The reason why braised and stewed products are popular all over the country and favored by consumers is inseparable from their own characteristics:
First, they have a unique flavor.
Under the influence of seasonings and pickling, the products have an attractive color, giving people a psychological enjoyment and stimulating their appetite. During the cooking process of braised and stewed products, the original flavor of the raw materials and the flavor of the braising and stewing sauce (mainly the aroma of spices) interact, making the products rich in taste and fragrant.
Second, they are widely practical.
Braised and stewed products can be eaten cold or hot, suitable for all ages. They can be served as cold dishes at banquets, or as side dishes, fast food, snacks, and travel food. They are easy to carry and are ideal for travel.
Third, they are easy to make.
Just prepare the braising and stewing sauce, and then cook the raw materials until they are done. If the products are stored for a certain period of time, they can be boiled in the boiling sauce for a few minutes to be preserved for several days.
The sauce used for braising and stewing after several uses is called "old sauce". The flavor and quality of braised and stewed products are best with old sauce, and the older the sauce (the more times and types of raw materials it has been used for), the better the flavor. For example, the products made with old sauce that has been used for chicken and pork many times are excellent, so "century-old sauce" is often regarded as a treasure.
The cooking methods of braising and stewing have many similarities, so people often refer to them as "braising and stewing". In fact, this is not the case. The sauce used for braising originally had to be made from soybean paste or bean sauce, but now it is mostly made from soy sauce or with added caramel color. The color of braised products is mostly reddish-brown or dark brown, and the sauce is usually used immediately and not kept for a long time. The products are often coated with a layer of thick sauce through the natural thickening of the sauce in the pot or by manual application. Many raw materials are marinated or fried before braising. The cooking method of braising is more popular in the north, while the cooking method of stewing is more popular in the south, so there is a saying of "stewing in the south and braising in the north".
1. Different raw materials
Stewing can use animal raw materials such as beef, chicken, duck, and internal organs, as well as plant raw materials such as dried tofu and winter bamboo shoots. Braising mainly uses animal raw materials, specifically meat, internal organs, bones, heads, and feet.
2. Different sauces
Stewing retains the stewing sauce, and the older the sauce (the more times it has been used), the better the taste of the stewed products, and the more valuable it is. The sauce used for braising is made fresh and used immediately, and the remaining sauce is usually thickened and poured over the braised dishes. The cooking method of braising is more popular in the north, while the cooking method of stewing is more popular in the south, so there is a saying of "stewing in the south and braising in the north".
3. Different finished products
Braised products: Use more spices, have a strong braising flavor, and the seasoning is heavy. Stewed products: Mainly use salt water, with less seasoning and spices, and a lighter color.
The preparation of braising and stewing sauces varies by region, with differences between the north and the south, and by the color of the seasonings, with red and white distinctions. There are two types of braising and stewing sauces: red and white. The general formula for red stewing sauce is 2000g of boiling water, 400g of soy sauce, 30g of salt, 10g each of star anise, licorice, and cinnamon, 2g each of Sichuan pepper, cloves, ginger, and scallion, 300g of rock sugar or white sugar, and 200g of Shaoxing wine. The formula for white stewing sauce is basically the same as that for red stewing sauce, except that the salt is 100g, and there is no soy sauce or sugar.
The general formula for northern stewing sauce is red stewing sauce: 2000g of boiling water, 400g of soy sauce, 50g of salt, 20g each of Sichuan pepper, star anise, and cinnamon, 100g of scallion, 50g of ginger, 200g of rock sugar, and 300g of Shaoxing wine.
In many regions, red rice or caramel color is added to the red stewing sauce, and the amount of soy sauce is reduced while the amount of salt is increased. Some regions use tea, curry powder, and "OK" sauce as the main seasonings when preparing stewing sauce, forming many flavors of stewing sauce. The preparation of sauce generally involves 2000g of boiling water, 400g of soy sauce (or 500g of bean paste), 50g each of Sichuan pepper, star anise, and cinnamon, and 10-50g of sugar. Sometimes red yeast or caramel color is added to enhance the color. To create unique flavors, various spices such as dried tangerine peel, licorice, cloves, fennel, cardamom, hawthorn, cardamom, and apple are often added. Additionally, there are some special sauces with distinctive flavors, which are briefly described as follows:
Braised sauce: Based on the general sauce-making method, in addition to adding red yeast for color, the amount of sugar is increased several times. During the braising process, 3/4 of the sugar is added first. When the product is tender and the sauce is thick, the remaining 1/4 of the sugar is added to the sauce and simmered over low heat while constantly stirring until it becomes a thick paste. Then, it is brushed onto the outer layer of the product. Suzhou's braised pork is made using this method. In some cases, the sugar is added to the pot before the product is removed, and they are simmered together until the sauce thickens, or sugar is added to the braised product after it is removed from the pot.
