Chapter 20 Slaughtering the Pig for the New Year
It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, and Su Yun began his recovery period.
Life is always a mix of good and bad. The bad thing is that Su Yun's foot injury is serious, making it difficult for him to do many jobs anymore. The good news is that Ye Feng has fully recovered, and the young and middle-aged workforce is now officially online.
Su Yun slumped in the chair, with a cup of honeysuckle tea beside her, a thin fleece blanket on her lap, and the warm spring sunshine on her body. Su Yun lazily yawned, thinking that if she could have half a plate of melon seeds to eat, that would be perfect.
Because of his injury, Su Yun is basically a cripple, and can only stay in a recliner, directing Ye Feng to do his work.
We need to get rid of the wild boars and wolves in our yard as soon as possible. Although it's still spring, the weather is getting warmer little by little.
Suddenly we have so much meat at home, it will easily spoil if we don't deal with it quickly.
The wild boar that the night wind brought back weighed nearly a hundred pounds, almost as big as a saliva tank.
When Su Yun woke up this morning and saw it, he was really surprised. "My God, this pig is so fat!"
Night Wind scratched his head and said, "This is nothing, it's considered small. Sometimes there are mutated wild boars in the deep mountains, those are really big, about half the size of a house." Night Wind then gestured with his hand.
Su Yun stared wide-eyed in astonishment at the large circle he was gesturing with. "Half a house this big?"
"Yes! It's a pity we couldn't catch it. That pig's leg was almost as thick as a water vat. It was very strong when it ran, and it could kick stones away. Its skin was thick and its flesh was tough, so there was no way to get a grip on it..." Ye Feng recalled, looking regretful. "Otherwise, we could have eaten it for a long time."
As he spoke, he smacked his lips, looking quite regretful.
Su Yun: ...
Well, foodies really do have an unusual way of thinking.
If she saw such a big wild boar, her first reaction would be to run away as fast as she could, not to think about catching it and eating it.
But a wild boar the size of a small mountain must have a lot of meat. Braised pork trotters, grilled spare ribs, not bad at all...
Su Yun smacked her lips and decided to cook braised pig's trotters tonight!
So, under Su Yun's guidance, Ye Feng began to process the pork. "You have to put the pig's blood in a basin first, otherwise the blood will flow all over the ground later."
Ye Feng did as instructed and made a large cut in the pig's head to release the blood that had not yet fully congealed. In fact, it is best to bleed the pig as soon as possible after slaughtering it, otherwise the blood mixed into the meat will be fishy and smelly, which will seriously affect the taste of the meat.
Last night, Ye Feng cut off a piece of meat for her to make soup. Although wild boar meat is firm and delicious, it also has a really strong gamey smell. We were hungry, so we didn't have time to be picky and ate it all. Now we have to figure out how to properly prepare it.
While waiting for the pig to be bled, Su Yun had Ye Feng move the iron stove rack from the corner of the kitchen to the yard, set up a large pot on it, and started boiling water.
Once the fire is lit and the water starts to boil, the blood has been drained, and the next step is to shave the pig.
This wild boar is very wild; its fur is black and coarse, and you have to scald it twice with hot water before you can scrape it off with a kitchen knife.
Ye Feng, holding a kitchen knife, was eager to try and start removing the pig hair as Su Yun had instructed. He held the knife with great curiosity about this method of hair removal, "Is this how you do it? I used to just peel it off directly."
After hearing Ye Feng's words, Su Yun was slightly taken aback. "Just peel it and eat it? This... this is also a good way. Just remove the skin, it's really convenient. However, the skin is rich in fat and protein, I think we shouldn't waste it."
"Protein?" Ye Feng looked completely bewildered, not understanding at all.
Uh, I forgot that Nightwind is an orc. Academic terms like "protein" are a bit difficult for Nightwind to understand.
So she simply explained, "Yes, it tastes great once the skin is processed!"
