Chinese Pork Sausage
Chinese pork sausage, or Lap Cheong, is a cherished traditional ingredient in Chinese cuisine with a deep historical background and diverse regional variations. A staple for centuries, it became particularly important during the winter months for its preservation properties. Marinated in soy sauce, rice wine, and spices, then stuffed into casings and air-dried, it develops a sweet, savory flavor with a chewy texture. Regional variations include Cantonese-style, which is sweeter, and Shanghai-style, with a richer mix of spices. Lap Cheong is versatile, enhancing dishes like stir-fries and congee, and is also enjoyed on its own with rice or steamed buns.
Homemade Chinese pork sausage often surpasses store-bought versions in flavor and quality because you can customize the seasoning and ensure high-quality ingredients. Making it at home allows for greater control over the ingredients, ensuring no preservatives or artificial additives are used. Additionally, you can adjust the sweetness, spice level, and fat content to suit your personal taste. However, making it at home requires time, effort, and specialized equipment like sausage casings and a stuffer, which can be a drawback compared to the convenience of store-bought options. Store-bought sausages are also typically ready to use, saving time and simplifying meal preparation.
VISUAL
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lbs Pork Belly
(approx. 900g) (hand-chopped)
- 4 meters Sausage Casings
(natural hog casings) (soaked and rinsed)
- 1 tsp Five Spice Powder
- 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese Rose Wine
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 tbsp Salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Hand-chop the pork belly, ensuring the pieces are small but not too fine. The meat should have some texture, with small chunks that are distinguishable, rather than a paste-like consistency. Ensure a good mix of meat and fat (approximately 70% meat to 30% fat) for the right texture.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine five spice powder, light soy sauce, Chinese rose wine, sugar, and salt.
- Add the hand-chopped pork to the bowl and thoroughly mix the marinade into the meat. Using your hands will ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Rinse the sausage casings thoroughly to remove any excess salt or brine. Soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes.
- Attach the sausage casing to a sausage stuffer or a funnel, and carefully stuff the marinated pork into the casing (make sure it is not too full or too loose).
- If you are using a manual funnel, use a chopstick to push the pork meat into the casing.
- Be gentle to avoid air pockets, and tie off the sausages into individual links with a piece of cotton twine, typically around 6-8 inches each.
- In a large pot, add enough warm water to gently clean the surface of the sausages. Dip the sausages in the water for about a minute, being careful not to break them.
- Once cleaned, pat the sausages dry with a clean cloth.
- Next, hang the sausages on a cotton line in a cool, dry place with good air circulation.
- Use a small steralized needle to prick the sausages, releasing any trapped air to prevent them from bursting.
- They should be hung away from direct sunlight and dried for about 7-10 days until they are fully cured (the ideal drying temperature is around 60-70°F (15-21°C) with low humidity).
- If the weather is too humid, you can use a dehydrator or dry them in the oven on the lowest setting with the door slightly open. This process might take 2-3 days.
- You’ll know the sausages are fully dried when they feel dry and firm, not soft, when lightly squeezed. They should have lost at least 35% of their initial weight.
- Once dried, the sausages can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or frozen for longer storage.
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Nutrition at a glance
5000kcal
CALORIES
in total
460g
FAT
590%
800mg
CHOLESTEROL
267%
7200mg
SODIUM
313%
115g
CARBOHYDRATE
42%
95g
protein
190%
The nutritional values on standard recommended daily intakes from the FDA for a 2000-calorie diet. Fat: 78g, Cholesterol: 300mg, Sodium: 2300mg, Carbohydrate: 275g, Protein: 50g
At The Chinese Table, we aim to provide nutritional information as a useful reference for our readers. Nevertheless, we do not claim to be professional nutritionists, and the values provided are rough approximations. The true nutritional content of a recipe can fluctuate depending on the specific brands, types of ingredients, and serving sizes utilized. Various online tools may also produce different outcomes. For more accurate nutritional details, we suggest consulting a reliable source such as the USDA FoodData Central Nutrition Calculator, which enables you to enter your precise ingredients and quantities for the most reliable information.
Hey, I'm Celeste
In our Cantonese household, we valued the tradition of preparing everything from scratch. We understood the importance of mastering the fundamental skills and techniques that are the foundation of Chinese cooking. This section captures the memories and wisdom shared across generations. It honors the timeless traditions of Chinese cuisine and offers a chance to add a personal touch to your creations.