Chinese Cold Meat Appetizers?

[mudbug]

Open to any and all insight on recipes, Chinese and English names:

(cold beef appetizer = jiang niu rou)

(cold pork appetizer = ???), etc.

I can't seem to find what I'm looking for anywhere else so I'm hoping to find something useable here.

Edited October 16, 2005 by mudbug (log)

[hzrt8w]

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Cold meat appertizer? Do you mean something like roast pork and suckling pig? Haven't we seen this before?

Jelly fish (aka rubberband)?

Pork front leg?

White boiled chicken?

Drunken chicken?

Braised beef slices?

Lo Shui goose?

[mudbug]

Thanks hzrt8w, looking primarily for the beef which looks like it's been flattened, rolled into a log, then sliced, hence the spiral look. As I said above, I searched but didn't find what I was looking for so steer me in the right direction if this is the case.

Also interested in cold pork.

I'm personally at this time not looking for poultry recipes but I'm sure others would benefit. I don't know if I count the jellyfish as "meat" per se but it of course would be found on the same platter, so if someone has a recipe, then sure.

[hzrt8w]

Thanks hzrt8w, looking primarily for the beef which looks like it's been flattened, rolled into a log, then sliced, hence the spiral look. [...]

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mudbug: I don't think I have seen a spiral shape beef slices. Most of the beef slices we eat as cold cut appertizer during a Cantonese banquet are simply:

Use a piece of ngau jeen [Cantonese]. I don't know the name of that cut in English. It's the equivalent of a "forearm" in cows. Use some water to boil the meat first for a few minutes. Then drain the beef and rinse it under cold water. Wash off the "blood mud". Use a pot, add lo shui [Cantonese] - Chinese Marinade, dark soy, some water, brown sugar, add more five spice - either powder or just star anise. Slowly simmer this mixture with the beef for at least 2 hours (maybe 3). Take it out. Cool it to room temperature, then thinly slice it.

RE: cold pork.

That's the pig's forearm also. In Chinese, it's call Yuen Tai [Cantonese]. I don't know how it's made. I will post if I run across anything.

RE: Jellyfish

Jellyfish are sun-dried then reconstituted. Nowadays they are usually sold in a refrigerated package, ready-to-serve. Just rinse the jellyfish with some cold water. (They are already pre-cut. If not, cut it to 1/8 inch strips). Add sesame oil, red vinegar and sprinkle some sesame on top. That's it.

[Shalmanese]

(cold beef appetizer = jiang niu rou)

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My parents make this, take a piece of lean meat with lots of connective tissue and no bones, I think the top round is usually used. The method is similar to hzrt8w's ngau jeen. Blanch it to purge the blood, then simmer in a mixture of dark soy, 5 spice and water for a long time (sometimes overnight). Slice thin, arrange on a platter and sprinkle some chopped raw garlic, finely chopped cilantro and light soy over the top.

The excess braising liquor can be chilled, have the fat skimmed off and then cut into cubes. The cubes are excellent added to soup for an extra hit of flavour.

[hzrt8w]

Use a piece of ngau jeen [Cantonese].  I don't know the name of that cut in English.  It's the equivalent of a "forearm" in cows.  [...]

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Got it... the cut is beef shank - with some tendons attached.

[hzrt8w]

[...] Slice thin, arrange on a platter and sprinkle some chopped raw garlic, finely chopped cilantro and light soy over the top.

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Yeah. Raw garlic. That's great! Maybe use a blender to blend the fresh raw garlic in a little bit of oil? I have seen restaurants made it as a condiment.

[wesza]

One of the most popular Cold Meat appetizers served in Shanghai/Peking Restaurants is made from Mutton, shaped into rectangular jellied pieces and thinly sliced to order garnished with diced spring onions.

Since it's often sold by pointing to the displayed piece by customers many aren't aware that it's Mutton but it's delicious.

Irwin

[Jon Tseng]

There is a killer recipe for "Spiced Duck Cold Cuts" in the Pei Mei Cookbook vol 2, FYI

ta

J

[mudbug]

Thanks all, definitely steers me in a direction.

hzrt8w and Shalmanese, could you please be more specific with measurements or ratios of the ingredients? I could guess but I'm sure it wouldn't be what you all are thinking. And what kind of oil are you suggesting to rub over the top? Peanut oil? Seasame oil? I think I may add a hint of scallions to the marinade.

