Pork soup is very common in chinese cuisine.
Pork is a very common meat ingredient in chinese cuisine. Different pork cuts have different purposes.
There are several that are more popular in chinese soups and congee. They are ground pork, pork ribs, pork bones and pork loin fillets.
Ground Pork
Mincing or grounding pork is one of the most common and most versatile way to prepare pork in chinese cooking.With a little seasoning, it can be used in soups, congee, stir-fry and steamed dishes.
It can be cooked as it is or shaped into meatballs or any shape you fancy by using a little cornstarch or egg to combine the ingredients.
It can also be mixed with other ingredients to become filings for wontons, dumplings, pancakes and etc.
Photo source: jgiacomoni at flickr
In theory, any part of the pig can be minced or ground but premium ground pork uses premium meat cuts. Using "dubious" parts of the pig to make ground pork can affect how the minced pork will taste.
Ground pork used to be made from fresh pork belly which contain some fat. But in recent years, lean pork has also become popular with health conscious consumers.
I used to accompany my late paternal grandmother to the wet market where she will choose a nice fresh piece of pork belly and instruct the butcher to ground it up for us. This way, we know exactly which part of the pig our ground pork is made from. I think that is safer than buying pre-packed ground pork from the supermarket.
Alas! Who has time to go to the wet market at 6.00am nowadays.
I think we also used to own a meat grinder. It is all metal with a funnel and a spiral cutter. I wonder what happened to it?
Freezing ground pork
One of the things that make ground pork popular among chinese mothers is it freezes well.
Grandma always have some ground pork stashed in the freezer which makes it very convenient to make meatball soup or ground pork congee on a whim. She buys about 1 kg of fresh ground pork from the market. She then separates them into 5 small portions of about 200g each and freezes each separately using small plastic storage boxes. It can be 4 small portions of 250g each or 2 medium portions of 500g each. Get the idea?
I prefer using cling wrap because I can shape them into thin slabs for easy storing and thawing. I lay the cling wrap on the chopping board, spread the meat thinly on top and fold the cling wrap over. Pat dry and stack them neatly on top of each other in the freezer. Meat bricks ha!
To thaw, just soak the box or cling wrap parcel in warm water until everything softens. I have to tell you that the thin meat slabs are easier to thaw than the lump in the storage boxes.
Pork slices
Lean pork fillets can be sliced thinly across the grain and used in quick soups.
To ensure tender juicy pork slices, use the back of the knife and pound the meat slices a bit to loosen the muscle fibre. Marinate with seasonings and seal in the juices with a dash of cornstarch.
Pork ribs
Pork ribs is very popular for simmering soups. The ribs imparts a much stronger flavour to the pork soup than just the meat.
Bone marrow contains high levels of protein and iron while the bone itself has calcium. Suitable boiling causes the calcium to "migrate" to the soup. More about bone soups at the healthy soup recipes page.
Pork ribs can be divided into 2 types: prime ribs and spare ribs. The price conscious ones (like me) will use spare ribs to simmer soup. Prime ribs are more expensive and are used mainly for main meat dishes like sweet and sour pork ribs.
Preparation is easy. Just parboil the ribs before using.
Pork bones
Photo source: noodlepie at flickr
Pork bones are usually from the limbs even though the spine is also categorized as bones. With the mad cow disease scare, I am not in favour of using the spinal bones to make soup as there are a lot of spinal matter around that region. Limbs are preferred.
It is important to parboil the pork ribs and pork bones before use.
Recipes
Corn soup with pork ribs
A simple chinese corn soup recipe with sweet corn and pork ribs using the thermal cooking pot
Lean pork soup with water melon peel
Did you know that fresh water melon peel makes a great chinese soup for cold? Try it! It is ultra easy.
Lean pork congee with chinese yam
A light pork congee recipe using chinese yam and hyacinth beans. A flu prevention recipe.
Lotus root soup #1
Lotus root soup is an all-time favourite chinese soup for many Singaporeans. It is one soup that is better homecooked than store-bought
Meatball soup with winter melon
A recipe for pork meatball soup with winter melon and fresh crab meat
pork congee
Pork congee is also very easy to make, it does not take a genius to do this. Surprise your young family with yummy and nutritious pork congee
Pork soup with chinese yam
A herbal soup recipe using pork soup with chinese yam and goji berries
Pork soup with lotus seeds and carrot
A refreshing clear soup using prime ribs, lotus seeds and carrots
Pork wontons
Pork is the traditional ingredient in wontons. It is common to add other types of meat or vegetable to make a delicious filling mixture. I have gathered quite a few pork wonton recipes here. Take your pick and choose your favorite.
Potato soup with pork ribs and carrot
This is a potato soup recipe with pork ribs and carrot. It is a super yummy and healthy chinese soup. I like to drink this soup whenever I am feeling tired and under the weather
Salted vegetable soup
Salted vegetable soup: the cantonese calls it harm choy tong, the chinese calls it xian cai tang, the si chuan people calls it zha cai tang. Can I call it pork and pickled cabbage soup?
Pumpkin soup recipe
This pumpkin soup recipe using pork ribs is good for pregnant ladies as well as those who are recovering from an illness.
Pork stock recipes
I have 10 pork stock recipes here. Pork stocks contain high level of calcium and protein, suitable for making soups, rice porridge and dishes for growing boys and girls, and people recovering from injuries.
From pork soup page back to chinese soups home
