Colorful years

As night quietly fell, this extraordinary pig-slaughtering feast gradually came to an end.

The eldest and second eldest sisters bid farewell to their family with heavy hearts, promising to meet again next time. On their journey home, they were still immersed in the deliciousness and warmth of the meal, their hearts overflowing with gratitude and happiness.

For Shi Daya's family, this pig-slaughtering feast was far more than just a meal. It served as a bridge, carrying the warmth and deep affection of the family, while also witnessing their hard work and abundant harvest.

In the future, they will continue to uphold and pass on this precious tradition and custom, so that more people will have the opportunity to taste this unique and tempting delicacy.

In the following days, Shi Daya's family did not stop their busy work. They began preparing for the New Year by curing bacon and making sausages, which would be a comforting treat for their taste buds throughout the winter.

Shi Daya warmly invited several close female neighbors to help. They sat together, laughing and chatting, busily preparing delicious cured meat.

First, they carefully prepared a unique seasoning based on the golden ratio of 100 jin of meat to 3 jin of salt and 1 jin of Sichuan peppercorn powder. After the seasoning was prepared, everyone worked together to evenly and meticulously spread it on the fresh and tempting pieces of pork.

Then, these pork pieces, completely coated in seasonings, were carefully placed into a large, spacious vat, like little sprites awaiting a magnificent transformation.

During this time, Shi Daya always kept the vat of pork being cured in mind. Every few days, she would come to the vat to carefully check the progress of the curing. She would gently press the pork with her hands to feel whether the salt had fully penetrated; or she would lean close to the mouth of the vat, take a deep breath, and judge whether the aroma was strong enough.

And so, she tirelessly guarded the pork that was about to become a delicious dish, just to ensure that every piece was thoroughly seasoned and achieved the best taste.

Time slipped away quietly amidst everyone's anticipation and busyness, and in the blink of an eye, a week had passed. Finally, the important moment arrived: taking the cured meat out of the jar!

Shi Daya and the neighboring women happily took out the pieces of cured meat, which were already fragrant with salt, and then hung them neatly on the kang (a heated brick bed) above the hearth.

In the days to come, these cured meats will be smoked day and night over a gentle fire.

As time goes by, the originally tender pork gradually develops a different kind of luster: the skin gradually turns golden and crispy, as if it is covered with a dazzling golden armor; the lean meat changes from light red to deep red, with an enticing color, as plump as a ripe fruit; while the fat becomes more and more crystal clear, radiating a charming luster like white mutton fat jade.

When all the cured meats reach this perfect state, it means that the high-quality cured meat has successfully completed the entire curing process.

This meticulously crafted cured meat, regardless of the cooking method—steaming, stewing, or grilling—offers a unique and captivating flavor.

One bite, and the aroma instantly fills your mouth, intoxicating you. The taste is not only fragrant and leaves a lingering aftertaste, but it also makes diners unable to stop eating, and it's unforgettable for a long time.

Meanwhile, Zhang Zhong was also busy with the preliminary preparations for making sausages.

Next comes the crucial step of selecting ingredients and preparing seasonings. Based on his years of experience, Zhang Zhong strictly adheres to the golden ratio of 7:3, selecting the appropriate amounts of lean and fatty meat. He patiently minces the fatty meat into fine cubes, while the lean meat is sliced ​​into paper-thin pieces.

Subsequently, he precisely controlled the amount of various seasonings, using ten catties of meat as a standard, and prepared the seasonings according to the perfect ratio of two ounces of salt, one ounce each of Sichuan peppercorn powder and chili powder.

Of course, for those who have a particular fondness for Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers, they can increase the amount of these two seasonings as appropriate.

Next, Zhang Zhong stirred the ingredients with both hands until each piece of meat fully absorbed the aroma of the seasonings, making them perfectly blended.

After completing this series of tedious but crucial steps, Zhang Zhong handed the prepared minced meat to Shi Daya and the others, who were then responsible for the subsequent stuffing process.

Making sausages is a much more delicate task than curing bacon!

Before starting the stuffing process, the sausage casings must be soaked in warm water for a period of time to make them soft and elastic. Then, everyone carefully stuffs the prepared meat filling into the casings, gently squeezing as they fill to ensure that the meat is tightly packed without any gaps.

Only in this way can the sausages produced in the end present a plump and tempting shape, and both their appearance and taste will be highly praised.

Once all the sausages were filled, they were neatly hung in the yard to be gently caressed by the night breeze. Over the course of the night, the moisture on the surface of the sausages gradually evaporated, making them perfectly ready for the next step of smoking.