This allows the meat to mature quickly, and the bones, placed at the bottom of the pot, make the cooked meat more fragrant.

Seeing Lin Xu pick up the kitchen knife, Che Zai also brought over his own and joined him.

"Boss, do I need to trim the bones out?"

"Yes, trim them out. Later, we'll use them to line the bottom of the pot. That way, the meat will be even more fragrant when cooked."

Watching Che Zai's somewhat clumsy bone-trimming technique, Lin Xu advised, "Start cutting at the thinnest part of the hock. Push the knife blade against the bone and make a cut, then follow along the bone to slice through the tendons. Like that, you'll have the bone trimmed out."

This scene filled the faces of the other early-shift kitchen helpers with envy. He's truly worthy of being Lin Ji's number one employee! The boss is personally teaching him bone trimming. Assuming this guy doesn't jump ship, becoming the head chef is virtually a done deal. Sigh! So envious.

After trimming the bones from all the hocks, he placed them in the stockpot with the Pork Skin. Then, he added half a pot of fresh water and some Cooking Wine and began to blanch them.

This step is indispensable for making Crystal Pork Hock.

Only by boiling out all the blood can the hock achieve a clean color and a refreshing, firm texture.

As the temperature in the pot rose, scum started to float to the surface.

Lin Xu stood before the stove, spoon in hand, patiently skimming the scum. He waited until the water boiled vigorously and the amount of scum decreased.

After ten minutes, he removed the thoroughly blanched Pork Skin and washed it.

The hocks needed to boil a bit longer and were only removed from the pot once fully blanched.

Once the Pork Skin was cleaned, he scraped its inner side with a knife, removing as much residual fat as possible. This was crucial, as too much fat could affect the dish's appearance or, worse, prevent the broth from setting—an embarrassing outcome.

After all the Pork Skins were cleaned, he sliced them into fine shreds.

After slicing, he set them aside for later use.

By this time, the hocks in the pot were almost cooked through. He poked them with chopsticks, and when no blood seeped out, he used a strainer to scoop out the hocks and other meat.

He then brought the broth back to a boil and blanched the julienned Pork Skin a second time.

This made the Pork Skin even cleaner, enhancing the visual appeal of the Crystal Pork Hock.

After the second blanching, he scooped out the Pork Skin, rinsed it again, and set it aside.

Next, Lin Xu washed the bones and hocks again with warm water.

The rinsed hocks, both skin and meat, had whitened considerably.

The lean meat, which was originally red, even turned a light pink color.

This was a sign that the blood impurities had been boiled out.

He emptied and cleaned the stockpot, then arranged the cleaned bones at the bottom before placing the hocks back in, one by one.

He added enough fresh water to cover the hocks and lit the fire to cook them again.

Soon, the water in the stockpot was boiling.

Lin Xu carefully skimmed the scum again. Then, he added a small bowl of prepared Scallion segments, a small bowl of ginger slices, a handful of Sichuan peppercorns, and half a ladle of salt to the pot.

All the seasonings for cooking the hocks were now in.

"Aren't you adding other spices like star anise, Boss?"

"No. This dish relies on the natural fragrance of the meat. Too many spices would overpower its flavor."

When making Crystal Pork Hock, one must avoid any seasonings or spices that could impart color, as they would significantly mar the dish's appearance.

With these tasks completed, breakfast was ready in the restaurant.

Lin Xu carried a plate of chicken legs, prepared by the shift chef and now cooled, downstairs. Dundun, asleep in his little house, caught the scent of meat and shot out like a wild boar charging down a mountain.

"MEOW—"

"You're hungry, aren't you? Come and eat."

Dundun padded over to the service counter. He politely rubbed his head against Lin Xu's arm before lowering it to eat, a picture of good manners.

While Dundun was eating, Lin Xu returned to the residential complex behind the restaurant, went upstairs, and unlocked his apartment door with a key.

In the bedroom, his little lazybones seemed to be sound asleep.

He walked over and affectionately patted the fair shoulder peeking out from under the blanket, "Baobao, time for breakfast. Don't you have to go to work soon?"

Shen Jiayue rolled over, sleepily wrapping her arms around Lin Xu's neck, "Mmm… This Baobao has been sealed by the bed. I need a kiss to break the spell!"

Lin Xu kissed her forehead and cheeks, then asked with a smile, "Is that enough?"

"Not enough, not nearly enough! I need tens of thousands more."

Lin Xu: "…"

Are you Sun Wukong?

He gave the pouting Baobao's pert bottom a playful slap, "Quick, get up! The hocks are still cooking on the stove. If we don't head back, they'll be overcooked."

At the mention of food, Shen Baobao immediately sat up in bed, "Xu Baobao, could you get me a set of clean underwear from the wardrobe, and a Pikachu T-shirt and jeans… What's for breakfast? I'm so hungry."

"Millet pumpkin porridge, Scallion Oil pancakes, soy-braised meat buns, plus sweet and sour diced radishes and cold-tossed Pork Skin."

"Wow, that sounds delicious…"

She got up, freshened up in the bathroom, then slipped on a pair of kitty-themed toe socks and white sneakers. The young couple then headed out.

Back at the restaurant, they ate breakfast together. By now, the hocks on the stove were fully cooked.

Lin Xu turned off the heat, removed the hocks from the pot, and, while they were still piping hot, began to carve them.

The perfectly cooked hocks were a clean white and exuded a rich, meaty aroma. As he carved, Shen Baobao even sneaked a piece to taste.

"This meat is so springy, and the fragrance is so pronounced! It's a bit like the dipped lamb you make."

Hocks should cook for half an hour; they shouldn't be overcooked. In terms of cooking method, it's quite similar to the dipped lamb, which is eaten as soon as it's cooked through. Indeed, at this moment, the hock could also be eaten with a dipping sauce.

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