Sweet and sour sauce: The main flavor is sweet and sour. The sauce is thickened over the appropriate heat and coated onto the product. For example, Yangzhou's clear-braised pork ribs are made using this method. In the spicy Hunan region, when making traditional sweet and sour pork ribs, chili powder is added to the sweet and sour sauce to create a sweet, sour, and spicy flavor, which is also called sweet and sour sauce or sweet and sour spicy sauce.
Honey sauce: Products such as Shanghai's honey-coated small meat and honey-coated pork ribs are made using this method.
When making sauce, it is important to preserve the old sauce. The following points should be noted:
1. After use, remove the floating oil from the sauce and remove impurities. Hang the spice bag in a ventilated area. When cooking next time, add it back to the pot. After boiling the sauce, pour it into a clean container and place it in a ventilated area, covered with a breathable lid (to prevent dust and insects from falling in).
2. After boiling and pouring into the container, do not stir or come into contact with raw water. In summer, boil once a day. In winter, boil every 2-5 days. If stored in the refrigerator after cooling, the preservation period can be longer.
3. Since the sauce used for processing soy products is prone to spoilage, only a portion of the old sauce should be scooped out when processing soy products. After use, it should not be added back to the old sauce for preservation. It can be used as a seasoning for other dishes.
4. If the old sauce has been used for a long time, filter it through a clean gauze or fine sieve to remove impurities and add some spices to the sauce to purify it.
When making braised or stewed dishes, whether using old or new sauce, the following points must be noted:
1. For larger raw materials, they should be cut into appropriate sizes. For example, meat should be cut into 250-1000g pieces, and poultry should have their claws and wings removed.
2. For raw materials with strong blood, fishy, or gamey odors, they should be treated through marinating, scraping, soaking, and blanching.
3. It is best to use a long-necked clay pot or a clay pot for braising or stewing. For thickening the sauce, switch to an iron pot. To prevent burning, place a round plate or a homemade base pad at the bottom of the pot to prevent the raw materials from touching the bottom.
4. After adding the raw materials, bring to a boil and remove the foam. Use a round plate to press the raw materials to prevent them from floating above the sauce. Then, tightly cover the pot and try to avoid air leakage. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, keeping the sauce slightly boiling. Try not to open the lid during the process. If the heat cannot be reduced, add more water as needed.
5. For the same raw material, the time required to reach doneness may vary due to differences in origin, season, part, and tenderness. Therefore, during the cooking process, pay attention to this. If multiple raw materials are cooked in the same pot, add the tougher and slower-cooking raw materials first. According to the specific situation, add other raw materials separately to ensure that all raw materials are cooked at the same time.
6. If using a pressure cooker, the cooking time should be reduced by 4-5 times. After removing from the heat, do not immediately remove the pressure valve cover. The product should still be soaked in the sauce for a period of time. Generally, the flavor of products cooked in a pressure cooker is slightly inferior. 7. Attention should be paid to maintaining the characteristics of the raw materials. For instance, when making salted boiled soybeans, they should be simmered until they are very soft. However, for pig's stomach, it should not be overly tender and should retain a certain degree of toughness. Chicken should be kept with crispy skin and tender meat. If cooked for too long, the skin will become torn and the meat will become tough and lose its freshness.
8. Generally, pickled and braised products are eaten cold, so hygiene should be emphasized to prevent bacterial contamination. After the products are taken out of the pot, they should be protected from flies, mosquitoes and other insects. The hands and utensils that come into contact with the products must be clean.
9. Before the spices are put into the bags, they should be rinsed with warm water. This is especially important for white-braised products. Otherwise, it will affect the color of the products and make the soup appear dull.
Helper Machinery Group Co., Ltd.
