Homestyle Braised Pork

Author: Modern Chinese Popular Cuisine Series Editorial Team
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Pork varies in nutrition and texture depending on the cut. Choosing the right amount of fat or desired texture when cooking will enhance the flavor and appearance of the dish.
1. Loin meat. It is the lean meat connecting to the large ribs below the spine. Without tendons, it is the most tender part of pork, with high moisture content and low fat content, and fine muscle fibers. Suitable for frying, stir-frying, braising, quick-frying, stewing, and marinating.
2. Hip tip meat. Located on the upper part of the pig's hip, it is mostly lean meat with tender texture, making it a good substitute for loin meat. Suitable for pickling, marinating, braising, stir-frying, and cold salads.
3. Hip buttock meat. Located above the hip tip meat and below the buttocks. It is all lean meat but slightly tougher with longer fibers. Suitable for boiling and braising.
4. Pork belly. It is the meat from the rib section, alternating layers of fat and lean, typically with three to five layers. Thin-skinned, with a balanced ratio of fat and lean, and tender texture. Best for braising, smoking, stir-frying, and stewing. Also suitable for pickling, marinating, smoking, curing, and steaming with rice flour.
5. Foreleg meat. Also known as "intermuscular meat," located in the upper part of the front leg, it is half fat and half lean, with tough texture and many tendons, making it ideal for meat fillings and meatballs. Also suitable for pickling, braising, stewing, and stir-frying. This part has a row of small ribs, called "small ribs," which are good for sweet and sour ribs or soup.
6. Fore-rib meat. Also called "upper brain meat," it is the meat near the pig's neck on the back, with lean meat interspersed with fat and tender texture. Suitable for rice flour meat and stewing.
7. Sow's udder meat. Located below the ribs on the abdomen, it has abundant connective tissue in a bubbly form, with poor texture. Generally used for cured meat or rendering lard, or for braising, stewing, or making crispy meat.
8. "Ball" meat. Located on the hind leg, it is all lean meat with fine texture, few tendons, and short muscle fibers. Suitable for stir-frying, pan-frying, and deep-frying.
9. Shank meat. Also known as "elbow," located at the lower part of the front and hind legs. The hind shank is better, with rich gelatin, thick skin, and many tendons. Suitable for braising and stewing.
10. Neck meat. Also called "blood neck" or "feed neck," it is the front part of the front leg connected to the pig's head, the cut area during slaughter, often with dirty blood, reddish meat, and no distinction between fat and lean. Poor texture, generally used for minced meat fillings and braising. P9-P10