pjbooks Chapter 100 [Stubborn to the end]
Chapter 100 [Stubborn to the end]
Chapter 100 [Stubborn to the end]
"What do you think?"
Master Chen glanced at the camera, seemingly wondering if this was the topic of the video.
"The first level is just messing around."
Liu Zhuohao gestured with a hint of good-natured teasing, "The recipe says to add white sugar, but he can't find it? No problem, use fruit candy..."
Chocolate sauce, even cola—anything sweet will do!
"The main idea is to put whatever you want in the fridge, and it's supposed to be innovative, but it's really just like opening a blind box. As for the taste, it's all up to luck."
"If I'm lucky, I can barely eat it; if I'm unlucky, I have to eat what I made myself, even if I have to hold my nose."
As he spoke, he laughed at himself.
"The second level is probably like me, cooking exactly according to the recipe." Liu Zhuohao pointed to himself with a calm expression, "Strictly following the steps, the amount of grams, the heat, the timing, not a single detail is off."
"I don't aim for brilliance, I aim for stability."
"The food that comes out will at least be something that doesn't taste bad. I think I'm more like a food enthusiast than a chef."
As the tea steamed gently, his tone calmed, and he looked at Master Chen.
"The final level is what makes a real chef," he said. "They might only have a few common ingredients and seasonings at hand, and their tools might not even be the most suitable."
"But they can transform the ordinary into something flavorful, relying on experience, the control of heat, and an understanding of the essence of ingredients to elevate the quality of a meal, and moreover—"
He paused deliberately, then looked at Huang Weixiong and the other culinary graduates.
"Moreover, true chefs are often willing to put in the effort to study recipes."
"Write down what you've figured out on paper so that we enthusiasts have a reliable template to follow and can strive to reach higher levels."
After he finished speaking, the small rented room was quiet for a moment, with only the soft gurgling sound of the kettle.
Liu Zhuohao had his own plans; becoming a professional chef would be very troublesome.
This persona is difficult to maintain.
It's like how Huang Xiaochu, who often portrays himself as a great cook on variety shows, raises the expectations of viewers and fans too high.
If someone does anything bad on the show, they will immediately be ridiculed for having a fake persona.
To put it bluntly, a celebrity doesn't have that much time to study recipes and hone their basic skills. At most, they just cook for their family at home.
In terms of taste, it definitely leans towards personal preference.
But it was precisely because he elevated himself too much, and the people around him elevated him too much, that his public image collapsed.
But if you're a food lover, that's a different story.
Fans are much more forgiving. They are just like ordinary people, without any special professional skills. They just try to eat according to the recipe and then taste it.
Master Chen held the slightly warm teacup without saying a word, but his back straightened unconsciously, and the stiffness on his face from being stared at by the camera gradually eased, replaced by a hint of pride.
Huang Weixiong, Cheng Bing, and Yang Boran exchanged glances.
chef.
Are they good enough?
"Alright, we've had our tea and chatted enough." Liu Zhuohao stood up briskly, breaking the silence. "Almost half an hour has passed, the temperature should have dropped enough by now. Let's go check on the meat."
Huang Weixiong, who was still in a daze, suddenly snapped out of it, grabbed his camera, and followed.
The hind leg meat taken out of the refrigerator was already covered with a beautiful layer of white frost.
On the other side of the stove, the beef bones were slowly heating up in the cold water, and tiny bubbles of blood quietly rose to the surface.
Following the example of those who appraise antiques, Liu Zhuohao brought over the beef hind leg and said, "Master Chen, could you please take a look?"
"Okay, that's fine. Keep some ice nearby; you'll need to cool it down while you're pounding it." Master Chen checked it over and took out a square solid iron bar from the tools he brought. "Here, use this."
"There's a proper way to pound it; it's not about smashing it randomly. You have to follow the grain of the meat."
Liu Zhuohao arranged the meat pieces as instructed, surrounded them with ice, and raised the iron bar to smash them down—
"Hey, wait a minute!" Chef Chen called out, squatted down by the cutting board, and traced the grain of the meat with his fingers. "Look, the grain goes like this. It's not like you can just pound it down hard and smash it into mincemeat."
"We need to pound the meat along the grain, preserving as much of the grain as possible."
"This way, when you bite into the shaped beef ball, you can see that it retains this texture on the cut surface. The texture is bouncy yet chewy, rather than the cut surface being almost flat, where you can only taste the crispness and bouncyness."
