Why is Dongpo meat tied with a rope? You can't eat the rope, so you have to tie it up and untie it when you eat it. What does this mean? Don't you bother? This question has been hovering in my mind since I first ate Dongpo meat. At that time, I was still a curious baby who only asked adults. "Grandma, why is this meat tied with thread?" Grandma's answer at that time was also quite funny: "If you don't tie it, it will run away, and you won't be able to eat it." Snack goods were successfully fooled and believed for several years. # 上个个个个 #

Later, I asked an old man who could cook Dongpo meat. She told me that there was no reason, just to tie the tradition. That's what she taught and did when she learned it. She had to ask the person who invented it. # Eat food and gain knowledge #

OK, then you can only go back to history to find the answer. Dongpo pork was invented by Su Dongpo. As for the time and origin, opinions vary. Some people say that it was invented for concubines, while others say that it was invented for ordinary people when they were officials in Hangzhou ... It's really too difficult, so we can't go across to the Song Dynasty and ask him in person, can we? However, it was indeed Su Shi who invented the dishes, which was recorded in his "Pork Eating Poetry".

There is a version of the legend, which I think is quite interesting. It is said that Su Dongpo traveled all over the world to a place called "Aicheng" and saved a child suffering from heatstroke (this is in line with Su Dongpo's personality! Then, the parents of the child are farmers. In order to thank Su Dongpo for saving their lives, they bought pork and tied it back with a bunch of straw, hoping to ask Su Shi about his taste. As it happens, Su Dongpo is writing poems and lyrics, and his mouth is mumbling: "Wo-Cao-Zhen-Zhu-Touxin Xiang ..." The farmer thought it was to let him cook pork and grass together, and it was delicious. When eating, the food was served. Su Dongpo saw a piece of steamed meat, which was not cut, and was still tied with straw. He was shocked. The farmer said, "I went to ask you in the morning. Didn't you say,' Cooked with grass makes your heart fragrant'? Why didn't you eat it?" Su Dongpo suddenly realized that he was smiling. Unexpectedly, pork was mixed with the smell of straw, so it had a unique flavor and was delicious. Later, Su Dongpo offered to leave several times, but the host refused. According to Su Shi's temperament and personality, he should know that the life of the farm was hard, so he sneaked away while the host was out, leaving five or two pieces of silver and a note: "The host was very kind, but Dongpo left without saying goodbye." Only then did the farmer and his wife know that the benefactor turned out to be the world-famous Mr. Su Dongpo! The legend "Dongpo Meat" has spread to this day ...... # Gourmet #

This legend explains why Dongpo Meat has to be cooked with a rope, tied up and taken down. How troublesome it is? Can't we just not tie it? The answer is: no! The reason why Dongpo meat is tied with rope is to make the meat pieces not loose because of the hot air when cooking. Grandma's joke is not unreasonable. If pork belly is stewed for a long time, fat meat and lean meat will be layered and run away. Moreover, the mat rope (straw rope) is tied to the Dongpo meat, which incorporates the fragrance of straw, which can perfectly alleviate the greasy feeling of the meat and is also beautiful and generous! Because mat grass is not available at any time and place, sometimes cotton thread should be used, but the "gourmets" with sensitive taste buds will find that there is a big gap between the Dongpo meat made of cotton thread and mat grass. Only mat grass can give Dongpo meat a unique aura and taste! # Gourmet Life #

Finally, don't use an iron pot when cooking Dongpo meat. Dongpo meat stewed in casserole is the best. Have you learned anything? # Gourmet Heritage #