Lam Tin sour meat - Muong Vang flavor fermented from memories

From a traditional dish during the holidays and Tet of the Muong people, sour meat has now become a specialty branded OCOP in Lac Son district, Hoa Binh province (old), now Lac Son commune, Phu Tho province (new). In particular, Lam Tin sour meat, a product from a small kitchen of a household in Lac Son commune, is gradually asserting its position with its distinctive flavor, serious investment and culinary culture story imbued with Muong identity.

Sour meat products of Lam Tin sour meat production facility, Lam Hoa 2 street, Lac Son commune are popular in the market, with the typical flavor of Muong Vang region.

From rustic dishes to OCOP specialties

In Muong Vang area, Lac Son district (old), now Phu Tho province, sour meat was once called "sour salted meat", a way of processing and preserving meat to keep it for a long time. The dish is prepared by naturally fermenting pork mixed with rice bran and typical spices such as garlic, chili, and Doi seeds. Over time, the dish is not only used during the harvest season but has become an indispensable dish in Tet holidays, weddings, and welcoming distinguished guests.

In Vu Binh commune (old Lac Son district), now Lac Son commune, Phu Tho province, Lam Tin sour meat production facility of Mrs. Bui Thi Tin, Lam Hoa 2 street is one of the first establishments to produce sour meat in the direction of goods, bringing traditional dishes to the OCOP market. Sharing about her career, Mrs. Tin said: "Making traditional dishes is not only for sale, but also to preserve the flavor of my hometown. Making clean, delicious products while telling the story of my hometown - that is what I have pursued from the beginning until now".

Since 2016, Ms. Tin's family has started small-scale production, selling to tourists and restaurants in the area. Thanks to maintaining its unique flavor, the product has been introduced to customers. In 2022, Lam Tin sour meat products were recognized as 3-star OCOP, distributed at OCOP stores in and outside the province, present in markets such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Nam Dinh , Quang Ninh...

Currently, the facility supplies approximately 3,500 products each month, including fruit-pickled meat and canned meat. All products are hygienically packaged, labeled, have QR codes for traceability, expiry dates, and clear instructions for use.

Lam Tin sour meat product is recognized as meeting 3-star OCOP standards.

Lam Tin sour meat production facility is providing the market with 2 types of sour meat: fruit sour meat and canned sour meat.

Preserving flavor with hands and heart

The difference that creates the brand of Lam Tin sour meat is in the selection of ingredients and the natural fermentation method. The meat is selected from clean pigs, with enough lean meat and skin, mixed with a little fat to ensure richness. The powder is made from corn, rich in starch, rich and fragrant. Doi seeds are roasted over the right heat, crushed, mixed with garlic and salt, creating a very unique flavor that industrial sour meat dishes cannot have.

“I don’t use preservatives or artificial yeast. To have a properly fermented product, you have to know how to control the temperature, incubation time, humidity, and even the thickness of the meat slices. Making sour meat requires patience and absolute cleanliness,” Ms. Tin shared.

Not only is it popular with the people in the province, many tourists from other provinces and cities when they know about Lam Tin sour meat also show their interest in this rustic dish. The best sour meat is eaten with fig leaves, ginseng leaves, and chili sauce. The mild sour taste of fermented meat mixed with the fatty, fragrant taste of rice powder, of doi, and the spicy taste of chili creates an unforgettable taste symphony. Ms. Lo Thi Khuyen ( Dien Bien ), a regular customer, said: "I have tried many types of sour meat, but I am impressed with Lam Tin sour meat because of its light sour taste, rich rice powder, and fragrant scent of doi seeds. Every time I miss this dish, I ask a friend to stop by and buy it for me and send it by bus to Dien Bien."

Lam Tin sour meat production facility chooses clean pork raw materials and natural fermentation methods, ensuring food hygiene and safety.

In recent times, the bold development of sour meat in the direction of goods by people has not only preserved traditional dishes, but also contributed to creating jobs, increasing income and linking economic development with preserving indigenous culture. Comrade Bui Van Khanh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Lac Son commune, said: "Currently, the commune has nearly 10 households making sour meat, including some establishments such as Lam Tin and Tuan Linh that have reached the scale of professional production households. The commune aims to provide additional support in terms of promotion, packaging, and traceability to build local specialty products, encouraging business households to develop and expand production scale."

In the flow of integration, many traditional dishes are forgotten, Lam Tin sour meat is a beautiful example of how a farming family can preserve the soul of Muong cuisine, both doing business and keeping a piece of memory for the next generation. Each piece of fermented meat is not only a dish, but also a story of perseverance, ingenuity and quiet but deep love for the homeland, just like the character of the Muong people in Muong Vang area.

Hang Nguyen

Source: https://baophutho.vn/thit-chua-lam-tin-huong-vi-muong-vang-len-men-tu-ky-uc-235691.htm