Preserved dishes are prepared by simmering or soaking pre-processed ingredients in seasoned broth, such as braised chicken and duck.Braised beef stomach,braisedtofu,braisedegg,etc.Although these preserved dishes have different red, yellow, and white colors, their sweet and savory flavors make them irresistibly appealing to consumers. However, the cost of preserving poultry can be quite high, making it a headache for many customers. Thus, some people buy pre-made braising liquid or mix their own, but they often end up with dark-colored preserved dishes without the yellow and white tones found in restaurant versions.The reason is that experts say this is due to not mastering the secret of red, yellow, and white broth preparation.Therefore, this article will introduce methods for making red, yellow, and white broths.

Preparing the broth is crucial for successful preserved dishes.The quality of the broth directly affects both the color and taste of the finished dish.Broth can be divided into three main types: red, yellow, and white.

Ingredients:Star anise 20g, cinnamon 20g, old-wood peel 50g, cardamom 8g, sand ginger 20g,Sichuan pepper 20g,fennel 15g, perilla leaf 20g, fresh ginger 20g, cardamom pod 15g, licorice 15g, dry red chili 100g, green onion 150g, ginger 150g, rock sugar 250g, rice wine 1000ml, dark soy sauce 500ml, coloring agent 50g,salt 200g, heated peanut oil 250ml,MSG 100g, bone broth 12kg.Method:Break the cardamom pod with a knife and crush the cinnamon stick. Cut the licorice into thick slices. Tie the green onions into bunches. Bruise the fresh ginger with a knife. Slice the dried red chili peppers.Pack the star anise, cinnamon, old-wood peel, cardamom, sand ginger, Sichuan pepper, fennel, perilla leaf, cardamom pod, licorice, dried red chili peppers into a spice bag and seal it tightly.Place the spice bag, tied green onions, fresh ginger slices, rock sugar, rice wine, dark soy sauce, coloring agent, salt, heated peanut oil, MSG, bone broth in the braising pot. Stir well to mix all ingredients.Yellow BrothIngredients: Safflower 150g, perilla leaf 100g, sand ginger 50g, Sichuan pepper 25g, fresh ginger 50g, cardamom 25g, stir-fried garlic cloves 150g, stir-fried fresh pomelo peel 150g,celery 150g, fresh ginger 150g, satay sauce 1 bottle, rice wine 1000ml, heated rape seed oil 250ml, curry oil 150g, MSG 200g, salt 230g, bone broth 12kg.Method:Cut the safflower with a knife. Tie the celery into bunches and bruise the fresh ginger with a knife.Pack the safflower, perilla leaf, sand ginger, Sichuan pepper, fresh ginger, cardamom, stir-fried garlic cloves, stir-fried fresh pomelo peel in a spice bag and seal it tightly.Place the spice bag, tied celery bunches, fresh ginger slices, satay sauce, rice wine, heated rape seed oil, curry oil, salt, bone broth into the braising pot. Stir well to mix all ingredients.White BrothIngredients: star anise 60g, sand ginger 50g, Sichuan pepper 25g,

white cardamom 25g, old-wood peel 50g, perilla leaf 50g, white 25g, green onion 150g, fresh ginger 150g, rice wine 1000ml, white soy sauce 1000ml, salt 120g, MSG 100g, bone broth 12kg.

Method:

Tie the green onions into bunches and bruise the fresh ginger with a knife.

Pack the star anise, sand ginger, Sichuan pepper, white cardamom, old-wood peel, perilla leaf, white in a spice bag and seal it tightly.

Place the spice bag, tied green onions bunches, fresh ginger slices, rice wine, white soy sauce, salt, MSG, bone broth into the braising pot. Stir well to mix all ingredients.

This recipe is suitable for 10-12kg of raw materials (reduce seasoning quantities accordingly for home use).Proper usage of spices, salt, and soy sauce: excessive spices result in a medicinal taste and dark color; insufficient spices lead to weak aroma. Excessive salt causes the dish to be overly salty and shriveled; insufficient salt results in bland flavor. Too much soy sauce makes the dish appear blackish; too little makes it unappealing.Spices and other seasonings should not be used for yellow or white broths. Avoid using spices that easily fade.

Broth should be prepared just before use to prevent the loss of aroma and save fuel and time.

Used broth can be saved and reused, improving its quality with each use due to the soluble proteins and other components accumulating over time.

Storage notes: regularly remove surface oil and scum; sterilize periodically; store in ceramic or white enamel containers only as metals react with salt in the broth, leading to discoloration and spoilage. Store in a cool, well-ventilated area away from dust and flies.

Replace spice bags after two uses. Add other seasonings each time raw materials are braised.

Note: With established old broth, bone broth or water can be used instead of bones, and the addition of oils is optional.

