Dongpo pork is a famous dish in Hangzhou, which is popular in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Legend has it that it was created by Su Dongpo, a poet in the Northern Song Dynasty. Production method: cut pork belly into large pieces, put minced onion and ginger at the bottom of the pot, add wine, sugar and soy sauce, and add water to stew slowly. Dongpo meat is a famous dish in Hangzhou. It is stewed with pork. Its color, fragrance and taste are all good, and it is deeply loved by people. Slow fire, less water and more wine is the key to cooking this dish. Generally, it is a square pork of about two inches, half fat and half thin. It is fragrant, fat but not greasy, with bouquet, bright red color, strong juice and alcohol, crisp but not broken, and very delicious.

The origin of dishes

According to legend, it was created by Su Dongpo, a poet in the Northern Song Dynasty (Meishan, Sichuan). Dongpo meat originated from Huanggang, Hubei. 1080, Su Dongpo went into exile in Huanggang, where pigs were plentiful and meat was cheap, so he came up with this method of eating meat.

Zhou Zizhi in Song Dynasty wrote in Zhupo Poetry: "Dongpo likes pigs by nature. When he was in Huanggang, he tasted the poem "Eat pork":' Slow fire, little water, and only when the heat is enough can he be beautiful. Get up and play a bowl every day until your husband doesn't care. ""Later, Su Dongpo came back from Huangzhou in 1085 and returned to Kaifeng, the capital, as Changzhou and Dengzhou. Soon excluded, 1089 asked to be transferred to Hangzhou as a satrap, and developed Huangzhou's experience of burning meat into Dongpo meat. As a delicacy of Han nationality, it became popular in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

Dongpo pork is made in memory of Dongpo, not created by Su Dongpo himself.

The prototype of Dongpo meat is Xuzhou meat appreciation, which is one of the four treasures of Dongpo in Xuzhou.

In the tenth autumn of Xining in northern Song Shenzong (1077), the Yellow River burst and the flood did not return for more than 70 days. Su Shi, a well-known person in Xuzhou, personally led officials in the city to fight floods, finally defeated the floods, and built the "Su Causeway" the following year. The people thanked Su Dongpo for the benefit of the people, killing pigs and sheep in succession and sending them to the state capital with food and wine to thank Su Gong. Su Gong couldn't refuse, so he processed the meat and returned it to the people.

Su Dongpo's method of cook the meat can be seen in his "Stewed Meat Song": "Slow fire, little water, firewood can't afford to smoke, don't worry when cooked, it will be beautiful when the heat is enough." "Back to the meat" is characterized by fresh alcohol, oil but not greasy. Su Dongpo left four famous dishes in Xuzhou, including pork, golden toad playing with pearls, five-way chicken and drunken green shrimp. Later generations called these four dishes "Dongpo Four Treasures". Nowadays, in the restaurants on the streets of Xuzhou, you can still taste Dongpo meat with endless aftertaste.

Dongpo Meat was first created in Xuzhou. "Famous Cuisine in Ancient and Modern Xuzhou" records that when Su Shi became well-known in Xuzhou, the Yellow River burst, and Su Shi took the lead in building dikes to protect the city with the people of the whole city. Xuzhou people slaughtered pigs and sheep and went to the government to comfort them. Unable to refuse, Su Shi instructed his family to cook braised pork and return it to the people. After eating, people feel fat but not greasy, crispy and delicious, so they call it "Sichuan style pork". When Su Shi demoted Huangzhou, he sang "Cooking Meat": "Huangzhou is a good pork, and its price is as cheap as dung. The rich refuse to eat, and the poor don't know how to cook. Slow fire, less water, beautiful when the fire is enough. People began to imitate each other and dubbed it "Dongpo Meat". When Su Shi was appointed as the second magistrate of Hangzhou, he made great contributions to dredging the West Lake. When everyone gave him wine and meat to celebrate the New Year, Su Shi ordered pork and wine to cook for migrant workers. His family mistakenly thought that rice wine and pork were cooked together, but everyone felt crisper and better after eating. The reputation of "Dongpo Meat" slowly spread all over the country.

Su Shi was a famous great writer in the Northern Song Dynasty. He is not only profound in poetry and calligraphy, but also a gourmet in ancient China. He is also good at cooking, especially at braised pork.

The meat returned is braised pork created by Su Shi during his stay in Xuzhou. In April of the tenth year of Xining in Song Shenzong, Su Shi went to Xuzhou. On July 7, the Yellow River burst in Caocun, Zhuozhou. By August 2 1 day, Xuzhou was surrounded by floods, and the water level was as high as 20 feet. Su Shi died himself, joined the Dutch army, led the imperial barracks, and built dikes to protect the city with the people of the whole city. After more than 70 days and nights of hard work, Xuzhou City was finally saved.

Everyone in the city is very happy. In order to thank the well-led and well-known people, they died together with the people of Xuzhou, killing pigs and sheep in succession and bringing wine and vegetables to the government to comfort them. Su Shi can't refuse. After accepting it, he personally instructed his family to cook braised pork and gave it back to those who participated in the flood control. After eating, the people all feel that the meat is fat but not greasy, crispy and delicious, and unanimously call it "back meat". Since then, "back meat" has spread all over Xuzhou and become a traditional dish in Xuzhou. This is recorded in Xuzhou Literature and History Materials, Xuzhou Scenery Records and Xuzhou Ancient and Modern Famous Cuisine.

On February 1st, the third year of Yuanfeng, Su Shi was demoted to Huangzhou as assistant minister. He cultivated the land himself, so he called this place "Dongpo lay man". This is the origin of Su Dongpo. During his stay in Huangzhou, he personally cooked braised pork and wrote his own experience as "Eating Meat Poetry". Sushi's braised pork in Xuzhou and Huangzhou has only local influence and is not well-known in the whole country. The braised pork, which is really famous all over the country, is Su Shi's "Dongpo pork" when he was in Hangzhou for the second time.

On July 3rd, 4th year of Song Zhezong, Su Shi came to his post after fifteen years' absence. During May and June of the fifth year of Yuan You, heavy rain fell in western Zhejiang, Taihu Lake flooded and a large area of crops were flooded. Because Su Shi took effective measures as early as possible, the people in western Zhejiang passed through the most difficult period. He organized migrant workers to dredge the West Lake and build dikes and bridges to make it look brand-new. The people of Hangzhou are very grateful to Su Shi for this kind act. Everyone praised him as a clever official. I heard that he liked pork best when he was in Xuzhou and Huangzhou, so everyone carried pigs and wine to pay New Year greetings to him during the Chinese New Year. After receiving it, Su Shi instructed his family to cut the meat into cubes, burn it red and crisp, and then distribute it to the migrant workers who took part in dredging the West Lake. Everyone was surprised after eating it, and they affectionately called the meat he sent "Dongpo Meat".

Tracing back to the source, Su Shi's braised pork was first created in Xuzhou, further improved in Huangzhou, and became famous throughout the country in Hangzhou.