"Delicious?!" Ye Feng quickly understood, using the simple and easy-to-understand term typical of foodies. He had always trusted Su Yun's cooking skills, and his enthusiasm for working suddenly rose to a new level.
Ye Feng picked up the cleaver and began to work according to Su Yun's instructions. The pigskin, scalded with hot water, emitted a puff of white smoke, and even the surface of the skin became hot. Fortunately, Ye Feng's hands were different from humans; his palms had thick pads of flesh, and the backs of his hands were also thick, hard, and solid, so this heat was no problem at all. So Ye Feng picked up the cleaver and, while the fur was still soft, quickly pressed down on the pork and began to shave the wild boar. In no time, the pig hair was completely shaved off, revealing the smooth pork.
The fire burned brighter and brighter, and when the water boiled again, Su Yun added a large spoonful of salt to the pig's blood in the iron basin, stirred it well, and then put it into the pot to steam.
Actually, if you have the means, making pig blood sausage would be a great option. But right now, only Ye Feng is busy, so Su Yun decided to keep things simple and just steam some pig blood and make a mustard green blood soup.
Looking at the steaming pot and then at Ye Feng, who was vigorously butchering a fat pig with a "heave-ho" sound, Su Yun had a fleeting feeling that it was Chinese New Year and he was slaughtering a pig for the New Year.
I remember when I was little, the happiest time was when we slaughtered the pig for the New Year. Back then, the farmers were kind and honest, and they were good to their neighbors. Whenever they saw that my grandma's family was going to slaughter the pig for the New Year, they would happily come over to help.
The large, fat pig, weighing over 200 pounds, struggled violently as it was dragged onto the chopping board, its screams deafening.
Everyone gathered around, some holding the pig's trotters, others its waist, forming a circle. The butcher worked swiftly, his knife flashing, and in a moment the pig was done. The pig's skin was scalded with hot water, and then he picked up a cleaver and began to skillfully remove the hair.
The crowd gathered around the large, fat pig, chatting and laughing, and lending a hand to help the butcher cut the meat. Then came a flurry of activity as the head, meat, and offal were separated.
The neighbor lady came over to lend a hand, taking the pig's blood from the large basin. In no time, the blood would turn into plump, juicy, and tender pig's blood sausage.
Set up a large pot, add a few pieces of pork bones to make a rich soup, add ginger, scallions, and garlic, then slice a large plate of pickled cabbage, pour in thinly sliced pork belly, and finally add blood sausage. Simmer over low heat for about twenty minutes.
The aroma wafted through the small courtyard with the boiling soup. Lifting the lid and sprinkling in a handful of chopped scallions, the fresh pork stew was ready.
The helpers gathered around the large pot, ladling out bowls of steaming pork stew. They took a satisfied sip, the rich, tangy broth flowing down their throats and into their stomachs, warmly dispelling the chill of the winter morning…
I really miss those days!
Although her maternal grandmother's family didn't slaughter pigs for the New Year very often, it still left Su Yun with many fond memories. Su Yun pulled herself out of her reverie and began helping Ye Feng with the work, following the methods she remembered for slaughtering pigs.
After shaving the pig's hair, they gathered firewood to completely remove any remaining stubborn hairs.
It's time to start dividing the meat.
Remove all the internal organs and set them aside.
Then came the ribs, pork leg, pork belly, fatty meat...
Su Yun lit another small earthenware pot, chopped up the pork bones, threw them into the pot to make soup. He believed that eating certain foods could help nourish the affected area, and Su Yun planned to give his injured ankle a good restorative treatment.
Cut the remaining pork belly into long strips, put them all into a bowl, pour in most of a packet of salt, rub and stir evenly, then string them together one by one with a rope and hang them in a cool, ventilated place.
Salt curing can prevent the growth of spoilage bacteria, and if stored properly, meat can be kept for one or two weeks without any problems.
Su Yun threw the remaining ribs, pig's head, and pig's trotters into hot water, then added white wine and blanched them in boiling water to remove the blood and odor.
