Jingjiang Pork Strips (Jingjiang Rousi)
靖江肉脯
Thin, sweet-savory dried pork sheets from Jingjiang — a beloved Jiangsu snack. Chewy, glossy, and intensely flavorful.
📋 Ingredients
What Is Jingjiang Pork Strips (Jingjiang Rousi)?
💡 Ingredient Notes: Jingjiang Pork Strips (靖江肉脯, jìng jiāng ròu pǔ) is a famous Jiangsu snack — thin sheets of lean pork, marinated in soy and sugar, then dried and baked until they become chewy, glossy, sweet-savory jerky. Unlike American jerky (which is dry and tough), Chinese pork strips (肉脯) are thin, tender, and coated in a caramelized sweet glaze. Eaten as a snack, given as a gift, or served as a cold appetizer. Jingjiang in Jiangsu is the most famous producer, and the technique has been refined for over 80 years.
Ingredients You'll Need
The Pork
- 500g lean pork (leg or loin), very cold
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp five-spice powder
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp cooking wine
- 1 tbsp honey (for glaze)
- 1 tbsp water
📝 Instructions
Mince the pork
The pork must be very cold (almost frozen) to mince properly. Mince it extremely fine with a cleaver or pulse in a food processor. The texture should be paste-like but with some texture.
Marinate
Mix the minced pork with soy sauces, sugar, fish sauce, five-spice, pepper, and cooking wine. Stir in one direction for 3 minutes until sticky. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Spread thin
Place the pork mixture on parchment paper. Cover with another sheet and roll to 2mm thickness — paper thin. Remove the top sheet.
Bake
Bake at 150°C (300°F) for 15 minutes. The pork will shrink and dry. Remove, brush with honey-water glaze, then bake 5 more minutes. Flip, glaze again, bake 5 more minutes until deep red and glossy.
Cut and serve
Cool completely, then cut into squares or strips. Store in an airtight container. Eat as a snack or cold appetizer.
💡 Pro Tips
- 💡Roll the pork as thin as possible — 2mm is ideal. Thicker = chewy and tough; thinner = crispy and delicate.
- 💡The double-glazing with honey gives the signature glossy red finish.
- 💡Slice when cold — warm pork strips tear. Cool completely before cutting.
📊 Nutrition Facts
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it keep? Stored airtight at room temperature, about 1-2 weeks. In the fridge, up to a month. It's a preserved snack.
