"Beef tendons always seem to carry an innate energy, which is a rare food spirit." 」
One of my favorite things when I was a child was to save pocket money, and now that I think about it, when I was so keen to save money, what I actually enjoyed was not the process, but the result of my obsession with buying snacks with pocket money. At that time, my favorite snacks had a few fixed ones, spicy strips, crisp noodles, crispy horns, and spicy beef tendons. The first two are regular customers because they are cheap, and the latter two, because of the price, can not be eaten regularly. Therefore, every time you eat it, you will cherish it, especially the bite of beef plate tendons, the more chewy the more fragrant, coupled with a slight spicy, it is simply a childhood snack taste.
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Plate tendons, which are the joints of the dorsal ridges of livestock animals, are the main tendons that connect the motor muscles of the whole body, and it is precisely because of this property that it has a wonderful taste. The beef plate tendon is the leader in the plate tendon, and its main component is a highly elastic protein, so it is more tough and more chewable. The production of beef tendons is not very high, and the amount of tendons produced by an adult cattle is about 1 kilogram. According to common sense, this should be something that is rare and expensive, but it is not easy to taste, and the processing time is long, so the average person does not eat beef tendons, and it is eaten by poor people, who use it as a tooth sacrifice.
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But for real gourmets, there is nothing unpalatable in the world, only cooks who can't cook. In order to make delicious beef tendons, people did everything they could to tame this delicate ingredient. Among the thousands of taming methods, the first refers to the Korean beef plate tendons.
The Koreans were quite strict in the selection of raw materials, and the beef tendons had to be fresh so that they had the basis for cooking. So how to judge whether the beef tendon is fresh or not? In fact, this is not difficult, in appearance, it needs to be pale yellow or white, in the touch, to be slightly moist but not sticky to the hand. The beef tendons are washed, mixed with onions, ginger and garlic, and then put into a pressure cooker for an hour to complete the initial forging.
As we all know, chili sauce is indispensable in the gastronomic genealogy of the Korean people, so it is equally important when cooking beef tendons. After the cold, the beef tendons are cut into thin slices or more delicate silk, then mixed with hot sauce, and then added soy sauce, vinegar, sesame seeds, cumin and other seasonings according to personal taste, and the dish is completed. The avenue to jane, mixing beef plate tendons follow this truth.
After a period of precipitation, the sauce penetrates into the body of the beef plate tendon, even if the body is weak, but with the addition of rich spices, the beef plate tendon becomes no longer ordinary. On the palate, it's tough, and the way it's eaten cold makes it smooth. In terms of taste, it fully carries forward the spirit of hot sauce, sweet and spicy taste, echoing between the lips and teeth. Coupled with the aroma of sesame seeds, this mixed beef tendon has conquered many diners in the liquor store. Because it is easy to preserve in this way, it can also shine on any table in the motherland, and it is already the best partner for Korean barbecue, cold noodles and other meals.
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Similar to the mixed beef plate tendon, it is the roast beef plate tendon. The reason why I say this is because they are very thin in form, and they also pay attention to the control of the sauce. It is rumored that the first popularity of beef plate tendons was in the barbecue field. Roast beef tendons, the preparation method is not complicated, the boiled beef tendons are cut into thin slices, skewered into skewers, placed on the oven to complete most of the process. All that's left is the control of the heat and the mixing of the sauce.
Roasting beef tendons, the fire is large, it will become extremely stiff, and the fire is small, it wastes a lot of roasting and quenching. Therefore, in order to achieve neutralization, the skewer chef will often pour a little water on the surface of the beef plate tendon to prevent excessive loss of water and affect the grilling. In addition, during the baking process, you can also add some aged vinegar to make the beef plate tendon have the characteristic of softness. In this way, the fusion of original incense and barbecue incense can be well realized.
In terms of seasoning, if you are a beginner master, some cumin, sesame seeds, and chili noodles are enough, but the taste can only be unremarkable. In the hands of real connoisseurs, the seasoning is a different story. Cut the onion into fine slices, crush the juice and mix with "three powders and three oils": cumin powder, cumin powder, paprika and oyster sauce, red oil, and soy sauce. Brush on the surface of the beef tendons, turn over and bake them back and forth a few times, and you're ready to serve. The roasted beef tendons are full of flavors, and the perfect ratio of spices and body covering makes them chewy and soft at the same time. The strong barbecue taste and spicy taste make people intoxicated, and the cozy energy can last a long time after a few sips of beef tendons and a few beers.
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However, roast beef tendon is more like a summer exclusive, and in the cold winter, people have switched to another beef plate tendon product, beef plate tendon hot pot. But I have to say that the beef plate tendon hot pot is quite partial, because in this pot, not only the one-man show of the beef plate tendon, but also the belly silk, hoof tendon, beef and so on. So the old food often calls it a brain pot, people who have watched "Breaking into the Kanto" may remember that scene, the pan wuye in the play said that his taste in eating is this tendon brain, "turn over and chew, turn over and chew, smack, don't mention how comfortable." ”
Beef tendon hot pot is quite convenient to make, just cut the plate tendon into strips, put it into the pot, and wait for the pot to open. The pot needs to be filled with bone broth or broth, and when it is boiled, the tendons and meats are randomly selected, just eat it. In the dipping water, the most suitable for the beef plate tendon hot pot is the vinegar dish, and the balsamic vinegar is added with spicy seeds, which can not only remove the fishy taste, but also relieve the grease of the tendons.
The beef plate tendons that appeared in the hot pot this time changed the "hard face" of the past and became warm and soft, suitable for all ages. But during the chewing process, it still releases its own powerful taste from time to time, making the taste experience extremely layered. Halfway through, you can also add other dishes according to your preferences, a bite of tendons, a bite of meat, a bite of vegetables, it seems that every taste can be satisfied in this boiling pot.
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But no matter how it is cooked, the beef plate tendon always seems to carry an innate energy, which is a rare food spirit. It seems to tell diners that I don't have any salt and oil on the surface, but if you find the trick to cooking, then I can also present a stunning taste. This is like many people in life, usually stubborn and stubborn, but when you meet a friend who has a temper, you will put down the mustard and show a soft side.
When I was a child, I didn't think about the meaning of the beef tendon, but I only knew how to use it as a snack to fill the time of idle hunger. When you grow up, when you eat a lot of beef tendon dishes, you will have strange ideas, for example, if you don't want to be a person like beef tendon, have your own long-term persistence, no matter what kind of situation you encounter, you will maintain the original appearance. In fact, sometimes being tame does not mean giving in, because it is very likely that new flavors will sprout in it.
Of course, when eating, talking about too many philosophies will add to the burden, just like a child, eat carefree. With a pure heart, I say that I love a mouthful of beef tendons.