Liu Zhuohao nodded as if he understood, then raised the stick again and carefully pounded along the grain of the wood.
This job is much harder than it looks; it's like using a sledgehammer to precisely strike a row of thin nails, requiring both force and precise control of the landing point.
There are many ways to make beef balls.
Watching his actions, Master Chen subconsciously spoke up, "The cheaper ones add starch and mix in some pork and chicken to reduce costs, making them chewy, but the beef flavor is diluted."
"Some people add some ingredients, like butter jelly or something, which makes the beef burst with juice, like those 'pissing beef balls' you see on TV."
"Next up are the pure meat beef balls we're making now, along with the salt, fish sauce, and fried garlic we'll be adding later..."
Besides sugar and pepper, all that's left is beef.
As he spoke, he pointed to the action in his hands, "Even so, there are different grades of pure meat beef balls. One type is like when you first start hammering, which is to pound the meat into a paste. Actually, there is not much difference between hand-pounded and machine-pounded ones."
"If you cook it and then tear it open, the meat inside will be loose and broken."
"The other type is what I'm telling you now, which is hand-beaten according to the grain. This is the real hand-beaten beef ball. When you cook it and tear it apart, you can see layers of texture. It has layers inside, instead of being loose."
As Liu Zhuohao listened, he could truly feel Master Chen's professionalism.
However, this was for a video shoot, and while he was pounding the beef and listening to his explanation, he couldn't help but quietly remark, "Master Chen, the different cooking methods must result in a significant price difference, right?"
"Of course!" Master Chen immediately understood and naturally continued, "Like the kind I just mentioned, which is mixed with other meats, the market price is at most forty or fifty yuan per pound. The beef flavor is not pure, and the taste is—well, hard to describe."
"Pure meat would cost at least 70 or 80 yuan, especially if it's hand-cut along the grain and you can see the layers —"
He held up two fingers and said, "The starting price is 120. The high price is due to the labor and effort involved."
"But then again, when it comes to food, it really depends on the individual." Chef Chen changed the subject, becoming very honest. "Some people think that 40 or 50 yuan is good enough. We have those in the market, and many people know that they have some other things mixed in, but they are still willing to buy them, mainly because they are cheap."
"Some people love the exhilarating burst of juice, while others prefer the bounce that makes it feel like a ping-pong ball."
"What matters most is that you like it yourself."
Liu Zhuohao nodded, his hands moving a little slower, sweat already beading on his forehead: "That makes sense. So, Master Chen, you're picky about food, what kind do you usually prefer?"
"Those forty or fifty won't fool you." Chef Chen shook his head. "When you eat beef balls, you're looking for the original flavor of beef. If you mix in other meats and ingredients, regardless of whether they're clean or not, the taste and texture just aren't what I like."
"As for the meatballs that cost 70 or 80 yuan, buying them from outside is enough. These are the common ones in our local market. I sometimes buy them when I'm too lazy to make them myself."
"But if it's a festival or holiday, when we pay respects to the gods and the whole family sits down for a meal, then it's definitely a different story."
A gentle look appeared on his face. "At times like this, I'm still willing to spend some time making it myself by hand. The ingredients are high-quality, the hygiene is reliable, and the taste is authentic."
"If the family eats well, offering sacrifices to the ancestors is also a way of showing filial piety."
Liu Zhuohao smiled but didn't reply, continuing to pound away in silence.
The iron rod rose and fell, striking the flesh with a dull, rhythmic "thud, thud."
tired.
This is the most direct feeling.
My forearm started to ache and feel heavy, and my thumb and forefinger felt numb from the shock.
He had only been pounding for about ten minutes, and the meat was just starting to show signs of becoming sticky; it was still far from the "smooth, delicate, and pinkish meat paste" that Master Chen had described.
Liu Zhuohao took a breath and glanced at Master Chen next to him.
The old master craftsman watched with his arms crossed, completely calm and collected.
He looks to be over fifty, but his physique is like that of someone in their early thirties, full of strength.
Those forearms were as thick as the thighs of those rather thin people.
"Are you tired?" Master Chen noticed his gaze and asked with a smile, his eyes full of laughter.
"I'm so tired."
Liu Zhuohao stopped, shook his sore arms, and smiled wryly at the camera. "Let me be honest with you all, I'm not usually a delicate person. I do a lot of work, as you can see from the videos. After setting up the breakfast stall, I still have the energy to set up the steak stall at night. I hold the spatula and tongs all night without letting go."
