How are Songhua eggs made?

Preserved egg is a kind of egg made from ordinary duck eggs. It has a dark appearance and smells fragrant. It can be cooked in many ways. It can be served cold or made into porridge. For example, the preserved egg and lean meat porridge we often eat includes it as the main ingredient. However, many people do not know the specific method of cooking preserved eggs. So how are preserved eggs made?

Songhua eggs, also known as preserved eggs, changed eggs, gray-wrapped eggs, and wrapped eggs, are a traditional Chinese egg product. The main raw material is duck eggs, which have a fresh, smooth and slightly salty taste, and are unique in color, aroma and taste. Preserved eggs are not only loved by domestic consumers, but also enjoy a high reputation in the international market.

After special processing, the preserved eggs will become dark and shiny, with white patterns on them. When you smell them, you can smell a special fragrance. It is one of the favorite delicacies of the people.

The main chemical component of protein is protein. If poultry eggs are left for a long time, some of the protein in the egg white will break down into amino acids. The chemical structure of amino acids consists of a basic amino group - NH2 and an acidic carboxyl group - COOH, so they can react with both acidic and alkaline substances. Therefore, when people were making preserved eggs, they deliberately added some alkaline substances to the mud, such as lime, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, etc. They will pass through the tiny pores in the eggshell and combine with amino acids to form amino acid salts. These amino acid salts are insoluble in protein, so they crystallize in certain geometric shapes to form beautiful pine flowers.

In addition, because a lot of protein in the yolk of preserved eggs is broken down into amino acids, the yolk of preserved eggs tastes much fresher than the yolk of ordinary eggs. Although preserved eggs are rich in nutrients and taste delicious, they are too alkaline, so it is not advisable to eat too much. The reason why some preserved eggs have an ammonia smell is because ammonia is produced by complex reactions such as the decomposition of amino acids. It is recommended to add some aged vinegar when eating preserved eggs. Vinegar can kill bacteria and neutralize some of the alkalinity of the preserved eggs, making them taste better.