Shredded Dried Pork (a.k.a. Meat Floss)
UPDATE ON 22MAY: He he he … guess the name Meat Floss sounds disgusting to some people. So, I have used a better sounding name for the entry … Shredded Dried Pork. Happy? :-)
Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork (also known as Rousong and Yoke Song in Mandarin and Cantonese respectively) is a dried chinese meat item that is commonly used as a topping for many foods. There are many variants of the Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork with the most common one being Pork Floss.
In Vancouver, the Meat Floss product seems pretty dominated by the Soo Singapore Jerky company. You will be able to find these Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork in just about any Asian grocery stores. I believe they make Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork and other Asian jerky products under a few brand names. Their most famous brand is Soo. We have seen the Soo’s brand getting more expensive over the year. It’s now about $10 for a jar of 454g (about 1lb).
We bought a cheaper version. It’s branded as Pork Sung and the label said that it’s made by Soo Singapore Jerky too. The 340g jar below costs only $5.58.
Wikipedia describes the how Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork are made as follows:
Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork is made by stewing cheap cuts of pork in a sweetened soy sauce mixture until individual muscle fibres can be easily teased apart with a fork. This usually happens when the collagen and elastin that normally hold the fibres have been cooked out of the meat. The teased-apart meat is then strained and dried in the oven. After a light drying, the meat is mashed and beaten while being dry cooked in a large wok until it is completely dry. Additional flavourings are usually added while the mixture is being dry fried. 5 kg of meat will usually produce about 1 kg of rousong.
Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork has a light and fluffy texture quite similar to coarse cotton. It can be eaten just as a snack. It comes in soft or crisp versions. For snacking, I recommend the crisp version. Some are flavoured with sesame seed and seaweed.
It goes well too with rice porridge. However, I find that the taste of the Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork gets drowned out unless you put in a lot of it.
I prefer Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork with rice. You should use pretty dry and cold rice. Mix it well into the rice and that’s a quick meal — not very balanced though but still a nice meal nevertheless.
We also make sandwiches with Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork. The ones below are made using a sandwich maker which helps seals in the Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork in the sandwich.
Suanne has the instructions below on making the Meat Floss Shredded Dried Pork Sandwich in the link below.
Ingredients
- slice bread
- butter or margarine
- Pork Sung
- shredded cheese
Instructions
 Preheat the sandwich maker for about 5 minutes.Butter 4 slices of bread. |
 Sprinkle shredded cheese on the bread. Top with some Pork Sung.
You may substitute the Pork Sung with ham, pepperoni, grilled peppers, etc. |
 Top with another layer of shredded cheese. The cheese acts a gluing agent. |
 Top the filings with the second slice of bread but this time with the buttered side on top. |
 Press down the cover of the sandwich maker and grill for 3 minutes or until the bread is slightly brown. |
Slice the bread into triangles and enjoy.
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Robyn | May 21, 2006 | Reply
Hiya - many thanks for linking our blog. I have one (OK, two) small requests - could you change our description … we are *mostly* Malaysia but also have a fair amount of other SE Asia coverage. And might you change the ‘by’ to ‘Robyn’. I haven’t been called by my last name only since my much younger years in a Catholic girls’ school. It gives me the willies. ;-)
Thanks!
Robyn @ EatingAsia
MrAl | May 21, 2006 | Reply
Interesting. I might buy that stuff and try it out on some dishes.
dotbar | May 22, 2006 | Reply
Okay, I’m nowhere near ready to try “meat floss” and I live in Vancouver! It sounds like something non-vegans would use on their teeth! lol. But good luck with that…
sally | May 22, 2006 | Reply
You like that stuff? Sorry…I think it is nasty!! But, others love it. I just do not get it.
Pikkel Weezel | May 22, 2006 | Reply
That’s just gross
Travis | May 22, 2006 | Reply
I love that stuff so much; it’s really good in steamed buns. I’ve never heard the term “meat floss” though, that makes it sound really bad/scary!
Rosa | May 25, 2006 | Reply
I agree, shredded pork sounds so much better than meat floss!! (ew)
Ben | May 25, 2006 | Reply
Hi All: This got me thinking about why some food that looks so good to one culture and yet is so repulsive in another. I don’t have an answer. For instance, I love chicken feet but I bet it’s a sure turn off for most of you!
