Homemade floss is fluffy, savory popular Chinese snack you may find topped at congee or stuffed in soft buns. I have posted this shredded pork tenderloin around one year ago. There is the real and inspiring version of shredded pork tenderloin—Meat floss.
Meat floss has an interesting name in Chinese language: 肉松 literally means fluffy meat. The most impressive image in my mind is the soft floss buns. Just with one bite, you can taste the savory pork floss and the super soft buns.
In China, pork floss is the most common one. However chicken and fish can also be used to make meat floss. I use pork for today’s recipe. And since no preservative substance used, larger batches are not recommended.I use bread maker to make the process easier. If you do not have it on hand, use a larger pan to fry the shredded meat for around 20 minutes to 40 minutes. It is just a hard task.
Cut the pork into large chunks, cook in boiling water to remove the impurities. And then add ginger, green onion, star anise and light soy sauce to cook until soft.
Cook down and then shred by hand. Add other sauces and use bread maker to start the simmering and frying process.
Use bread maker and wait for around 1 hour and 30 minutes, then here we are.
Homemade Meat Floss
Ingredients
- 300 g pork sirloin or tenderloin
- 2 green onions cut into short sections
- 5 slices of ginger
- 10 Sichuan peppercorn seeds
- 1 star anise
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Stir frying sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder or as needed
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil , olive oil
Instructions
- Wash the pork and then cut into larger chunks around 3 to 4 cm.
- Cook them in boiling water for around 5 minutes to remove the impurities. Transfer out and wash again.
- In high pressure cooker or a large pot, add ginger, green onion, star anise, soy sauce and Sichuan peppercorn and pork; pour enough water to cover the pork meat. Add 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce too. For high pressure cooker, cook for around 20 minutes until the pork is soft. If you use pot to simmer, simmer them for 40 minutes and add slightly more water (3 cm higher) and check the water level from time to time. Add hot water if necessary (make sure the pork is covered with water).
- Transfer out and cool down; finely shredded by hand.
For bread-maker
- Place everything in bread-maker, add all the other sauces and select Jam mode. Wait for around 1 hour and 30 minutes or so to finish the process.
For pan frying
- Firstly use a standard-mixer with cake beater hook to break the pork meat and then stir-fry in a deep fry pan with the stir-fry sauce for around 20 minutes to 30 minutes until the meat floss becomes fluffy enough.
Betty
Thanks Elaine for your prompt reply. After the last failure with pan fry method, I had bought the bread machine with the JAM mode just for this specific meat floss recipe. I followed your recipe precisely except I was using chicken breast instead of pork, Hic hic hic, it was another failure, the chicken turned out crispy and dry and NOT FLOSSY at all. To be honest, I've tried with the chicken 5 times but never got the flossy/fluffy texture instead kept getting the dry and a bit crispy texture. Can you PLEASE help? Have you tried the chicken breast before? Whenever you have a chance, can you please try and let me know?
very much appreciated,
Luke Douglas
Sounds like you are using too high a temperature, low and slow is what is needed. The chicken is already cooked, it just needs to be dehydrated. I always do this in a large frying pan on the lowest possible temperature stirring intermittently to ensure no burnt / crispy bits.
Bill Williamson
RIP
Sri
Hi, do you have recipe for spicy meat floss?
Elaine
Sri,
I have not made spicy meat floss at home because in most cases, I make this for my daughter and she has no spice tolerance.
june
what is your bread machine brand?
Elaine
It should be Media. But I did not use it for a long while.
Lorena Flora
WOW, you have a very nice recipe, I love it, am from Philippines. And in my place I rarely find pork floss .and I have to order if I need it. But now Am very happy because I already have your recipe and it would be easier for me .am I am so sure of the meat I am using . Thank you so much. Have a wonderful day .Keep safe.
Elaine
Yes, Lorena. Homemade floss is much safer. You can use pork, chicken and beef.
sandratam
where can i buy finish product
Elaine
Only recipe here, you can get meat floss online.
Sasha
hi, can i use a different cut of pork like pork shoulder for this recipe? or does it need to be pork sirloin or tenderloin?
Elaine
It should be pure lean meat. Other cut works too.
Phil Hunt
Hello, After cooking and shredding the pork meat would it work if the meat instead of 'cooking to dehydrate' in a bread maker or stir frying, that instead you use a dehydrating machine, please?
Just that I have a dehydrator, (proving to be quite a useful gadget lately), and not a bread maker.
Elaine
Phil,
You can use a pan or wok and continuously stir frying until it becomes fluffy.
Cecilia
can i cook the cook in a slow cooker? How long should I cook it int he slow cooker?
Elaine
I don't suggest using slow cooker to cook the meat. But it may work!
chun
300g raw pork yields how much floss? 100g?
Elaine
Should be around 100g because fresh pork contains 60% to 70% water.