Dingyuan Qiaowei Meat 定远桥尾

Dingyuan Qiaowei Meat (定远桥尾) is cured pork from Luqiao (炉桥), a town in Dingyuan County (定远县). Its distinctive cut comes from the pig’s rump and includes the tail. Seen from the front, the large piece resembles a round fan with a tail trailing from it, with rosy lean meat and white fat surrounding a short section of tailbone.

How it is made

The rump is cut around its circumference, then cured and repeatedly aired. Dingyuan County’s media centre describes the finished pork as slightly red and translucent, with a pronounced fragrance. Its name joins the qiao of Luqiao to the tail attached to the cut.

How it is eaten

Qiaowei can be steamed or boiled. One preparation stews it with rock sugar and winter bamboo shoots; the sugar is used to bring out the savoury flavour. Sanhe radishes (三和萝卜) from Dingyuan can replace the bamboo shoots when these are unavailable.