“Zhenjiang Meat”, also known as “Crystal Meat” and “Crystal Meat Hoof”, is a famous Zhenjiang dish famous both at home and abroad.

According to legend, more than three hundred years ago, there was a couple’s hotel in Jiuhai Street, Zhenjiang. One day, the shop owner bought back four pig's trotters and planned to eat them in a few days. Since they were naturally afraid of spoilage, they salted them with salt. But he never expected that his wife would mistake a pack of saltpeter bought for her father's firecrackers for refined salt. It wasn't until the next day that my wife went to find saltpeter to prepare firecrackers. She didn't realize it. She quickly opened the pickling vat and saw that not only the meat quality of the hoof had not changed, but the meat was firm, ruddy in color, and the hoof skin was white. In order to remove the smell of nitrate, he soaked it in clean water several times, blanched it in a pot of boiling water, and rinsed it with clean water. Then add onion, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, fennel, and water to the pot and simmer. The owner and his wife wanted to cook it at high temperature to eliminate its poisonous smell, but they did not expect that an extremely attractive aroma would emit from the pot after more than an hour. Zhang Guolao, one of the "Eight Immortals", happened to pass by this place and was also attracted by the fragrance. So he turned into a white-haired old man and came to the door of the small hotel and knocked on the door. As soon as the store door opened, the scent immediately wafted into the street. When people came to inquire, the shopkeeper's wife took out the pig's trotters and told them the truth: "The saltpeter in these hooves is wrong and can't be eaten." But the white-haired old man bought all four pig's trotters and immediately bought them. Started eating in the store. Because of the excellent taste, the more they ate, the better they became. In the end, I ate three and a half of them in a row before giving up. After the old man left, people knew that he was Zhang Guolao. The shop owner and everyone present tasted the remaining half of the hoof and found it extremely delicious. From then on, the shop used this method to make "salted meat" and soon became famous far and wide. Later, the shop owner considered the word "salt meat" to be indecent, so he changed it to "vegetable meat". Since then, "meat meat" has been famous both at home and abroad.

Zhenjiang meat delicacy was originally called "salt meat". Legend has it that in ancient times, a waiter at a hotel on Jiuhai Street in Zhenjiang mistakenly mistook saltpeter for salt-pickled pig's trotters. After cooking, the meat was red and skinned, smooth and crystal clear, and the marinade was transparent like crystal. It had a rich aroma and a mellow taste. Later, people thought the name "salt meat" was indecent, so it was changed to "crystal meat", which has been passed down to this day and has become a traditional specialty in Zhenjiang.

For more than 300 years, Zhenjiang crystal meat has always been famous in the north and south, and has new developments. For example, according to different parts of the hoof, it can be cut into various hoof pieces: part of the old claw meat on the front hoof is cut into slices, shaped like glasses. Its tendons are soft and delicious, and it is called "glasses dish"; The meat next to the front hoof is curved like a jade belt, which is called "jade belt hook meat"; the old claw meat on the front hoof is both fat and thin, fragrant and tender, and is called "triangle rib meat"; the piece on the back hoof is called "triangular rib meat"; The pure lean meat is called "Tian Deng Bang Dian". Its meat is tender and crispy, and is most loved by those who eat refined meat.

Although the meat dish is a cold dish, it is different from ordinary smoked and cured dishes. Its fine meat is crimson, although it is cold, it is tender and easy to melt. It does not clog your teeth when you eat it. The fat is removed from the fat, so it is not greasy when you eat it. The jelly is transparent and bright, flexible and not chewy, neither fat nor greasy. This dish is refreshing and appetizing, has an elegant color and good taste, and can whet your appetite. If paired with shredded ginger and a little balsamic vinegar, it will be even more delicious. If you drink morning tea with Zhenjiang delicacies and meat, the tea will be fragrant and the meat will be delicious. After a long time of sweet and fat, eating this will refresh your tongue and experience a wonderful experience, which will make you feel a great taste.