Jon Tseng, yum... have you tried the duck recipe yourself?

Edited October 17, 2005 by mudbug (log)

[hzrt8w]

hzrt8w  and Shalmanese, could you please be more specific with measurements or ratios of the ingredients?

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mudbug: okay, let's try this version:

Use a piece of ngau jeen [Cantonese] - beef shank.

Use a pot of water (just enough to submerge the piece of beef shank). Boil the water, add the beef shank to cook for about 2 minutes. Take out the shank and rinse under cold water. This step is to "cleanse" the blood in the meat.

Use a pot, add lo shui [Cantonese] - Chinese Marinade, dark soy, some water. The quantity to use depends on the size of the shank. Mix the above in a 1:1:2 ratio, or even 1:1:3 ratio. Mix enough to cover at least 70% of the shank.

Add 2 to 3 big pieces of rock sugar. Or if you use grain brown sugar, about 7 to 8 tblsp. Add some star anises (8 to 10) and other "five spice" spices (whoe spice) if you have them. e.g. 2 tbspn of cloves, 1 stick of cinnamon, 1 tblsp of cumins.

Simmer this mixture with the beef shank for at least 2 hours (maybe 3). Take it out. Cool it to room temperature, then thinly slice it.

Drizzle some sesame oil on top when ready to serve.

[Shalmanese]

We use a piece of beef that fits relatively snugly in your pot, mix up about a 1:1 or 1:1.5 mixture of dark soy to water and then add enough 5 spice so that it tastes 5 spicey. I dunno, maybe 2tbsp but taste it as you go along. Fill the marinade so that it goes about 1/2way up the beef, keep it at a medium simmer and periodically flip the meat and cook for at least 3 hours, overnight is best.

The meat *will* be overcooked at the end of it, thats ok. This is probably more like a corned beef style recipe than a braise so don't worry if it seems dry at the end. Remove from the marinade and cool completely. Then, slice into very thin slices against the grain. Paper thin if you can do it. The thinness of the slices ensures that it will be tender.

You need to chop the garlic, not mash it or blender it, you don't want any of the garlic juice leaking out otherwise it will be acrid. Maybe 4 - 5 cloves worth chopped fine and sprinkled over. Maybe 5 or 6 sprigs of cilantro chopped coarsely as well. Then, just sprinkle over enough light soy so that it is seasoned. No oil in our recipe although a few drops of sesame seed oil wouldn't go amiss.

Incidentally, if you've been reading the jook thread, a cube of leftover braising liquor and lots of cold beef is *excellent* for jook the next day.

[mudbug]

Fabulous! I look forward to trying this. Thank you so much for the input hzrt8w & Shalmanese.

By all means, still feel free to continue with insight on pork and chicken...

[hzrt8w]

mudbug: if you can read Chinese, this site would be great for you.

Anyway, this page is specifically on making beef shank:

Beef Shank Recipe (in Chinese)

Roughly it's similar to how I make it. But I forgot to mention using cooking wine.

Per their recipe:

- 3 slices of ginger

- 1 lb of beef shank

- 2 cups of water

- 2 star anise

- 4 tsp of ShaoHsing cooking wine

- 1 cup of dark soy sauce

- couple pieces of rock sugar

Cooking instructions:

- Boil water, add beef shank and cook briefly, strain and run under cold water.

- Combine the above ingredients and bring to a boil, add beef shank, reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour.

[mudbug]

hzrt8w, I can not - which is why I've posted a couple of questions to the forum already regarding what specific characters say.

Thank you for the detailed follow-up an the recipe!

[hzrt8w]

mudbug: Here is an English version of the beef shank recipe from another site. Looks almost identical to the one cited earlier. Don't know who is copying whom.

http://www.hkcg.com/tgweb/eng/cooking/reci...tent.asp?con=28

[hzrt8w]

I have illustrated my interpretation of this popular dish:

Beef Shank Braised with Five Spice and Soy Sauce (五香牛腱)

[mudbug]

Many thanks hzrt8w. I will be trying this soon...