Rousong

Rousong
Alternative name(s):
meat wool, meat floss, pork floss, flossy pork or pork sung
Place of origin:
Asia
Main ingredient(s):
Pork
Recipes at Wikibooks:
Rousong
Media at Wikimedia Commons:
Rousong

Rousong, also called meat wool, meat floss, pork floss, flossy pork, pork sung, or yuk sung, is a dried meat product with a light and fluffy texture similar to coarse cotton, originating from Fujian, China. It also spread to Taiwan.^[1] Rousong is used as a topping for many foods, such as congee, tofu, and savory soy milk. It is also used as filling for various buns and pastries, and as a snack food on its own. Rousong is a very popular food item in Chinese cuisine and Taiwanese cuisine.

Production

Rousong is made by stewing cuts of pork in a sweetened soy sauce mixture until individual muscle fibres can be easily teased apart with a fork. This happens when the collagen that holds the muscle fibers of the meat together has been converted into gelatin.^[2] 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 nearly completely dry. Additional flavourings are usually added while the mixture is being dry fried. 5 kg (11 lb) of meat will usually yield about 1 kg (2.2 lb). ^{[citation needed]}

Pork-less versions

Fish floss is roasted to look very much like its meat counterpart.

Beef floss for sale in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Fish can also be made into floss (魚鬆; yú sōng), though initial stewing is not required due to the low collagen and elastin content of fish meat.

In Muslim majority Indonesia, beef floss is the most popular variant, and meat floss is commonly called abon. Malaysian Muslims make and consume meat floss made from chicken or beef called serunding, which is a popular delicacy during Ramadan and Hari Raya Aidilfitri.^[3]

Other versions

A very similar product is pork fu (肉脯; pinyin: ròufǔ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bah-hú), which is less fried and less shredded than rousong, and has a more fibrous texture.

Notable brands

North America

• Hsin Tung Yang USA (新東陽)
• Fragrant Jerky, Rosemead, CA, USA 新美香(美國)
• Formosa Pork Sung (寶島)
• Kimbo Brand Pork Sung
• Soo Singapore Jerky

Malaysia

• Loong Kee (Long Gei)
• Wing Heong
• Kiew Brothers (Wo lai Yeh)
• Chun Me Food Trading (xin quan mei)
• Bee Cheng Hiang (Měi Zhēn Xiāng)
• Muar Yuen Chen Siang

Singapore

• Bee Cheng Hiang (Měi Zhēn Xiāng)
• Fragrance Foodstuff (香味 Xiāng Wèi)
• Lim Chee Guan (林志源;Lín Zhì Yuán)
• Tan Chee Yuan (Chén Zhì Yuán)
• New Peng Hiang (Xīn Pǐn Xiāng)

Indonesia

• Abon Ratu (beef floss)
• Abon Ratu Mawar (beef floss)
• Abon Gloria (beef floss)

Taiwan

• Jin Xiang Yuan
• Chuan Xiang
• Hsin Tung Yang (新東陽)

Philippines

• Eng Bee Tin Chinese Deli
• Bee Tin
• Lord Stow's Bakery

See also

• Bakkwa
• Dried shredded squid
• List of dried foods
• Machaca
• Pulled pork

References

v t e   Macanese cuisine Almond biscuit Bacalhau Bakkwa Cabidela Dried shredded squid Egg tart Galinha à Africana Galinha à Portuguesa Mango pudding Minchi Pastel de nata Pork chop bun Portuguese sauce Rousong Cuisine of Hong Kong Macanese cuisine Chinese cuisine History of Chinese cuisine

v t e Taiwanese cuisine Dishes and meals Bento Congee Geng Karasumi Minced pork rice Misua Mongolian barbecue Oyster vermicelli Pork ball Rice vermicelli Sanbeiji Shabu-shabu Ying Yang fish Xiaochi A-gei Ba-wan Beef noodle soup Chinese sausage Cong you bing Curry beef triangle Fish ball Iron egg Oyster omelette Popiah Shuangbaotai Small sausage in large sausage Spring roll Stinky tofu Tea egg Tempura Zongzi Snacks and desserts Aiyu jelly Baobing Bakkwa Caozai guo Coconut bar Douhua Dried shredded squid Grass jelly Mochi Mooncake Suncake Youtiao Beverages Bubble tea Tung-ting tea High mountain tea Kaoliang Mr. Brown Coffee Pouchong Soy milk Taiwan Beer Ingredients Black bean paste Rousong Shacha sauce Miscellaneous Night markets in Taiwan List Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation