Pork floss is one of those things I grew up with. That sweet and salty, melt-in-your-mouth texture that somehow disappears the second it hits your tongue. There was always a jar of it somewhere in our kitchen, on the counter, in the pantry, mysteriously half empty by the end of the week.
You eat it without really thinking about it until one day you stop and wonder how it’s actually made.
The Story Behind That Fluffy Pork Stuff
Pork floss, or 肉鬆 (rousong), has been around for a very long time, with its history often traced back to China’s Qin Dynasty, between 221 and 206 BCE. So yes, people have been loving this fluffy pork stuff for more than two thousand years.
It was a practical way to preserve pork. The meat was shredded into fine strands, seasoned and slowly cooked and dried so it could be stored for longer without refrigeration. It also made a convenient food for people travelling or working away from home. But somewhere along the way, people realized it was also just really, really good. The texture, the umami and that slightly sweet and savoury flavour made it much more than something you ate because it was practical.
Today, you’ll find pork floss on congee, tucked into sandwiches, layered into pastries, sprinkled over rice and even mixed into sushi rolls, and yes, it’s also perfectly acceptable to eat it straight from the jar with a spoon, which my son does with absolutely zero shame.
Homemade Pork Floss
I had this recipe saved in Cookidoo for the longest time. Every few months I’d 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 genuinely couldn’t believe how easy it was. I added the ingredients, set the time and walked away. No hand-shredding, no hovering over the stove watching a pot, no constant stirring. The Thermomix handles the cooking, drying and shredding, which is basically the part of the recipe that had been putting me off all along.
And the result? Actual homemade pork floss that tastes just like the store-bought kind, maybe even better. I also like knowing exactly what’s going into it instead of having to check a long ingredient list on the packaged versions.
I made a few changes to the recipe. I 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. I also added Chinese five-spice, which turned out to be a really good call. The smell while it was cooking was something else. Warm, slightly sweet and savoury, the kind of smell that makes everyone start wandering into the kitchen to see what’s going on.
The flavour turned out even better than I expected, and my son, who has been eating pork floss straight from the jar his whole life, said it was the best he’d ever had. I’d say that’s a pretty solid review. He’s already planning to make the next batch himself, which probably 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 |
