A Detailed Guide to Making Salted Pork and Curing and Preserving Techniques

Salted pork is a traditional meat product made by curing pork with salt and then air-drying it. It is especially popular in the Jiangnan region and is mostly made in winter when temperatures are lower. Pork belly or hind leg meat is generally used; the finished product is richly salty and savory with a firm texture, and it can be steamed on its own as well as used as an important ingredient in home-style dishes such as salted pork vegetable rice and yanduxian (salted pork and bamboo shoot soup).

To make salted pork, first choose fresh pork with a balance of fat and lean, wipe the surface dry, and avoid contact with raw water throughout the process. Stir-fry Sichuan peppercorns and salt in a pan until fragrant, then while hot, spread the mixture evenly over every part of the meat, rubbing it repeatedly to help the salt penetrate. Next, pack the meat into a clean container, press a heavy weight on top, and leave it in a cool place to cure for a few days, turning it over once midway so the salty flavor is more even.

Once fully cured, take it out, poke a hole in one end of the meat and thread a string through it, then hang it in a well-ventilated, cool, rain-sheltered place to dry and air-cure. It is ready when the skin becomes oily and the meat tightens and hardens; if you prefer a softer texture, you can dry it for a few days less. The finished salted pork can continue to be hung in a ventilated place for storage; after the weather turns warmer, move it to the refrigerator to chill or freeze to prevent it from absorbing moisture and becoming sticky.

Salted pork is quite salty, so before cooking it is best to soak it in clean water for a while to reduce the saltiness before putting it in the pan. Whether steamed plain, stir-fried with seasonal vegetables, or stewed in soup, it is very suitable; cooking it together with fresh meat can also enhance the flavors of both. Note that the container and tools must be kept clean during curing, and it is not advisable to make it in seasons with higher temperatures, lest the meat spoil.