What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?

spednicquilting wrote:

> What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?

Don't overcook them. Some cooking methods are better than
others, but like chicken breasts, cooking them too much will
make them tough no matter how you do them.

Brining works really well with pork.
Lefty

"spednicquilting" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?
>

spednicquilting wrote:
> What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?

According to America's Home Kitchen, and Lefty, brining. Haven't tried
it myself yet, but I have some thawing for tonight's dinner, so I'll
brine them for as long as I can when I get home and give it a try
myself.

"spednicquilting" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?
>

Brine them and don't overcook them. A bit of pink in the center is perfectly
safe and much tastier than cooked to death.


--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

spednicquilting wrote:
> What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?

I can't bring myself to start brining pork. It feels as though I'm
acquiescing to the industry's stupid decision to breed the fat and
flavor out of the pig. I've had pretty good results lately with a
simple breading and slow baking technique. Season the chops, then
flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, then bake @325°F until just done. The
slower temperature gives you more wiggle room to avoid overcooking
them.

Second, more expensive way is to search out better pork to begin with.
This webpage describes the Berkshire pig breed and Kurobuto pork. I
haven't bought any from Lobel's (which is reputed to be a really good
company) but I have had other chops that were said to be from the
Berkshire breed. They were good, but pricey. I'm still looking for a
better place to get them. -aem

http://www.lobels.com/store/main/pork.asp

aem wrote:

> spednicquilting wrote:
>
>>What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?
>
>
> I can't bring myself to start brining pork. It feels as though I'm
> acquiescing to the industry's stupid decision to breed the fat and
> flavor out of the pig. I've had pretty good results lately with a
> simple breading and slow baking technique. Season the chops, then
> flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, then bake @325°F until just done. The
> slower temperature gives you more wiggle room to avoid overcooking
> them.

Point taken, and some people need to avoid the added salt,
though it's not a problem for me. Most people would do well
to just avoid overcooking their pork. It's a common problem.
Many still want to cook it to death like their parents did.

> Second, more expensive way is to search out better pork to begin with.

I completely agree. Use better ingredients and you'll
get a better result.

> This webpage describes the Berkshire pig breed and Kurobuto pork. I
> haven't bought any from Lobel's (which is reputed to be a really good
> company) but I have had other chops that were said to be from the
> Berkshire breed. They were good, but pricey. I'm still looking for a
> better place to get them. -aem
>
> http://www.lobels.com/store/main/pork.asp
>

I've had good experience with Lobel's.

--
Reg

aem wrote:

> spednicquilting wrote:
> > What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?
>
> I can't bring myself to start brining pork. It feels as though I'm
> acquiescing to the industry's stupid decision to breed the fat and
> flavor out of the pig.

I tried it a few times this year and I have to say that it was pretty
good.

Reg wrote:

> Point taken, and some people need to avoid the added salt,
> though it's not a problem for me. Most people would do well
> to just avoid overcooking their pork. It's a common problem.
> Many still want to cook it to death like their parents did.

I could not agree more about the over cooking. The salt is another matter. I
tend not to use a lot of salt in my cooking, but pork is one thing that I
always make a point of using lots of salt on.

"spednicquilting" > wrote in message
oups

What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?


Shirley Corriher talks about brining in her book "CookWise: The Hows & Whys
of Successful Cooking"

Corriher writes, "Brining is a way to increase the amount of liquid inside
the meat cells -- a way to make meat juicier."

" In the Test Kitchen we've brined pork chops in a solution of water, beer,
salt and brown sugar."

"When meat is soaked in a salt or sugar solution, some of the liquid will go
through the cell walls into the cells," Corriher writes. "Brining is a way
to increase the amount of liquid inside the meat cells -- a way to make meat
juicier."


In the Free Press Test Kitchen, we found that brining allows a cushion when
preparing foods that easily overcook and become tough and dry. For example,
brining is an almost foolproof method to ensure that chicken breasts or
bone-in chicken pieces on the grill will not come out dry.


