Braised pork, as a highlight of many delicacies, has made countless diners fall in love with its unique taste and aroma. In the process of making braised pork, there is a jargon called "3 points by marinade, 7 points by soaking", which shows that soaking plays an important role in the process of making braised meat. In this article, we'll go into detail about how to achieve the best results by soaking, and share some spices to enhance the flavor and the specific process of making braised pork.
Why do you want to soak cooked meat?
1. Make the meat more flavorful
When the braised meat is cooked, the fibers and tissues in the meat have not fully absorbed the spices and seasoning components in the marinade. By soaking, the marinade can penetrate deep into each layer of the meat, making it more flavorful.
2. Make the meat more fragrant
The marinade contains a variety of spices and condiments, and after a long period of cooking, these aromatic substances have been fully released. Soaking allows the meat to absorb these aromas, allowing you to taste the rich aroma in every bite. Moreover, the longer the soaking time, the stronger the aroma, which is why many long-established lo-mei restaurants emphasize that their braised meat needs to be soaked for a long time.
3. Ripening
The soaking process also makes the meat softer, as the residual heat and spices in the marinade further break down the proteins in the meat, making it softer. This is especially important when making some chewy braised meat, such as beef shank.
Share several spices that enhance fragrance
In the production of braised pork, the selection and pairing of spices play a crucial role. Here are a few common flavoring spices:
1. Cloves
Cloves have a strong aroma, which can effectively remove the strange smell in meat ingredients and enhance the overall aroma. You need to pay attention to the dosage when using, too much will make the taste too strong and affect the overall taste.
2. White cardamom
The aroma of white corn is fresh and unique, which can effectively enhance the aroma level of braised meat, and can also play a role in removing and adding fragrance. It is commonly used in marinated chicken and duck meat.
The specific production process of braised pork
Step 1: Material selection
Choosing fresh meat is the first step in making braised meat. You can choose from pork, beef, chicken, duck, etc., depending on your personal taste and needs. Meat needs to be processed well in advance to remove excess fat and fascia.
Step 2: Blanch
Put the processed meat in cold water, add green onions and ginger slices, boil on the heat until the water boils, and blanch to remove blood foam and impurities. Then take it out, rinse it with clean water, and dry it for later use.
Step 3: Make the marinade
1. Prepare spices: cloves, white cardamom, star anise, Sichuan pepper, bay leaves, tangerine peel, etc.
2. Stir-fry the sugar: Put oil in the pan, add rock sugar, and fry until the sugar color turns reddish-brown. Then add an appropriate amount of boiling water, stir well, and the sugar marinade is ready.
3. Seasoning: Add an appropriate amount of water to a large pot and add the fried sugar, soy sauce, cooking wine, ginger, green onions, and all the prepared spices. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes to allow the marinade to combine.
Step 4: Marinade
Put the blanched meat in the marinade and keep it on low heat until the meat is tender. Depending on the meat, the time varies, but it is generally around 1-2 hours. During the period, you can adjust the heat appropriately and keep the marinade slightly boiling.
Step 5: Soak
Don't rush to remove the marinated meat, but turn off the heat and continue to soak in the marinade. The longer the soaking time, the more flavorful the meat becomes. It is generally recommended to soak for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Step 6: Slice and plate
Remove the soaked braised pork, cut it into appropriate slices, and arrange it on a plate. You can enjoy it with some braised eggs, braised tofu, etc. according to personal preference.
By following the above steps, I believe you will be able to make braised pork with good color and flavor, and enjoy the food while also experiencing the fun of the production process. Hopefully, this article will be helpful to you and make delicious braised pork at home with ease.