Introduction: When eating hot pot, the most agonizing dilemma is determining whether the food (meat) is fully cooked. This is not just a skill but also a true test of patience. This article provides a reference blanching time for various dishes, so you can enjoy hot pot without any more hesitation! With a wide variety of dishes when eating hot pot, how long should each item be blanched? Most people probably rely on experience, which often leads to situations where "the food is undercooked if blanched for too short, and becomes tough if blanched for too long." After visiting owners of some of the top 500 Chongqing hot pot restaurants, reporters found that even seasoned veterans in the hot pot industry have different opinions on this. Ma Ronghui, Director of the Academic Center at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University and a senior nutritionist, stated that although there are many types of hot pot and it's hard to determine the exact blanching time for each dish, one principle should be kept in mind: "safety first, the better cooked, the safer." After detailed experiments, nutrition experts have compiled the healthiest "hot pot blanching time chart".
Ordinary Meat:
Sliced beef and mutton, pork belly, crispy fried meat, etc. These are common meats in hot pot, but the thickness of the slices varies, so the cooking time also differs. Generally, they should be blanched for 10-15 minutes to be fully cooked.
Fish and Shellfish:
Eel, loach, shrimp, etc. Fish live in water and can carry many parasites or microorganisms. However, when eating fish and shellfish, some people prefer them fresh. Many diners often put blood loach, eel, etc., directly into the pot. In such cases, it's even more important to cook them for a longer time, at least 15 minutes or more.
Offal:
Tripe, duck intestines, aorta, etc. Many people like to eat tripe and duck intestines after just a quick blanch for a crispier texture. However, offal can contain bacteria, so it's recommended to blanch for at least 3-5 minutes before eating. For items like brain and blood curd, they should be cooked even longer, preferably for more than 10 minutes.
Vegetables:
Potatoes, green leafy vegetables, bean curd skin, etc. Vegetables fall into two categories. The first is green leafy vegetables, such as coriander, water spinach, and cabbage. Overcooking these can damage their water-soluble vitamins and affect their nutritional value, so generally, they should be blanched for no more than 1 minute. However, bean curd skin and dried tofu are rich in plant protein and can easily harbor bacteria, so it's safer to blanch them for at least two to three minutes.
Vegetables:
Potatoes, green leafy vegetables, bean curd skin, etc. Vegetables fall into two categories. The first is green leafy vegetables, such as coriander, water spinach, and cabbage. Overcooking these can damage their water-soluble vitamins and affect their nutritional value, so generally, they should be blanched for no more than 1 minute. However, bean curd skin and dried tofu are rich in plant protein and can easily harbor bacteria, so it's safer to blanch them for at least two to three minutes.