Chapter 1354 - 533: Slaughtering the New Year’s Pig, Making Blood Sausage and Pork Grease, the Aroma Is Irresistible! Chen Yuanyuan: Are You Trolling Me? [Subscription Request]

Chapter 1354: Chapter 533: Slaughtering the New Year’s Pig, Making Blood Sausage and Pork Grease, the Aroma Is Irresistible! Chen Yuanyuan: Are You Trolling Me? [Subscription Request]

In the countryside, there is a process to slaughter pigs.

A day in advance, the pig needs to be fasted, allowed to drink water, but not fed a single bite of pig feed. This makes the processing of ingredients like large intestines, small intestines, and pork stomach much simpler.

The fasting period cannot be too long.

If you fast for three or four days, the pig will become thin from hunger, and issues such as muscle relaxation and loss of fat may occur, which ultimately affects the taste of the pork, making it less flavorful.

This is why the butchers in the countryside used to bring the pigs home but wouldn’t slaughter them immediately.

Additionally, allowing the pig to roam around a bit before slaughter can help eliminate the pig’s stress and anxiety, making the bleeding more thorough and improving the quality of the meat.

Lin Xu, holding Dundun who was sleeping in the kang with the elders, arrived at the pigsty. His cousin Zhang Chunsheng was already there, with a cigarette clinched between his lips. He poured a basin of water into the water trough of the pigsty, saying to Lin Xu:

"Breakfast is being made inside. Once we’ve eaten breakfast, we’ll start. There are quite a few pigs today, and the work is heavy, so we need to eat well to have the strength to slaughter the pigs."

Lin Xu agreed and saw Shi Wenming set up a large iron pot and charcoal stove used only when doing rural banquets in the yard.

The blower blew, and the coal flared up brightly.

Second aunt Lin Hongxia, holding a hose from the faucet, was adding water to the cleaned iron pot.

Shen Jiayue and Chen Shaokang, Shi Moli, and other cousins somehow procured some roasted yellow crust pieces and were gathered around the large iron pot, eating while watching the commotion.

"Second aunt, how much water should we add?"

"It needs to be a full pot. We’ll need a lot of hot water later for scraping pig hair, so we have to boil a bit more now."

Not far away, cousin Jia Xingwang was squatting by the pool, meticulously sharpening the scraping knife.

This blade was modified from a saw blade, very hard and sharp, ideal for scraping pig hair.

Next to his pool, major uncle Chen Meide was busy washing one hook of meat after another. On both sides were freshly wiped clean racks, a total of three sets, which can suspend the whole pig for gutting.

Not only can it clean out visceral and connective tissue debris from the pig’s abdominal cavity, but it also further removes congestion, making the meat taste more delicious.

In the kitchen, Chen Meijuan was preparing breakfast.

Meanwhile, the eldest aunt Lin Hongxin was handling the spatula, stir-frying half a wok of table salt, mixed with Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, and other spices.

This Five-Spice Salt is used for curing meat. Rub it repeatedly on the surface of fresh pork, store it in a container for two to three days, and hang it up — then it becomes the commonly seen salted meat.

In the Yangtze River Delta region, this kind of meat is also called South Wind Meat.

Han Shuzhen and Shen Guofu got up slightly late. Upon arriving, they saw everyone in the yard busy working, and Old Shen immediately rolled up his sleeves and joined in.

While Han Shuzhen went to the kitchen to help.

Although her culinary skills were not proficient, she had no problem assisting next to Chen Meijuan.

For instance, at the moment, she was handling long chopsticks and a skimmer, flipping the leavened pastry that Chen Meijuan had thrown into the oil pot. This leavened, fried pastry was imbued with Five-Spice flavor, had a strong filling sensation, and was favored by those doing heavy labor.

On the stove next to her, pumpkin, millet, and mixed grain porridge, and vegetable lean meat porridge were simmering, although the vegetables had just been washed clean and the lean meat was marinating in a bowl, waiting for the porridge to finish cooking before adding.

Soon, the oil pastry was fried to a golden crispness on both sides and floated up.

Han Shuzhen retrieved it, first placing it on the oil holder set up above the oil pot to drain excess grease, then into a large bamboo basket nearby.

Inside the kitchen’s steaming cabinet, various steamed buns and rolls were being steamed.

"Is breakfast almost ready?"

Lin Hongqi walked into the kitchen, looked at the fried oil pastries in the pot, and couldn’t help but swallow.

This was his favorite food; when he was young, with two oil pastries down and a bowl of sour and spicy soup, he wouldn’t feel tired working in the fields all morning.

Chen Meijuan said:

"Once the frying is done, we’re ready. If you’re hungry, you can start eating first, as we’ll be slaughtering pigs later, so eat more."

Lin Hongqi looked outside, and carried the fried oil pastries out. Lin Xu’s cousins promptly gathered around, with each grabbing an oil pastry and sprinting away to play.

Chen Shaokang also produced two boxes of sparklers and various small fireworks bought last night from the nearby village’s corner store, boasting to his cousins as he ate.

Before long, breakfast was ready.

The whole family gathered in the dining room, serving the porridge they liked, eating oil pastries, and steamed rolls and buns, with steamed salted meat and soy sauce duck prepared by Lin Xu on the table.

Besides the meat dishes, there were various small pickles and salty pickles, along with the watermelon bean paste that Shen Jiayue couldn’t stop talking about.

"Are we starting the pig slaughtering after breakfast?"

"Yes, we’ll start after breakfast. Six pigs, might not be able to finish by noon."

Lin Xu bit into an oil pastry, its exterior crisp and interior fluffy, full of dough fragrance, with the scent of spices adding to the richness of the flavor.

Bit into an oil pastry, then picked a piece of pickled cucumber and took a bite.

The crunchy texture and savory taste not only reduced the greasiness of the oil pastry but also whetted the appetite.

"This pickled cucumber is so delicious, there’s chili in it, nice and spicy, absolutely tasty, it feels so good being home, everything here is delicious."

Shen Jiayue ate joyfully; when she was young, her family had no relatives and was impoverished, always envying neighbors with gatherings of family members during holidays.

Now finally being part of a big family filled her with a strong sense of happiness.

Chen Meijuan said:

"As long as you wish to eat, mom will make it for you every day."