What kind of spices and proportions are needed to braise pork well? This seems to be one problem, but it is actually two big problems. In previous questions and answers, I often said that the spice ratio of braised pork is not important, but it is undeniable that the addition of spices to braised pork products does play a crucial role in the overall flavor. Based on my experience, let me share in detail the spices and ratios needed to braise pork well.

1. Spices needed for braised pork

The first principle of matching spices with braised pork is to first look at the characteristics of the raw materials. All ingredients have different temperaments and personalities, and the corresponding spices are also different.

Take braised pork head meat as an example. Pig head meat has a strong smell, thick fat, fat texture, and slightly insufficient fresh flavor. This is different from the characteristics of other parts of meat. When matching spices, we should focus on removing fishy odor and greasiness, and then enhance the fresh flavor.

Among the spices that have an obvious effect in removing and covering up the smell of pig head meat are: Angelica dahurica, kaempferia, galangal, white komong, etc. Those that enhance the aroma include: star anise, cinnamon, cumin, etc., those that relieve greasiness include tangerine peel, licorice that blends various flavors, cloves that add aftertaste, nutmeg that adds freshness, and komong that softens bones and flesh, etc.

2. The spice ratio needed to braise pork

Next, I will recommend a recipe to my friends. Let’s take a look at the mystery of the spice ratio:

25 grams of Angelica dahurica, 8 grams of tangerine peel, 8 grams of cloves, 25 grams of white cardamom, 15 grams of kaempferol, 15 grams of galangal, 25 grams of star anise, 15 grams of licorice, 15 grams of grass fruit, 15 grams of Amomum villosum, and bay leaves. 8 grams, 15 grams of cardamom, 10 grams of cinnamon, 8 grams of angelica root, 15 grams of cumin, 8 grams of coriander seeds, 15 grams of peppercorns, and 20 grams of nutmeg.

This is a recipe specifically for braised pig by-products. To be honest, this is a recipe passed down online. I think it is very classic. The reason why it is classic is because I have experimented with it and it tastes good. Not only does the ingredients work well, but the proportions are also very good.

This formula still uses Angelica dahurica, cinnamon, grass fruit, and clove as the central axis of spices. Because it is a by-product of braised pigs, Angelica dahuricae is used with star anise and white komong to remove the fishy odor. Kaempferia spp., galangal, caoguo, and amomum villosum help you remove foreign substances and increase fragrance. In the past, cinnamon was the main ingredient in braised pork and was relegated to the seasoning. Cloves and coriander seeds are added to the sauce.

I think this should be the "three times three" principle in the typical spice ratio, which means that there are three types of monarch ingredients, minister ingredients, and auxiliary ingredients as the formula skeleton. In order to further remove the smell of pig by-products and enrich the aroma, Sichuan peppercorns, cumin, bay leaves, etc. are added on this basis.

Although the overall proportion does not follow the "three-level medicinal dosage" principle of our previous braised pork spice proportions, the proportion of monarch, minister and assistant is still very distinct.

The ratio of spices is so mysterious. We are not the original authors, so when analyzing this ratio, we cannot just talk on paper. Only by experimenting more and tasting more can we feel the spice formula. More profound than that.

When it comes to the spice ratio for braised pork, I think that to braise pork well, just having a spice ratio is not enough. There is also a ratio that should be paid attention to, and that is the ratio of spices to raw materials.

3. The ratio of spices and raw materials needed to braise pork well

This is also the key point of braised pork. Add more spices, and the braised pork will have a Chinese medicinal flavor, which is basically Difficult to enter. If the spices are put in too little, the effect of removing fishy smell and increasing aroma will not be achieved.

In my experience, the total proportion of spices accounts for about 1%-2% of the raw materials, that is, 5g-10g of spices per kilogram of raw materials. This ratio can basically remove the fishy smell and add flavor to the raw materials without giving off the smell of traditional Chinese medicine. This is just an intermediate number. The specific amount of spices depends on the temperament and characteristics of the raw materials and the quality of the spices.

In view of the particularity of pig by-products, I suggest that the spice ratio be set at 1.5%. The above recipe uses about 260 grams, which can brine about 35 pounds of pig by-products.

The above is my real experience, I hope it can be a reference for everyone. Due to limited time, I wrote it a little hastily. Friends who like knowledge about brine and spices can also leave messages in the comment area below to exchange ideas. This is just my personal opinion, and I hope the brine masters will criticize and correct any deficiencies.