To make a basic brine, dissolve one cup of kosher salt (or half as much
table salt) in one gallon of water. You can use other liquids besides water
and substitute sugar for a portion of the salt. In the Test Kitchen we've
brined pork chops in a solution of water, beer, salt and brown sugar.

When brining chicken pieces or other individual pieces of meat such as pork
chops, brine them only a few hours. Figure about two hours for chicken
pieces with or without skin and four hours for pork chops that are at least
1 1/2 inches thick.


Lefty

--
Life is for learning

Lefty wrote:

> "spednicquilting" > wrote in message
> oups
>
> What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?
>
> Shirley Corriher talks about brining in her book "CookWise: The Hows &
> Whys
> of Successful Cooking"
>
> Corriher writes, "Brining is a way to increase the amount of liquid
> inside
> the meat cells -- a way to make meat juicier."

Some where i think i read about using vinegar, or a strong vinegar,
salt, water solution for this 'brining' but i cant recall the reason,
taste i would assume, however i do remember the warning to keep the
brining short or the vinegar would dissolve the meat.

Any one familiar with this? Maybe i am just thinking of marinades and
not brining, but i seem to recall the vinegar solution as specifically a
way of 'brining'.

Ah! i just found a reference:

"It is absolutely incorrect to use pure vinegar only in any particular
marinade for pieces of meat in general or for joints of venison which
are tender; the corrosive action of the vinegar will destroy the flavor
of the meat. The use of vinegar alone is permissible only for very
tough joints of furred game such as those of wild boar, stag and
reindeer."

I think the above from A. Escoffiers "Guide Culinaire" is what i was
vaguely remembering.
---
JL

>
>
> " In the Test Kitchen we've brined pork chops in a solution of water,
> beer,
> salt and brown sugar."
>
> "When meat is soaked in a salt or sugar solution, some of the liquid
> will go
> through the cell walls into the cells," Corriher writes. "Brining is a
> way
> to increase the amount of liquid inside the meat cells -- a way to
> make meat
> juicier."
>
> In the Free Press Test Kitchen, we found that brining allows a cushion
> when
> preparing foods that easily overcook and become tough and dry. For
> example,
> brining is an almost foolproof method to ensure that chicken breasts
> or
> bone-in chicken pieces on the grill will not come out dry.
>
> To make a basic brine, dissolve one cup of kosher salt (or half as
> much
> table salt) in one gallon of water. You can use other liquids besides
> water
> and substitute sugar for a portion of the salt. In the Test Kitchen
> we've
> brined pork chops in a solution of water, beer, salt and brown sugar.
>
> When brining chicken pieces or other individual pieces of meat such as
> pork
> chops, brine them only a few hours. Figure about two hours for chicken
>
> pieces with or without skin and four hours for pork chops that are at
> least
> 1 1/2 inches thick.
>
> Lefty
>
> --
> Life is for learning

"Le Guide" shows two Brines, neither of which has vinegar. The marinades
have vinegar.

Use of vinegar is actually a subtle "cooking" process, where brines break
down the cells and infuses water.

