Zhucheng Smoked Pork 诸城烧肉

Zhucheng Smoked Pork (诸城烧肉) is pork cooked in broth and then smoked in Zhucheng (诸城), Shandong (山东). Pork heads, trotters and intestines are among the cuts used. Its golden surface and light smoky flavour come from a second cooking stage over sugar and millet.

Broth cooking

The meat is cut, washed and marinated with a mixture of seasonings. It then goes into a pot containing water and old broth, with scallions, ginger and garlic. After the liquid boils, the heat is reduced and the pork simmers until tender.

The smoky finish

The cooked pieces are set on an iron rack above white sugar and millet in the bottom of a pot. Heat produces smoke and releases the millet's aroma. A lid traps this around the pork, colouring the outside while adding its smoky finish.