THE ROAST PORK.

THE ROAST PORK.

When ever you say ‘roast pork’ to a Chinese, the first thing that comes to mind is a wedding, a celebration, a festival day or some grand dinner.

During the old days in China, the villages rear pigs; these pigs were only killed and roasted for special days. There is a saying in China, ‘If you have few daughters, you are very lucky, you can have lots of roast pork to eat.’

This is because, when a daughter gets married, the groom has to give her parents a roast pig, as part of her dowry. If the groom is rich he may give a pair of roast pigs. Hence the saying, ‘more daughters you have, more roast pork to eat.’

Families who rear pigs only gets to eat the in-laws’ pigs. If their son gets married, they have to give the roast pig to his in-laws. His in laws would give him back the head and tail part of the roast pig.

For grand, special days, the pig is roasted whole, given as offering to the gods, then cut up for dinner or distributed among relatives and friends.
Even today, how many roast pigs you give or have for dinner shows your status in society.

Roast pigs were often roasted in huge oil drums with burning coals at the bottom or in huge clay ovens build for this purpose.
To day we can roast a small piece for dinner or buy a small piece at Chinese shops.

For best results it is best to use a Turbo Broiler or a fan force oven.
Roast pork can be marinated with just salt and pepper or like the old grandmother’s secret recipe, a little extra.

For a family dinner.
2 kilos belly pork, buy a whole piece that can fit in the broiler.
For a good crackle, wash, pierce the skin with the tip of a knife, and pour boiling water over the whole skin, dry well with paper towel.

Rub a lot of salt on the skin and a bit of salt and pepper on the meat. (For a better flavor, dry fry 1 tab.sp of seichuan pepper, pound till fine and rub on the meat side)

Place on plate, skin side up and leave in the fridge over night, this will help dry the skin.

This recipe is for a more authentic flavor.
Mix together

2 tabsp. Salt and ½ teasp. pepper for the skin.
Leave a bit for the meat side. Rub in a cube of the fermented bean curd. Use either the red or white ones (foo yee or lam yee) rub this only on the meat side, leave over night in the fridge.

Next day, stand the pork on a rack in the broiler, roast 20. Mins on high, 25 mins on med. And 20 mins back on high again, this will give you a good crackling skin. Leave to cool before cutting or the meat will fall apart if you cut it while still hot.

Copyright.gourmetchef.2005.