Lefty
--
Life is for learning


"Joseph Littleshoes" > wrote in message
...
> Lefty wrote:
>
> > "spednicquilting" > wrote in message
> > oups
> >
> > What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?
> >
> > Shirley Corriher talks about brining in her book "CookWise: The Hows &
> > Whys
> > of Successful Cooking"
> >
> > Corriher writes, "Brining is a way to increase the amount of liquid
> > inside
> > the meat cells -- a way to make meat juicier."
>
> Some where i think i read about using vinegar, or a strong vinegar,
> salt, water solution for this 'brining' but i cant recall the reason,
> taste i would assume, however i do remember the warning to keep the
> brining short or the vinegar would dissolve the meat.
>
> Any one familiar with this? Maybe i am just thinking of marinades and
> not brining, but i seem to recall the vinegar solution as specifically a
> way of 'brining'.
>
> Ah! i just found a reference:
>
> "It is absolutely incorrect to use pure vinegar only in any particular
> marinade for pieces of meat in general or for joints of venison which
> are tender; the corrosive action of the vinegar will destroy the flavor
> of the meat. The use of vinegar alone is permissible only for very
> tough joints of furred game such as those of wild boar, stag and
> reindeer."
>
> I think the above from A. Escoffiers "Guide Culinaire" is what i was
> vaguely remembering.
> ---
> JL
>
> >
> >
> > " In the Test Kitchen we've brined pork chops in a solution of water,
> > beer,
> > salt and brown sugar."
> >
> > "When meat is soaked in a salt or sugar solution, some of the liquid
> > will go
> > through the cell walls into the cells," Corriher writes. "Brining is a
> > way
> > to increase the amount of liquid inside the meat cells -- a way to
> > make meat
> > juicier."
> >
> > In the Free Press Test Kitchen, we found that brining allows a cushion
> > when
> > preparing foods that easily overcook and become tough and dry. For
> > example,
> > brining is an almost foolproof method to ensure that chicken breasts
> > or
> > bone-in chicken pieces on the grill will not come out dry.
> >
> > To make a basic brine, dissolve one cup of kosher salt (or half as
> > much
> > table salt) in one gallon of water. You can use other liquids besides
> > water
> > and substitute sugar for a portion of the salt. In the Test Kitchen
> > we've
> > brined pork chops in a solution of water, beer, salt and brown sugar.
> >
> > When brining chicken pieces or other individual pieces of meat such as
> > pork
> > chops, brine them only a few hours. Figure about two hours for chicken
> >
> > pieces with or without skin and four hours for pork chops that are at
> > least
> > 1 1/2 inches thick.
> >
> > Lefty
> >
> > --
> > Life is for learning
>
>
>

Lefty wrote:
> "Le Guide" shows two Brines, neither of which has vinegar. The marinades
> have vinegar.
>
> Use of vinegar is actually a subtle "cooking" process, where brines break
> down the cells and infuses water.
>
> Lefty
> --
> Life is for learning

A friend of mine here at work reccommended that I brine pork chops for
an hour in a solution of water, vinegar, salt, brown sugar, garlic. I
did it last night. Some of the best, juciest pork chops I've ever
eaten! Will do this again for sure. Might experiment with the brine
solution, but it sure made a huge difference. I know because I cooked
some pork chops just a week or so ago from the same package, without
brining, and they were much drier, even though I was pretty careful not
to overcook. They were boneless, about 1" thick.

>
>
> "Joseph Littleshoes" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Lefty wrote:
> >
> > > "spednicquilting" > wrote in message
> > > oups
> > >
> > > What is the best way to keep pork chops juicy?
> > >
> > > Shirley Corriher talks about brining in her book "CookWise: The Hows &
> > > Whys
> > > of Successful Cooking"
> > >
> > > Corriher writes, "Brining is a way to increase the amount of liquid
> > > inside
> > > the meat cells -- a way to make meat juicier."
> >
> > Some where i think i read about using vinegar, or a strong vinegar,
> > salt, water solution for this 'brining' but i cant recall the reason,
> > taste i would assume, however i do remember the warning to keep the
> > brining short or the vinegar would dissolve the meat.
> >
> > Any one familiar with this? Maybe i am just thinking of marinades and
> > not brining, but i seem to recall the vinegar solution as specifically a
> > way of 'brining'.
> >
> > Ah! i just found a reference:
> >
> > "It is absolutely incorrect to use pure vinegar only in any particular
> > marinade for pieces of meat in general or for joints of venison which
> > are tender; the corrosive action of the vinegar will destroy the flavor
> > of the meat. The use of vinegar alone is permissible only for very
> > tough joints of furred game such as those of wild boar, stag and
> > reindeer."
> >
> > I think the above from A. Escoffiers "Guide Culinaire" is what i was
> > vaguely remembering.
> > ---
> > JL
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > " In the Test Kitchen we've brined pork chops in a solution of water,
> > > beer,
> > > salt and brown sugar."
> > >
> > > "When meat is soaked in a salt or sugar solution, some of the liquid
> > > will go
> > > through the cell walls into the cells," Corriher writes. "Brining is a
> > > way
> > > to increase the amount of liquid inside the meat cells -- a way to
> > > make meat
> > > juicier."
> > >
> > > In the Free Press Test Kitchen, we found that brining allows a cushion
> > > when
> > > preparing foods that easily overcook and become tough and dry. For
> > > example,
> > > brining is an almost foolproof method to ensure that chicken breasts
> > > or
> > > bone-in chicken pieces on the grill will not come out dry.
> > >
> > > To make a basic brine, dissolve one cup of kosher salt (or half as
> > > much
> > > table salt) in one gallon of water. You can use other liquids besides
> > > water
> > > and substitute sugar for a portion of the salt. In the Test Kitchen
> > > we've
> > > brined pork chops in a solution of water, beer, salt and brown sugar.
> > >
> > > When brining chicken pieces or other individual pieces of meat such as
> > > pork
> > > chops, brine them only a few hours. Figure about two hours for chicken
> > >
> > > pieces with or without skin and four hours for pork chops that are at
> > > least
> > > 1 1/2 inches thick.
> > >
> > > Lefty
> > >
> > > --
> > > Life is for learning
> >
> >
> >

salgud wrote:
> Lefty wrote:
> > "Le Guide" shows two Brines, neither of which has vinegar. The marinades
> > have vinegar.
> >
> > Use of vinegar is actually a subtle "cooking" process, where brines break
> > down the cells and infuses water.
> >
> > Lefty
> > --
> > Life is for learning
>
> A friend of mine here at work reccommended that I brine pork chops for
> an hour in a solution of water, vinegar, salt, brown sugar, garlic. I
> did it last night. Some of the best, juciest pork chops I've ever
> eaten! Will do this again for sure. Might experiment with the brine
> solution, but it sure made a huge difference. I know because I cooked
> some pork chops just a week or so ago from the same package, without
> brining, and they were much drier, even though I was pretty careful not
> to overcook. They were boneless, about 1" thick.

Vinegar is nasty. Putting vinegar on meat shows nothing but contempt
for the meat.

--Bryan

Food Snob wrote:

> Vinegar is nasty. Putting vinegar on meat shows nothing but contempt
> for the meat.

Not so. One of the tricks to good cooking is to stimulate all the different
tastes, and to do so in the right balance, and that is why so many good recipes
combine the elements of sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Vinegar is an acid, and
has an effect similar to lemon or lime juices. Aside from the great flavour
enhancement, it also tenderizes the meat. Sauerbraten is soaked in a vinegar
solution for two days. Most marinades have some form of acid in them.

salgud wrote:
>
> I've also cooked Sweet & Sour Chinese dishes for over 30 yrs. Still a
> favorite. Not as sweet as you get in most Chinese restaurants, somewhat
> tart. Which is exactly how I like it (and how, I'm told, it's done in
> China). Guess what makes it sour? Malt Vinegar. [snip]

Malt vinegar is good for sweet & sour. Have you tried Chinkiang black
vinegar? It's even better, I think. -aem

salgud wrote:

> Funny you shoud mention sauerbraten. I've been making it for years from
> the Good Housekeeping Cookbook, with a few mods of my own. But the meat
> (brisket) marinates in a pretty strong vinegar solution for 4 days.
> It's one of my favorite recipes, and I get raves on it every time.

