors, and sterilizing and disinfecting.

1. Removing Impurities

Fresh pork belly often adheres to mucus and food residue on its surface. After flipping the pork belly, sprinkle an appropriate amount of dry flour and salt, and rub repeatedly by hand for 5 minutes. The adsorption effect of flour can take away most of the mucus, and the graininess of salt can enhance the cleaning effect. After scrubbing, rinse with water and repeat the process until the texture is no longer smooth. This step can effectively remove dirt from the folds of the pork belly.

2. Neutralize Odor

Soak the treated pork belly in cold water containing white vinegar or lemon juice for 15 minutes. Acidic substances can decompose residual fishy substances. It is recommended to use 2 tablespoons of white vinegar or half a lemon juice for every 500 grams of pork belly. If the odor is strong, you can add a small amount of ginger slices or cooking wine to help remove the fishy smell. After soaking, rinse again. At this time, there should be no obvious irritating odor in the pork belly.

3. sterilization and disinfection

Put pig stomach into boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. High temperature can inactivate surface microorganisms. Adding a few slices of ginger or scallions when blanching can help further remove odors. Immediately soak in ice water after blanching to keep the meat crispy and tender. For pork belly that needs to be stewed for a long time in the future, this step can shorten the cooking time. The processed pork belly should be milky white and odorless, and can be refrigerated for 2 days or frozen for 1 month. It is recommended to rinse with running water again before cooking, and to use pepper and yam as warm tonics during preparation. This can enhance the flavor and aid in gastrointestinal digestion. For those with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold, ginger slices can be added to mix and avoid overconsumption of more than 200 grams at once.