"But making these beef balls by hand is really hard on your arms."
"Unless you're particularly determined to experience it, I advise you not to try it lightly."
His expression was sincere, but with a hint of dissuasion: "It's not worth wasting half a day just to eat hot pot and having to strain your arm."
"Why not just go downstairs to a reliable butcher shop and buy a ready-made one? It saves time and effort, isn't that better?"
"Moreover—"
He paused, then looked at Master Chen beside him, "Master Chen, do you think my progress so far has been smooth?"
"Can I make real handmade beef balls?"
Yes, it was tough.
But hard work doesn't guarantee a good result.
He wasn't sure if doing this would allow him to make the beef balls that Master Chen described, ones that retained the muscle layers.
"It's about 70-80%, but since I didn't do it myself, it's hard for me to judge."
Master Chen glanced at the camera again and gave an ambiguous answer.
"Master Chen, here's how it is."
Liu Zhuohao put down the iron rod and pointed to the refrigerator, "We bought four pounds of hind leg meat. I'm pounding two pounds now, and the other two pounds are still in the refrigerator."
"Why don't you use that one and make one using your method too?"
"Once it's cooked, let's put ours side by side and compare them. Let's see where my imitation falls short compared to your authentic skill, so that our viewers can see clearly."
This suggestion came as a bit of a surprise.
Master Chen paused for a moment, glanced at Liu Zhuohao, then at the camera, a hint of hesitation flashing across his face, but he quickly nodded and said decisively, "Okay!"
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the refrigerator, his steps steady and without any sign of panic.
The camera remained focused on Liu Zhuohao, who lowered his voice and leaned closer to the camera, saying, "Let me make this clear first, I didn't write a script beforehand, and this is the first time I've met Master Chen."
"He has many years of experience making beef balls. I had only heard about it from others. When I invited Chef Chen over, I didn't tell him that I needed him to do it myself."
"I suddenly remembered the extra two pounds of hind leg meat at the market, but I didn't tell him beforehand. Now that he agreed so readily, I feel like he's really capable."
Appropriate interaction with the camera is very important for shooting videos.
To make beef bone soup, simply put the beef in cold water, blanch it to remove the blood, then rinse and simmer.
Although it took a considerable amount of time, the entire process consisted mostly of waiting.
Processing offal, tripe, honeycomb tripe, and side dishes takes only a few minutes.
But the beef balls, from preparation to shaping and cooking, were almost non-stop for Liu Zhuohao, except for the short time while waiting for them to cool down and having a few cups of tea.
The air was filled with the sweet and pungent aroma of beef, the complex scent of spices, and the increasingly rich fragrance of bone broth.
Time slipped away quietly amidst the dull thumping and rising heat, from setting out to shoot at the crack of dawn, through the blazing sun, and then into the slanting rays of the afternoon sun—
Nearly three hours.
Filming continued until after 2 PM before we could finally eat, which was also the end of the video.
In the center of the dining table, a soup pot on an induction cooker simmered with milky white soup.
A variety of side dishes were on display, but at this moment, everyone's attention was focused on the two steaming beef balls that Liu Zhuohao had just scooped up with a large spoon.
The two beef balls look almost identical.
"Come on, everyone, the most crucial moment has arrived."
Liu Zhuohao's voice carried a hint of fatigue, but was filled with excitement.
He picked up two meatballs with his chopsticks and displayed them side by side in front of the camera. "I deliberately mixed them together when I put them in the pot. Now—it's time to reveal the answer."
He didn't use a knife; he used his hands directly, and with a slight force from his thumb and forefinger, "sizzle."
The two balls were snapped open.
The close-up shot zooms in instantly.
The differences are obvious.
One meatball has a relatively flat cut surface with some tiny pores visible, while the other has a cut surface with clear, tree-ring-like textures, firm flesh, and distinct layers.
"I think everyone can tell at a glance which one is my creation and which one is Master Chen's creation without me having to say much, right?" Liu Zhuohao said with a smile, placing the two broken meatballs side by side on a clean white porcelain plate and pushing it in front of the camera.
He first picked up the one with a smooth cut, popped it into his mouth, his cheeks puffing out as he chewed vigorously, his expression resolute: "Hmm! Actually, I feel—what I made is quite good too! It's very meaty and has enough elasticity!"