I have to confess I have never done it. But I plan to. I came across a good deal on
beef when I was shopping the other day..... $2 per pound for beef road roast. I
didn't think it would be a greet roast but for that price I would use it for pot
roast, something I had only done once before but liked it and thought that was a good
time to do another.

When I started thinking about what would go well with the pot roast I thought about
Spaetzle. Then it hit me..... doh......... I could have made Sauerbraten and
Spaetzle, but my recipe said 2 days in the vinegar brine, so it was two days too late
for that. That special has been on for a while. I have there tomorrow for dog food.
If they have any more of those roasts left I will grab one or two. I can't complain
about $5.10 for a roast that two of us got two good dinners out of.


> I've also cooked Sweet & Sour Chinese dishes for over 30 yrs. Still a
> favorite. Not as sweet as you get in most Chinese restaurants, somewhat
> tart. Which is exactly how I like it (and how, I'm told, it's done in
> China). Guess what makes it sour? Malt Vinegar.
> Only an acknowledged "Food Snob" would call something as basic as
> vinegar "nasty". I guess if something isn't hard to get or expensive,
> it can't be tasty!
> Food Snob is probably like my ex - if a restaurant has a fancy name and
> high prices, the food must be good! I'll keep cookin' with my nasty
> vinegar.

aem wrote:
> salgud wrote:
> >
> > I've also cooked Sweet & Sour Chinese dishes for over 30 yrs. Still a
> > favorite. Not as sweet as you get in most Chinese restaurants, somewhat
> > tart. Which is exactly how I like it (and how, I'm told, it's done in
> > China). Guess what makes it sour? Malt Vinegar. [snip]
>
> Malt vinegar is good for sweet & sour. Have you tried Chinkiang black
> vinegar? It's even better, I think. -aem

Never thought about it. Been looking at the Chinese black vinegar for
years wondering what I could do with it. Now I know. Will pick some up
next time I'm at the Asian market and give that a try.
BTW, have you ever tried cilantro on Sweet & Sour. I just sprinkle some
chopped up on top of it. Absolutely delicious!

salgud wrote:
>
> BTW, have you ever tried cilantro on Sweet & Sour. I just sprinkle some
> chopped up on top of it. Absolutely delicious!

For more than a month I have had some cilantro plants growing faster
than I can use them, while it's apparently too early for the parsley to
grow well, so I've been putting chopped cilantro on everything. As it
happens we haven't had sweet and sour for a while but now it's in my
mind so probably will do it in the next few days. -aem

aem wrote:
> salgud wrote:
> >
> > BTW, have you ever tried cilantro on Sweet & Sour. I just sprinkle some
> > chopped up on top of it. Absolutely delicious!
>
> For more than a month I have had some cilantro plants growing faster
> than I can use them, while it's apparently too early for the parsley to
> grow well, so I've been putting chopped cilantro on everything. As it
> happens we haven't had sweet and sour for a while but now it's in my
> mind so probably will do it in the next few days. -aem

Should probably warn you, since I got to like it, I'm putting cilantro
on everything! Putting in on pancakes and cereal!

Dave Smith wrote:
> Reg wrote:
>
> > Point taken, and some people need to avoid the added salt,
> > though it's not a problem for me. Most people would do well
> > to just avoid overcooking their pork. It's a common problem.
> > Many still want to cook it to death like their parents did.
>
> I could not agree more about the over cooking. The salt is another matter. I
> tend not to use a lot of salt in my cooking, but pork is one thing that I
> always make a point of using lots of salt on.

