1. Meat washing
It is recommended to use rice washing water to wash the meat as it will make the meat cleaner compared to just washing it with tap water.
2. Different ways to cook pork
– Shoulder meat: Suitable for boiling, slicing, or shredding for spring rolls, stir-fried noodles because they are tender and low in fat.
– Front leg: Boil the whole leg for ritual purposes or display on the altar. The bones can be removed, sliced, rolled, and wrapped in nem wrappers.
– Trotters: Used for simmering soups with vegetables such as papaya, lotus roots, or making fake cay. Can also be used for soups, noodles, porridge…
– Back fat: Used to render lard, fat water for dishes like onion fat or added to braised meat, braised fish…
– Mouse butt: Suitable for preparing food for children, elderly people because the meat is tender and low in fat.
– Spare ribs: Best for grilling. Can also be used for soup, savory Ramen, braised dishes.
– Pork belly: Can be prepared into many different dishes such as frying, braised Chinese-style, savory stir-fry…
– Hind leg: Indispensable for cooking dishes like braised Chinese-style, stewed bamboo shoots. Can be used for rice noodle soup, frozen meat, boiled…
3. Grilling meat
– Dip the meat briefly in boiling water so that when grilling, the meat is tender inside and crispy on the outside.
– When grilling meat with charcoal, it is not advisable to constantly flip it. Let one side cook first and then flip it, this way the meat will cook faster.
– If using an oven to grill, place a small bowl of water in the oven, the steam will help prevent the meat from drying out and becoming tough.
4. Braising meat
– To make braised meat tender quickly, you can add a bit of vinegar to the pot, it will make the meat tender quickly and also eliminate any unpleasant odor. Alternatively, you can add a piece of green papaya.
– Braised meat usually contains both lean and fat parts, sometimes the fat can make you feel greasy. A simple trick before braising is to soak the meat in diluted alkaline water, the meat will not feel greasy anymore.
5. Boiling meat
When boiling meat, it is recommended to rub spices on the meat and wait for about 10 – 15 minutes for the spices to penetrate. You can also add crushed dried shallots to help eliminate any unpleasant odor from the meat.
6. Meatballs
Meatballs should not be made entirely from raw sausage or lean meat as they will become dry. The ideal ratio for delicious meatballs is 70% sausage, 25% ground lean meat, and 5% starch. The meatballs will become tender, juicy, and more flavorful.
7. Quick defrosting meat
You can use a microwave to defrost meat or soak the meat in a bowl of water, it will soften the meat faster.
(Source: Compiled)
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