Ben
sally | May 26, 2006 | Reply
Chicken feet? A must for Dim Sum! I love salted fish with eggplant as well…the meat floss (which I have tried) is just nasty!!
Katherine | May 29, 2006 | Reply
Thank god I have found a description for this stuff. I recently saw it on thai food (pineapple fried rice) and it scared me! I described it as “fuzzy caterpillar” stuff to some asian friends. After they stopped laughing, they sent me this link. I still think it’s gross, but I have a scientific explanation thanks to you!
K | Jul 17, 2006 | Reply
I’ve been enjoying this stuff since I was child.. raised by an asian mother and caucasian father, I’ve managed to enjoy the best of both worlds.
This a true asian delicacy, everyone should try it.
If you like beef jerky, you’ll love thsi snack.
james nagrocki | Sep 8, 2006 | Reply
hello jim nagrock i would like prices on the best 454gm jar and shipping. If i buy 2 454gm jars do i get a discount on product or on shipping, thank fine folks jim
Hanna | Sep 8, 2006 | Reply
I loved this stuff since I was little. You should try it before you say eww…
Ben | Sep 9, 2006 | Reply
Not sure what you’re talking about Jim.
Hi Hanna: Well said.
krath | Feb 28, 2007 | Reply
Since everyone is posting their opinion of this food I’ll venture to post mine as well. Pork-Fu (sung, Rousong) is actually pretty good. If you eat any pork product, enjoy any jerky product (flavored with sugar and soy sauce) then you can easily enjoy this product. It really is as simple as imagining pork jerky - then shredding it. One of my favorite ways to eat this is to take a nice bowl of hot rice, add a dash or three of soysauce, place one or two over easy eggs over the rice and then sprinkle pork fu generously. Mix and eat. Those with developed palates and appreciation for texture will truely enjoy this condiment. Disfruta!
iris | May 19, 2007 | Reply
i like the meat foss so much!! but it ia so difficult to find it here in uk!!
it kills me to read this article.^^II …
paul | Aug 1, 2007 | Reply
Yum… Im eating it right now actually. I was trying to tell my Girlfriend about it. I told her it looks like the hairs on Tarantulas LOL. To me, its more of a snack. I grab a pinch and pop it in my mouth and suck out the flavor (not meant to be sexual).
K | Nov 23, 2007 | Reply
TO THE AUTHOR OF THIS BLOG-
Would it be possible for you to edit the entry that was posted on July 17, 2006 01:28 PM
That entry contains my full name, please edit it so that it remains a bit more anonymous thank you!!
Ben | Nov 23, 2007 | Reply
Hi K: Done. I had edited out your full name.
gwayne | Jan 14, 2008 | Reply
this is the 1st time i heard about the term “meat floss.” it’s not yucky at all. i’m a filipina girl who had a chinese step grandfather, i use to have it years ago and it never failed to satisfy my taste buds…i miss it a lot(sob..@_@) i miss you shreded pork!
it’s really good with congee or i personally like puting it on champorado(soup base sticky or gloutinous rice mixed with cocoa and sugar). champorado and shreded pork…i really miss it.
Amy | Jan 21, 2008 | Reply
We have a bakery in Houston that makes sweet bread topped with shredded pork. It is THE best way to eat it, but I’m going to try the egg and rice suggestion. I love this stuff!
kimee | Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
I love this stuff… My dad used to buy them every week, he includes them in the grocery list. We always have congee (arroz caldo) and shredded pork and century eggs on sunday mornings. Yummy!
Jaybear | Jun 7, 2008 | Reply
We have a fantastic Asian market out here in Rochester NY that sells this stuff by the TUB full.
I LOVE IT.
It comes in several flavors and (To me)It’s best on hot rice. Simple. Quick. Tasty! :)
Shane | Sep 4, 2008 | Reply
I have actually had this stuff. It was introduced to me by my friend Matt when i spent a weekend over at his place several years ago. It is extremely good. great for snacking.
Tish | Sep 17, 2008 | Reply
I have heard of pork sung being used in sushi rolls - that sounds sooooo good. I would also like to learn how to make a steamed bun with the pork sung inside…usually this is done with chinese bbq pork but I think the sung would be really good too!