I agree completely about the overcooking. My experience is that pork
seems to have a narrower "window" where it's done just right than
chicken or beef. Getting it to that point where it's nice and juicy
without overcooking is tricky, especially with a small piece, like a
chop. But after brining these chops the other night, I doubt I'll ever
cook pork chops any other way. If others feel it's "cheating", let them
work their tails off to get a chop half as juicey. Once you've brined
one this way, I doubt you'll go back. I'll leave the meticulous cooking
techniques to the pure of heart. A sinner like me will just sit back
and smile at them, with a belly full of juicy, delicious pork!

aem wrote:
> salgud wrote:
> >
> > BTW, have you ever tried cilantro on Sweet & Sour. I just sprinkle some
> > chopped up on top of it. Absolutely delicious!
>
> For more than a month I have had some cilantro plants growing faster
> than I can use them, while it's apparently too early for the parsley to
> grow well, so I've been putting chopped cilantro on everything. As it
> happens we haven't had sweet and sour for a while but now it's in my
> mind so probably will do it in the next few days. -aem

Based on our conversation in this thread, last week I bought some
Chinese black vinegar and made Sweet & Sour this weekend. I found that
I liked the flavor with the black vinegar, but missed the tartness I
can get with Malt Vinegar. Unlike most Americans, I don't like the
sugary syrup most Chinese restaurants serve here for Sweet & Sour. I
never order it out unless I know that the restaurant makes their S&S
less sweet. The black vinegar was tasty, but very sweet. So I ended up
adding malt vinegar to get the tartness. The combo gives a nice flavor,
somewhat richer than it is without the black vinegar. And I have a nice
big jar of S&S in my fridge! It keeps for a long time, so I'll have no
problem using it up.
Thanks for the tip!

aem wrote:
> salgud wrote:
> >
> > Based on our conversation in this thread, last week I bought some
> > Chinese black vinegar and made Sweet & Sour this weekend. I found that
> > I liked the flavor with the black vinegar, but missed the tartness I
> > can get with Malt Vinegar. Unlike most Americans, I don't like the
> > sugary syrup most Chinese restaurants serve here for Sweet & Sour. I
> > never order it out unless I know that the restaurant makes their S&S
> > less sweet. The black vinegar was tasty, but very sweet. So I ended up
> > adding malt vinegar to get the tartness. The combo gives a nice flavor,
> > somewhat richer than it is without the black vinegar. [snip]
>
> I don't think of it as sweetness exactly, but I know what you mean.
> It's like balsamic vinegar. Your combination sounds good. Now that
> you've got the black vinegar, try it in hot and sour soup, too. -aem

I've never made hot and sour soup. But I love the stuff. One of the
better Vietnamese restaurants in the Denver metro area makes the best
hot & sour I've ever tasted. Very spicy. If I could get their recipe,
I'd be mainlining and bathing in the stuff! Do you have a recipe? Is it
pretty spicey? If so, I'd love to try it.

salgud wrote:
>
> I've never made hot and sour soup. But I love the stuff. One of the
> better Vietnamese restaurants in the Denver metro area makes the best
> hot & sour I've ever tasted. Very spicy. If I could get their recipe,
> I'd be mainlining and bathing in the stuff! Do you have a recipe? Is it
> pretty spicey? If so, I'd love to try it.

Sorry, my favorite recipe for it is in "Mrs. Chiang's Szechwan
Cookbook," published some 30 years ago and still classic in my mind.
But it's in some packing box somewhere and I haven't found it.

You can make hot and sour soup as spicy as you like, using black pepper
and red chile flakes. Look for a recipe that includes fungi like tree
ear, and julienned bamboo shoots. Contrasting textures of ingredients
are an important aspect of the dish. -aem

aem wrote:
> salgud wrote:
> >
> > I've never made hot and sour soup. But I love the stuff. One of the
> > better Vietnamese restaurants in the Denver metro area makes the best
> > hot & sour I've ever tasted. Very spicy. If I could get their recipe,
> > I'd be mainlining and bathing in the stuff! Do you have a recipe? Is it
> > pretty spicey? If so, I'd love to try it.
>
> Sorry, my favorite recipe for it is in "Mrs. Chiang's Szechwan
> Cookbook," published some 30 years ago and still classic in my mind.
> But it's in some packing box somewhere and I haven't found it.
>
> You can make hot and sour soup as spicy as you like, using black pepper
> and red chile flakes. Look for a recipe that includes fungi like tree
> ear, and julienned bamboo shoots. Contrasting textures of ingredients
> are an important aspect of the dish. -aem