Raw material preparationClean thoroughly. Remove remaining hair and dirt from animal ingredients after slaughter.Initial knife work.Cut meat, intestines, liver into pieces; poultry and tofu do not need further cutting.Blanching.

All animal raw materials should be blanched before braising to remove impurities.

Key points during cooking:Use an iron pot for best results. Use a clay or sand pot if the amount of ingredients is small, as they have poor heat conductivity and prevent chemical reactions with the food.

Avoid using copper or aluminum pots due to their strong heat conductivity leading to rapid vaporization of broth and potential chemical reactions that affect color, flavor, and hygiene.Control the fire. Use low to medium heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Avoid high heat as it can cause the liquid to boil over, forming a film that becomes carbonized and darkens the broth or sticks to the ingredients.

Ensure proper doneness of raw materials by checking their texture with your fingers; firmness indicates undercooked, mushiness indicates overcooked, and softness with slight elasticity is perfect.There is too little spice, resulting in insufficient fragrance in the dish.Too much salt will make the dish taste excessively salty and cause it to become shriveled and dry;Too little salt will result in a lack of prominent freshness and aroma in the dish.Using too much soy sauce will give the finished product an unpleasant dark color;Using too little soy sauce will leave the flavor insufficiently fresh and savory.

II. Raw Material Selection: Yellow braising liquid or white braising liquid should not use soy sauce or other colored seasonings, nor should easily fading spices be used.

III. Do Not Pre-boil the Braising Liquid: The braising liquid should be prepared just before use to avoid the loss of aromatic essences and save fuel and time.

Braised dish broth from previous uses should be preserved for reuse.The more times a braising liquid is used, the longer its preservation period will be, and the better its quality and taste will become.This is because the soluble protein and other components in the braising liquid increase over time.Proteincomponents increase over time.

Preserving the braising liquid requires attention to the following points: 1. Skim off any floating oil and foam.Regularly skim off floating oil and foam, and frequently filter out impurities.2. Disinfect regularly.Disinfect daily in summer and autumn, or every other day in spring and winter by boiling the broth, then store it in a disinfected container.3. Use ceramic or white enamel containers for storage.Do not use iron, tin, aluminum, or copper vessels as they will chemically react with the salt in the braising liquid, causing discoloration and spoilage.4. Store in a cool, well-ventilated area away from dust.Cover the container with a fine mesh to prevent flies or other pests from contaminating the broth.5. Adding raw materials.The spice bag should be replaced after 2 uses.Other seasonings should be added each time the raw material is braised.

Note: After establishing an old braising liquid, bone broth is not necessary; water can also be used and no oil may be needed.

Preparation of Raw Materials for Braising

Cleaning and Sanitization.After slaughtering animal raw materials, all remaining hair and dirt must be thoroughly removed.

Initial Dicing.Meat, intestines, and liver should be cut into chunks.Poultry and tofu do not require further dicing.Blanching Treatment.All animal ingredients that need to be braised should undergo a blanching process before use.

Halving the Cooking Time.Animal raw materials requiring braising must first be blanched, then used for braising.

Key Points of Braising Raw Materials

Selection of Braising Pot.It is best to use an iron pot; if the amount of ingredients is small, a clay pot or sand pot works well.These pots have thicker walls and slower heat conduction, preventing excessive evaporation of the broth.They also prevent chemical reactions between food and the pot.Do not use copper or aluminum pots due to their strong heat conductivity leading to rapid vaporization of the broth.Copper pots can chemically react with the salt in the braising liquid, affecting the appearance, taste, and hygiene quality of the finished product.Control the fire well.Use medium-low or low heat, maintaining a gentle boil or simmer.Avoid using high heat as it will cause the broth to continuously splatter onto the pot walls forming a film that carbonizes into black particles and may adhere to the raw materials, affecting their color and flavor.High heat braising will not make the ingredients tender, nor will it prevent excessive evaporation of the broth.

Control the doneness of the ingredient.Braising should be stopped when the ingredient is soft or just before it becomes fully soft.A method to check the doneness is: if the ingredient feels hard upon touch, it is undercooked; if it breaks easily, it is overcooked (in the softening stage); if it feels soft with some elasticity and does not break, it is perfectly cooked.Boil with fire, the ingredients are not easy to become soft and mushy, and the broth will significantly decrease due to rapid evaporation.

It is important to control the doneness of the ingredients.Regardless of the texture being tough or tender and the time required for it to be cooked, the ingredients should be removed from the pot or turned off before they fully soften.

To judge: pinch the ingredient that has been boiled; if it feels very hard, it is undercooked;If it crumbles easily when pinched, it is overcooked (belonging to the stage of over-softening);If it is soft but slightly elastic and does not crumble, it indicates perfect doneness, i.e., the softening stage.