Chapter 677 - 534: Truly Master-Level Skills
But for Huang Jun, none of this is a problem.
With his skillful technique, he effortlessly slices the fatty meat into evenly thin slices, then further cuts them into strips and cubes.
These fatty cubes are exactly the same size as the lean meat cubes, akin to pomegranate seeds.
Once all the fatty cubes are neatly placed in a bowl, Huang Jun begins the next step—mixing the meat filling.
He puts them all into a large bowl at a ratio of three parts lean meat to seven parts fatty meat. This proportion makes the Lion’s Head fragrant but not greasy when eaten.
Then, he pours in some ginger scallion water that Chef Wu had prepared earlier.
This ginger scallion water is excellent for removing odors and enhancing freshness; it can carry away the unwanted smell in the meat and elevate the aroma to another level.
Moreover, the ginger scallion water makes the meat filling more tender, giving it a better texture when eaten.
Besides the ginger scallion water, he sprinkles some salt, pours a bit of Shaoxing wine, and adds some white pepper powder into the bowl.
Zhao Weiguang and Yu Daqing watch silently from the side, noting that Huang Jun doesn’t add any extra seasoning, having a clear understanding.
It seems...
Chef Huang indeed has a profound insight into the authentic preparation of the braised crab powder Lion’s Head.
He knows that the charm of the dish does not lie in the piling of seasonings, but in the clever way to make the freshness of the ingredients dance on the tongue, achieving a return to simplicity.
As the saying goes, "Great simplicity," the simpler the use of seasonings, the more stringent the demand placed on the freshness of the ingredients, the cooking fire, and the chef’s techniques.
Every detail requires meticulous attention, with no room for negligence, as any flaw will be revealed in the final product...
That said.
Can this young Chef Huang really handle it?
Huang Jun steadily holds the edge of the bowl with his left hand, while his right hand stirs the meat pieces in the bowl in one direction, until they gradually become cohesive and show considerable elasticity.
In this dish, all adhesive aids like starch are omitted, meaning the meat pieces must naturally gel together, which is undoubtedly a major test of skill.
Thus, simple stirring is not enough.
The "binding" technique must be used.
What "binding" means is not literally tying with ropes, but rather gently shaping the mixed meat filling into spherical shapes, then tossing them back and forth between the hands.
During this process, the small gaps between the meat pieces are squeezed out one by one, and the gel inside the meat is fully released, allowing the meat pieces to tightly bind together, ultimately becoming smooth spherical meatballs.
However, before "binding," Huang Jun further added some crab powder and shrimp roe.
This not only makes the Lion’s Head taste delicious, but also enhances its freshness.
After mixing the crab powder and shrimp roe well with the meat filling, he divides the meat filling into equal portions.
Then he begins to "bind" the Lion’s Head.
He scoops up the portioned meat filling from the bowl with his palm; this portion is slightly larger than an adult’s fist. In the world of Lion’s Head, this size is exceptional but also tests the chef’s skills.
Because as the Lion’s Head increases in size, the difficulty in crafting the meatballs also increases accordingly, not only making the "binding" process laborious but also at risk of the surface meat filling "rebelling" and spreading out due to its weight.
Huang Jun first kneads the meat filling into a smooth sphere, then appropriately squeezes it to expel the air inside the meatball, ensuring its compactness.
This step requires precision; too much force can make the meatball loose, defeating the purpose.
After squeezing...
He securely holds the meatball with his left hand, while his right hand lightly approaches the left hand, gently guiding the meatball to slide from his left hand to his right hand.
With several such rolling passes, he gradually increases the distance between his hands, causing the meatball to create a graceful arc in the air, leaping from one palm to another.
This is a meticulous task requiring patience and strength.
He needs to repeatedly toss the meatball to gel and adhere the meat pieces firmly.
This process takes a considerable time, at least half an hour.
Previously, the number of times a Lion’s Head was "bound" was fixed, but now most chefs take shortcuts by adding starch, allowing them to adhere without much effort in "binding."
However, the taste of a Lion’s Head with added starch is not as good.
Therefore.
In some quality-seeking upscale restaurants, the use of starch and other additives is strictly prohibited.
Only meat filling utilizing its own gel gives the dish a deliciousness that lingers, reaching the point where one "doesn’t know the flavor of meat" for months.
Huang Jun is well aware of this and firmly rejects the shortcut of adding starch.
Under his careful preparation, the originally somewhat loose meatballs gradually become full and smooth over time, with a more compact texture.
This compactness doesn’t mean the meatballs are as elastic as Chaozhou beef balls but rather refers to the careful compression of air gaps within the meat filling, making the meatball structure more compact, slightly reducing its size, and appearing more refined.
After completing the meatball preparation, Huang Jun arranges them neatly in a plate for later use, naturally turning his gaze to Chef Wu, kindly asking, "Chef Wu, is the casserole ready?"
The key to this dish lies in the stewing utensil; the casserole, with its unique material and heat retention, can maximize the aroma of the ingredients.
If using an iron pot, due to the lack of seasoning, the dish might pick up the metallic smell from the pot, affecting the final taste and flavor.
"Ready, I’ll get it for you!"
Chef Wu immediately understands and quickly brings a cleaned casserole, respectfully handing it to Huang Jun.
Huang Jun takes the casserole and places it on the stove.
He washes his hands, picks up a piece of already cooked and properly treated pork skin, laying it skin side up at the bottom of the casserole.
This not only prevents the Lion’s Head from sticking to the pot bottom and getting damaged but also uses the gel in the pork skin to add thickness and richness to the broth while locking the shape of the Lion’s Head, making it more complete and appealing and not loose.
Choosing cooked pork skin ensures no raw skin odor, maintaining the pure flavor of the Lion’s Head without any intrusion.
He gently places the smooth meatballs on the pork skin, arranging them with careful attention.
Then he slowly pours the warm pig bone broth that Chef Wu had prepped, the golden liquid gently flowing down the casserole edges until it completely submerges the Lion’s Head.
When the broth reaches eight-tenths full, Huang Jun gently turns the stove knob, instantly igniting blue flames.
Of course.
It’s not finished yet; more ingredients must be added to the pot.
Huang Jun picks up the washed napa cabbage leaves, removing the hard stalks, leaving only the tender soft leaves.
He spreads the leaves one by one, covering the broth until the casserole is fully covered with green, then stops.
Covering with napa cabbage leaves is crucial because they possess excellent absorption, effectively soaking up the blood water and scum released during the Lion’s Head cooking process, and also absorbing excess grease, making the broth clearer.
Not only that, but cabbage adds a fresh flavor to the broth and most importantly, prevents the broth in the pot from boiling violently.
Because Lion’s Head relies on the gel from the meat tightly binding together, excessive boiling could cause the Lion’s Head to break apart.
The layer of cabbage acts as a protective net, minimizing the likelihood of boiling the broth too vigorously; even if boiling occasionally occurs, the cabbage leaves effectively reduce its intensity, protecting the Lion’s Head from damage, ensuring its intact shape.
As the casserole begins to boil, Huang Jun lowers the heat to a simmer, keeping the broth at a gentle state to slowly infuse each bit of freshness into the meatballs.
Zhao Weiguang and Yu Daqing occasionally glance at Huang Jun making the braised crab powder Lion’s Head, observing his fluid motions and strict control over each step, realizing they truly lack skill compared to Huang Jun, like elementary students watching a college student solve problems.
Therefore.
Their previously dismissive attitudes quietly fade away, replaced by genuine respect and admiration.
"Look at how he makes Lion’s Head, every step so authentic, truly meticulous!"
"Indeed, incredible, absolutely master level. Seems we underestimated him before."