Got a few of those boxex somewhere in my basement too!
Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try.

salgud > wrote:

> I've never made hot and sour soup. But I love the stuff. One of the
> better Vietnamese restaurants in the Denver metro area makes the best
> hot & sour I've ever tasted. Very spicy. If I could get their recipe,
> I'd be mainlining and bathing in the stuff! Do you have a recipe? Is it
> pretty spicey? If so, I'd love to try it.

So, what kind of hot & sour soup is it, then? It is, you say, made by a
Vietnamese restaurant. This muddles the waters more than a bit. If it
is a Vietnamese soup, _canh chua_, it is much closer to the Thai _tom
yum_ than to any of the Chinese versions, which are usually
transliterated as _suan la tang_. In fact, there is hardly any
resemblance at all. Yet all of them can and are very often
translated/described as "hot & sour soup" - and rightly so.

Victor

Victor Sack wrote:
> salgud > wrote:
>
> > I've never made hot and sour soup. But I love the stuff. One of the
> > better Vietnamese restaurants in the Denver metro area makes the best
> > hot & sour I've ever tasted. Very spicy. If I could get their recipe,
> > I'd be mainlining and bathing in the stuff! Do you have a recipe? Is it
> > pretty spicey? If so, I'd love to try it.
>
> So, what kind of hot & sour soup is it, then?

I don't know how to describe it very well. It's spicier than any I've
ever had a the many Chinese restaurants I've eaten it in. It has the
"usual" ingredients, like bamboo shoots and those noodley things, but
there's more in it than that. I've notice some small, bright red bits,
and some bits of scallion. I'll have to take a better look next time
I'm over there, which will probably be a while, since I rarely go to
that part of town.

It is, you say, made by a
> Vietnamese restaurant. This muddles the waters more than a bit. If it
> is a Vietnamese soup, _canh chua_, it is much closer to the Thai _tom
> yum_ than to any of the Chinese versions, which are usually
> transliterated as _suan la tang_. In fact, there is hardly any
> resemblance at all. Yet all of them can and are very often
> translated/described as "hot & sour soup" - and rightly so.
>
> Victor

You know a lot more about the soup and the language than I do. I have
wondered about whether or not hot & sour was a Vietnamese thing, since
it's the only Vietnamese restaurant I can remember having it. In any
case, it's the best I've taste. I frequently buy and extra pint of it
to take home.

salgud > wrote:

> Victor Sack wrote:
> >
> > So, what kind of hot & sour soup is it, then?
>
> I don't know how to describe it very well. It's spicier than any I've
> ever had a the many Chinese restaurants I've eaten it in. It has the
> "usual" ingredients, like bamboo shoots and those noodley things, but
> there's more in it than that. I've notice some small, bright red bits,
> and some bits of scallion.

It sounds like a Chinese version, not anything like a Vietnamese or Thai
sour and hot soup, though bamboo shoots are sometimes encountered in
Thai tom yum versions. No noodley things, though.

Here is what appears to be a nice version said to be from Shanghai:
<http://www.student.nvcc.edu/home/chhuang/project2/soup1.htm>. I posted
it about a year ago.

