Pork floss is one of those things that just lives in Asian kitchens. That sweet and salty, melt in your mouth texture that somehow disappears the moment it hits your tongue. There was always a jar of it somewhere in our kitchen growing up — on the counter, in the pantry, mysteriously half empty by the end of the week. You eat it without thinking much about it until one day you stop and actually wonder how it is made.
The Story Behind That Fluffy Pork Stuff
Pork floss or 肉鬆 rousong has been around since the Qin Dynasty between 221 and 206 BCE — so yes, people have been loving stuff for over two thousand years. It started purely as a preservation method. Pork was shredded into fine strands, seasoned, and slowly dried so it could be stored for long periods without refrigeration. Practical, portable food for travellers and soldiers who needed protein on the move.
But somewhere along the way people realized it was also just really really good. The texture, the umami, that slightly sweet and savoury balance — what started as necessity quietly became one of the most beloved staples in Chinese cooking. Today you will find it on congee, tucked into sandwiches, layered into pastries, sprinkled over rice, mixed into sushi rolls, and yes — eaten straight from the jar with a spoon like my son does with absolutely zero shame.
Homemade Pork Floss — Easier Than You Think
I had this recipe saved in Cookidoo for the longest time. Every few months I would open it, read through it, convince myself it was too much work, and close it again. Hand shredding pork did not exactly sound like a fun activity.
Then I finally tried it in the Thermomix and I genuinely could not believe how simple it was. All I had to do was add the ingredients, set the time, walk away. No hand shredding, no hovering over the stove watching a pot, no constant stirring. The machine handles the cooking and dehydrating evenly from start to finish without any risk of burning and finally — the shredding too! We got actual homemade pork floss that tastes jsut like store-bought ones (maybe even better) and has none of the additives or preservatives that come in the packaged versions.
I made a few tweaks to the recipe — doubled the quantity because one batch was never going to be enough, pulled back on the sugar and will probably reduce it even more next time, and added Chinese five spice which turned out to be a really good call. The smell that filled the kitchen while it was cooking was something else entirely. Warm, slightly sweet, deeply savoury — the kind of smell that draws everyone out of their rooms.
The flavour turned out even better than I expected. And my son who has been eating pork floss straight from jars his whole life said it’s the best he has ever had — which felt like a pretty solid review. He is already planning to make the next batch himself which tells you everything you need to know.
Taiwanese Pork Floss
Ingredients:
🫙 11oz pork tenderloin, cut into smaller pieces
🫙 2 tsp vegetable oil
🫙 1.5oz soya sauce (about 3 tbsps) – For gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
🫙 1.5oz sugar (about 3 tbsps)
🫙 0.5oz rice wine
🫙 5.5oz water
🫙 2 tsp Chinese five spice (optional)
🫙 1 star anise (optional)
Thermomix Instructions:
- Marinate the Pork:
- Place the pork tenderloin pieces in a bowl and add the soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, water, Chinese five spice (if using), and star anise (if using). Mix well to ensure the pork pieces are coated evenly. Let the pork marinate for at least 15 minutes to absorb the flavours.
- Cook the Pork:
- In your Thermomix, set to 30 min varoma and stir.
- Shred the Pork:
- Once the pork is done cooking, shred the pork for 5 seconds at speed 4.
- Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.
- Keep cooking:
- Remove measuring cup and set time to 40 min with temperature set to Varoma and at speed 1.
- Storage:
- Allow to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and serve as desired.
Once you make your own you will not want to go back to store bought. The flavour is better, you know exactly what is in it, and it is honestly much easier than it sounds. Give it a try.
| Taiwanese Pork Floss: https://cookidoo.ca/recipes/recipe/en-CA/r725737 |
