According to legend, in April of the tenth year of Xining in Song Shenzong (1177), Su Shi went to Xuzhou to be the magistrate. Su Shi died by himself, joined the Dutch army, led the imperial military camp, and built dikes to protect the city with the people of the whole city. After more than 71 days and nights of hard work, Xuzhou City was finally saved. People all over the city have slaughtered pigs and sheep, carrying wine and vegetables to the government for comfort. Su Shi couldn't refuse. After accepting it, he personally instructed his family to make braised pork and gave it back to the people who participated in the flood control. After eating, the people all felt that the meat was fat but not greasy, crisp and delicious, and unanimously called it "giving back meat." Since then, "giving back meat" has spread around Xuzhou and become a traditional dish in Xuzhou.

In the third year of Yuanfeng (AD 1181), on February 1st, Su Shi was demoted to Huangzhou as an assistant envoy of Yong Lian. He cultivated land by himself, so he called this place "Dongpo layman". This is the origin of "Dongpo Meat".

During his stay in Huangzhou, he personally cooked braised pork and wrote his experience in Pork Eating Poetry. The braised pork cooked by Su Shi in Xuzhou and Huangzhou is only influential in the local area 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 Meat" when he was in Hangzhou for the second time.

Extended information

Generally, half-fat and half-lean pork is selected and cut into square pork about two inches in size as the ingredients.

after the dish is finished, it has thin skin and tender meat, bright red color, strong flavor and mellow juice, crisp and rotten but not broken, fragrant and waxy but not greasy.

when shopping, don't buy pork that sticks together. Don't buy too many ice crystals in the packaging bag. Don't buy those placed on the outer layer of the freezer.