Victor

Shanghai Style Spicy Sour Soup

Suan La Tang (Mandarin)

Materials
Shredded Meat 100 g
Dry Black Fungus 4 pcs
Dry Black Mushrooms 5 pcs
Shredded Doufu 1 pc
Shredded Bamboo Shoots 1/2 can
Shredded Solid pig blood 1/2 cup
Shredded Red Carrot 1 tbsp
Egg 1 pc
Spring Onion 1 stalk
Cornflour 3 tbsp

Sauce 1
Light Soy Sauce 2 tbsp
Red Vinegar 2 tbsp
Sugar 1 tbsp

Sauce 2
Sesame Oil 2 tbsp
Spicy Red Pepper
Oil 1/2 tbsp
Pepper some
Salt 1/2 tbsp
Chinese Parsley some

Steps
1) Soak the dry fungus and mushroom, clean and wipe dry, shredded
2) Whisk the egg with 3 tbsp of water and a little cornflour
3) Stir fry the spring onion, mushrooms with 2 tbsp of oil
4) Add 6 cup of water (approx. 1/2 liter) until boiled
5) Shred spring onion, add all shredded materials to soup
6) Add sauce (1) and cornflour solution, stir well until boiled
7) Pour the egg solution and stir gently until egg float on surface
8) Add sauce (2), mix well and until boiled for 1 minute, serve

Remark
tbsp - table spoon
Pig blood can be instead by chicken's - steam blood with 1/3 water in a
bowl until cooked
Pig blood - this material is not necessary, but better taste if applied

Victor Sack wrote:
> salgud > wrote:
>
> > Victor Sack wrote:
> > >
> > > So, what kind of hot & sour soup is it, then?
> >
> > I don't know how to describe it very well. It's spicier than any I've
> > ever had a the many Chinese restaurants I've eaten it in. It has the
> > "usual" ingredients, like bamboo shoots and those noodley things, but
> > there's more in it than that. I've notice some small, bright red bits,
> > and some bits of scallion.
>
> It sounds like a Chinese version, not anything like a Vietnamese or Thai
> sour and hot soup, though bamboo shoots are sometimes encountered in
> Thai tom yum versions. No noodley things, though.

I hadn't been to that restaurant in a while. I ate there yesterday. For
sure there was tofu, bamboo shoots, small bits of wonton, the dark
brown stuff that's sometimes used in Miso soup. No meat I could detect.

I also noted that it's a "Vietnames and Chinese" restaurant, which
probably explains the Sweet & Sour soup not being Vietnamese.

>
> Here is what appears to be a nice version said to be from Shanghai:
> <http://www.student.nvcc.edu/home/chhuang/project2/soup1.htm>. I posted
> it about a year ago.
>
> Victor
>
> Shanghai Style Spicy Sour Soup
>
> Suan La Tang (Mandarin)
>
> Materials
> Shredded Meat 100 g
> Dry Black Fungus 4 pcs
> Dry Black Mushrooms 5 pcs
> Shredded Doufu 1 pc
> Shredded Bamboo Shoots 1/2 can
> Shredded Solid pig blood 1/2 cup
> Shredded Red Carrot 1 tbsp
> Egg 1 pc
> Spring Onion 1 stalk
> Cornflour 3 tbsp
>
> Sauce 1
> Light Soy Sauce 2 tbsp
> Red Vinegar 2 tbsp
> Sugar 1 tbsp
>
> Sauce 2
> Sesame Oil 2 tbsp
> Spicy Red Pepper
> Oil 1/2 tbsp
> Pepper some
> Salt 1/2 tbsp
> Chinese Parsley some
>
> Steps
> 1) Soak the dry fungus and mushroom, clean and wipe dry, shredded
> 2) Whisk the egg with 3 tbsp of water and a little cornflour
> 3) Stir fry the spring onion, mushrooms with 2 tbsp of oil
> 4) Add 6 cup of water (approx. 1/2 liter) until boiled
> 5) Shred spring onion, add all shredded materials to soup
> 6) Add sauce (1) and cornflour solution, stir well until boiled
> 7) Pour the egg solution and stir gently until egg float on surface
> 8) Add sauce (2), mix well and until boiled for 1 minute, serve
>
> Remark
> tbsp - table spoon
> Pig blood can be instead by chicken's - steam blood with 1/3 water in a
> bowl until cooked
> Pig blood - this material is not necessary, but better taste if applied