Looking at Ye Feng's busy figure and at his own injuries, Su Yun decided to celebrate the New Year early and have a big meal today.
So she went into the kitchen and started cooking. Both stoves were lit, and on the right side, white fat was rendering lard.
An iron pot was set up on the left and heated up very hot.
Su Yun scooped up a full spoonful of lard and generously put it into the hot pot. This pig was quite fat, and half a pot of oil was produced. Su Yun no longer had to be stingy with the oil.
Cool!
Remove the firewood, heat the pot over a low flame, and before the oil boils, Su Yun put in the rock sugar and gently stir it with a spatula to start caramelizing it.
Once the rock sugar has slowly melted into a light brown liquid, the caramel color is almost done.
Su Yun quickly poured the blanched pig's trotters into the pot, filling a large bowl. With a "whoosh," the pig's trotters were stir-fried in the oil, evenly coated with a beautiful caramel color.
Su Yun stuffed a handful of firewood into the stove, stoked the fire, and began to stir-fry in the iron pot.
The fire was blazing, the iron pot was sizzling, and the pig's trotters, embraced by the intense heat of the fire, produced a wonderful dopamine, and the aroma began to waft from the pot.
Stir-fry until the color changes, then Su Yun throws in all the prepared star anise and cinnamon, and finally pours in a large spoonful of white wine. With a "sizzle," the aroma of wine mixed with the fragrance of pig's feet, along with the smoke, fills the air.
Su Yun held the spatula and stir-fried for a few rounds. Finally, she poured in enough boiling water to cover the pig's trotters, covered the pot, and simmered it over low heat.
On the other side, Su Yun found a large jar and happily filled it with all the oil that had been fried, while scooping out all the oil residue and putting it into a large bowl.
Then, the rock sugar was ground into powder and sprinkled evenly on the fried pork cracklings. Picking up a piece, the fried pork cracklings were crispy and sweet. With a gentle bite, the fat overflowed in the mouth, filling it with fragrance. Su Yun couldn't help but eat several pieces in a row.
"It smells so good!" Su Yun couldn't help but exclaim, picking up a few more pieces, feeling completely lightheaded.
Of course, she didn't forget to seek out the audience for their opinions, exclaiming, "Night breeze, come quick, this is delicious!"
Ye Feng was busy processing wolf meat by the well.
The aroma of braised pig's trotters had already wafted into the yard. Although Ye Feng was outwardly busy preparing the wolf meat, his heart was already in the kitchen. When Su Yun called him, he dropped everything without hesitation, washed his hands, and went into the kitchen.
He walked briskly, his fluffy tail swaying back and forth, and he poked his head out with bright eyes, asking, "What's delicious?"
Su Yun handed him the bowl of fried pork cracklings, her eyes full of anticipation. "Come and try it! Freshly fried pork cracklings, they're still very crispy!"
Ye Feng picked up a piece and put it in his mouth without even blowing on it. The outer skin of the fried pork crackling was very crispy, but when he bit into it, a soft and fragrant interior burst out. The rich oil, mixed with a little bit of powdered sugar, diluted the greasiness, and the taste was just right.
Ye Feng's eyes practically lit up; this perfect combination of oil and sugar had completely won him over.
"What is this? It's delicious!" Night Breeze chewed on the fried pork cracklings with satisfaction, his eyes narrowed into slits, and his tail wagged rhythmically and happily.
The joy of being a pet owner lies in seeing your pets eat happily; it fills you with satisfaction, even more so than if you were eating yourself.
Although she couldn't pet the cat, it didn't stop Su Yun from doting on the kitten. She shoved the whole porcelain bowl into Ye Feng's arms and said, "Here you go. This is called fried pork crackling. Hehe, eat more if you like it."
"Snacks?" Ye Feng didn't understand what it meant, but he was still very happy to receive a whole bowl. He held the bowl and was about to walk out when he suddenly seemed to remember something and turned back to ask, "Su Yun, aren't you going to eat some?"
Su Yun waved her hand and refused, saying, "No need, I can't eat these things yet. They're too 'heaty'."
