Bringing Nam Tra My smoked pork specialty to the streets

Huyen Thang smoked pork business (Nam Tra My). Photo: MINH TRANG

Local specialties business

Smoked pork is a traditional dish of the Ca Dong people in Nam Tra My. Since the beginning, they have thought of a way to smoke all kinds of meat from hunted animals to preserve it for a long time.

Over time, life has changed a lot, but in some remote villages, the Ca Dong people still choose this method to preserve meat, usually black pork and domestic pork.

Smoked pork specialty of the Ca Dong ethnic group in Nam Tra My. Photo: MINH TRANG

Ms. Ho Thi Ngoc Huyen said that many villages and hamlets in Tra Don commune are located deep in the mountains, without electricity or roads. While livestock and poultry grow well, people live mainly on self-sufficiency.

"When the number of livestock is large, they have to slaughter them to eat every day. In addition to simple processing methods such as boiling, cooking, stir-frying, most of the meat is hung in the kitchen to be used gradually, especially in winter," said Ms. Huyen.

Smoked pork is usually red or pink depending on the time it is hung on the stove. The meat has the characteristic aroma of black pork, a light burnt smell of smoke, and is especially less fatty than the usual way of processing. People often eat it directly, or stir-fry it, or cook it with wild vegetables.

Ms. Huyen boldly started a business with traditional smoked pork products. Photo: MINH TRANG

Originating from the thought of wanting to preserve the traditional identity of the Ca Dong people, about smoked pork in particular and smoked meat in general. While the number of pigs raised by people in Tra Don is quite abundant, they cannot find a stable output.

Besides, realizing that in Nam Tra My district there was no traditional smoked pork production facility, Ms. Huyen boldly carried out her startup idea.

Thinking is doing, in early 2022, Ms. Huyen started making dried pork to sell to people in the commune for Tet. With support, that time she sold more than 50 kg of dried meat.

Long term orientation

Even though she makes a large quantity, Ms. Huyen tries to make smoked pork in the traditional way, because that is the main factor to preserve the flavor of the dish.

Ms. Huyen introduces her products at fairs and markets.

According to Ms. Huyen, the secret to having delicious smoked pork is, in addition to choosing qualified pigs (mainly black pigs, pigs raised by villagers), she is also careful in the slaughtering hygiene stage. The meat is washed with salt, sliced ​​into thin, long strips, then dried on the stove. Cinnamon firewood is the main fuel to create smoke, to enhance the flavor and natural color of the meat.

After three years of business, Ms. Huyen's smoked pork brand has been positively received by consumers. For each kilogram of smoked pork, Ms. Huyen sells it to the market for 500-600 thousand VND/package/kg, on average selling 20kg per month, earning more than 100 million VND/year.

Ms. Huyen introduces smoked pork at the startup bus trip organized by the Provincial Women's Union. Photo: MINH TRANG

Currently, Ms. Huyen has registered the Huyen Thang smoked pork brand, located in village 1, Tra Don commune. Not stopping there, Ms. Huyen is considering a plan to produce OCOP smoked pork products in 2025.

"Before making smoked pork, I established a cooperative specializing in producing Tra My cinnamon essential oil, cinnamon powder and Ngoc Linh ginseng. But due to limited machinery and unstable electricity system, we had to temporarily stop. Now the facility will focus on developing smoked pork products, expanding the market for this product" - Ms. Huyen said.

Ms. Huyen (2nd from left) was honored by the Nam Tra My Women's Union as an outstanding startup in 2024. Photo: MINH TRANG

Currently, in addition to selling to users in the commune and district, Ms. Huyen also posts products on social networks, participates in introducing and selling smoked pork products at Ngoc Linh ginseng markets and participates in a startup trip organized by the Provincial Women's Union in Bac Tra My.

Her facility also contributes to creating jobs and increasing income for local people, through purchasing clean pigs and hiring workers to work directly at the facility.

Ms. Huyen said she is willing to participate in fairs in big cities if she has the conditions. With the characteristics of traditional products, simple processing, it will affect the preservation and usage time to some extent.

If applied according to regulations to meet OCOP product criteria, it will take more time and effort, but she is determined to do it to bring Nam Tra My specialties further in the future, so that local people will appreciate and preserve the way of making this dish.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/mang-dac-san-thi-heo-gac-bep-nam-tra-my-xuong-pho-3145142.html