Families in Kaihua county, Quzhou, Zhejiang province have a custom of making preserved meat before the Spring Festival.

Curing meat also allows for long-term storage.

Kaihua residents usually cut the meat into strips of 1.5 or 2.5 kilograms and put them into a container.

The fresh pork is laid flat on the bottom of the container and stacked layer on layer with layers of salt in between. The container will be coated with kosher salt on all sides and a few large stones will be placed on the top.

The curing time depends on the temperature.

After about half a month, the meat is hung outside to dry on sunny days.

After that, pieces of meat will be hung on wire hooks over a wood-fired kitchen stove and slowly dried by smoke from daily cooking.

Several months later, the meat will be ready.

It can be steamed, fried, boiled or made into hot pot.

A dish of stir-fried preserved meat with green pepper. [Photo/qz123.com]