Zhenjiang cuisine, also known as crystal meat and crystal hoof, is a traditional dish in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province. Legend has it that in ancient times, the second child of the Jiuhai Street Hotel in Zhenjiang mistakenly salted the pig's trotters, and after cooking, the meat was red and white, smooth and crystalline, and the brine was transparent, like crystal, with a strong aroma and mellow taste. Later, people thought that "salt meat" was indecent and changed to "crystal meat", which has been passed down to this day and has become a traditional famous product in Zhenjiang.
Legend has it that more than 300 years ago, there was a husband and wife hotel in Jiuhai Street, Zhenjiang. One day, the owner bought back four pig's trotters and prepared to eat them in a few days, but because of the heat and fear of deterioration, they salted them. But he never imagined that his wife would mistake a bag of salt bought for her father's firecrackers as fine salt. It was not until the next day when the wife was looking for salt to prepare for firecrackers that she found out, and quickly opened the pickling tank to take a look, only to see that the hooves not only had no change in meat, but the meat plate was firm, the color was ruddy, and the hooves were white.
In order to remove the smell of nitrate, he soaked it in water many times in a row, and then blanched it in a pot of boiling water and rinsed it with clean water. Then add green onion and ginger, peppercorns, cinnamon, fennel and water to a boil. The owner and his wife wanted to cook it at high temperature to relieve its poisonous smell, but they did not expect that after more than an hour, the pot emitted a very attractive aroma.
Zhang Guolao, one of the "Eight Immortals", happened to pass by this place and was also attracted by the fragrance. So he turned into a white-haired old man and knocked on the door of the small hotel. As soon as the door opens, the scent immediately drifts into the street. When the crowd came to inquire, the owner's wife fished out the pig's trotters and told everyone the truth: "This hoof is misplaced and cannot be eaten as a dish." The white-haired old man said, "I don't want to cook, just eat tea." ”
Then he bought all four pig's trotters and ate them with tea in the shop. Because of the excellent taste, the more you eat it, the more fragrant it is, and as a result, you eat three and a half in a row before you stop. As soon as the old man left, people knew that he was Elder Zhang Guo. The shopkeeper and the people present tasted the remaining half of their hooves and felt that the taste was unusually delicious. Since then, the store has used this method to make "salt meat", and soon became famous. Later, the owner considered that the word "salt meat" was indecent, and only then did he change it to "pork". Since then, "meat" has always been famous at home and abroad.
"Meat" according to different parts of the hoof, cut into a variety of hoof pieces, part of the old claw meat (tendons) on the front hoof of the pig cut into a flak shape, shaped like glasses, called glasses, the tendons of the food are soft, delicious and fragrant; the meat next to the front hoof claws, cut down and bent with jade belts, called jade belt hook dishes, its flesh is extremely tender, the walking claw meat on the front hoof claws (tendons), called triangular ribs, fat and thin. The flesh of the hoof is red and white, smooth and crystalline, brine and transparent, like crystal, so it is called a crystal hoof. It has the four characteristics of fragrant, crisp, fresh and tender. The lean meat is crispy, the fat meat is not greasy, and it is eaten with ginger shreds and Zhenjiang balsamic vinegar, which is even more flavorful. Poetry: "The scenery is infinitely golden, and I love Jingkou meat more, not greasy and slightly crispy, and the red and tender frozen crystal dishes."
Although the meat is a cold dish, it is not the same as ordinary smoked pork. Its fine flesh is crimson, although cool but tender and easy to melt, the food does not plug the teeth; the fat meat is fattened, the food is not greasy; the glue is transparent and shiny, flexible and not difficult to mouth, not fat and not greasy. This dish is refreshing and appetizing, elegant and tasteful, quite invigorating. If paired with shredded ginger, slightly add balsamic vinegar for a more flavorful taste. If you drink morning tea with Zhenjiang cuisine, the tea is fragrant and the meat is beautiful, after a long time of sweet and fat, you get this Ruzhi, the tongue is vibrating, and another good situation is experienced, which makes people feel that the mouth is not shallow.
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