"Heat?" Another word that the night breeze didn't understand.
"Uh, it means it's easy to get a sore throat or other heat-related symptoms."
"Getting a sore throat?" Ye Feng tilted his head, indicating that he didn't understand.
"Uh... it means I'll get sick..." Su Yun racked her brains and finally tried her best to explain.
Fortunately, Ye Feng didn't press the matter further, and with only a vague understanding, he took the bowl and went out.
Thank goodness, I almost ran out of words. Watching the child sitting carefree on the porch eating snacks, Su Yun wondered if she should find a way to teach the child more knowledge.
Hmm, looks like I need to start collecting more books.
After considering the issues of education and training for pets.
Su Yun continued to cook, still having plenty of oil left in the pan from frying the pork cracklings. She added some firewood, making the fire blaze, and the lard boiled again, sizzling in the hot pan. This time, Su Yun generously smashed a few cloves of garlic, chopped a few garlic leaves, and threw in a few small chilies. The spices were tossed into the hot oil, releasing their aroma. When the garlic cloves turned slightly yellow, Su Yun threw the prepared offal—liver, large intestine, small intestine, heart, and kidneys—into the pan and stir-fried them. The carefully selected seasonings not only masked the offal's odor but also added a rich flavor to the food.
After a quick stir-fry over high heat, seasoned with salt, the stir-fried pork offal is perfectly ready.
Meanwhile, Ye Feng had finished butchering the wolf meat and thrown it into the large iron pot outside to stew. The wild wolf had a strong smell and the meat was firm. After thinking it over, Su Yun decided that stewing the wolf in an iron pot was the best option. He grabbed a handful of star anise and cinnamon, half a bottle of white wine, and threw them all into the large iron pot. He didn't need to worry about the rest. As long as it was stewed long enough, even the toughest meat would be edible.
Today's lunch and dinner were very lavish: a big bowl of bright yellow pig's trotters, a white pork bone soup, golden and crispy pork cracklings, fragrant stir-fried pork offal, and a plate of refreshing stir-fried mustard greens.
With three dishes and a soup, daily meals are instantly elevated to a higher level.
Night Breeze was very satisfied with the braised pig's feet. It was braised, with a hint of sweetness, and it was both meaty and delicious. He only took one bite of the ear before taking off.
But seeing Su Yun's tightly bandaged wound, Ye Feng stopped eating and kept piling meat into Su Yun's bowl.
Su Yun: "That's enough, that's enough, I can't eat that much."
Night Breeze said seriously, "No, you're injured, you need to eat more."
Su Yun: "I'll just have some soup. The braised pig's trotters were for you. They're too oily. I can't eat too much, or my wound will get infected."
This is true. Oily food can easily cause internal heat. Although the bleeding stopped, it would be terrible if it became inflamed later. Su Yun only ate a few pieces of meat and spent the rest of her time drinking soup and eating vegetables.
Having been injured before, Ye Feng roughly understood what Su Yun meant by inflammation, so he changed his strategy and began frantically serving Su Yun soup.
Su Yun was both amused and exasperated: "That's enough, that's enough. You eat first, I can't drink that much."
The night breeze wouldn't give up, and then it started picking up the greens again.
Only after Su Yun put down her chopsticks and repeatedly said that she was full did she feel relieved enough to start eating.
The braised pig's trotters really suited Ye Feng's taste. He ate more than half a bowl by himself. In the end, Su Yun was worried that he would eat too much and have indigestion, so she forced him to put down his chopsticks.
When Su Yun took away the pig's trotters, Ye Feng stared at the pot of pig's trotters with wide, round eyes, looking very reluctant.
"It's not like you're not full, let's eat again tonight." Su Yun looked at Ye Feng's bulging belly and his reluctant expression, feeling both annoyed and amused. "There's still a pig's trotter, don't worry."
Upon hearing that there was one more, Ye Feng's eyes immediately lit up again.
Oh, this foodie!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com