Rousong

Rousong
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	肉鬆
Simplified Chinese	肉松
Hanyu Pinyin	ròusōng
Literal meaning	meat fluff/loose
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin ròusōng Wu - Romanization [ɲiɔʔ soŋ] Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping juk6 sung1
Rousu
Chinese	肉酥
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin ròusū Min - Hokkien POJ bah-so· Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping juk6 sou1
Indonesian name
Indonesian	abon
Thai name
RTGS	moo yong
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese	ruốc (Northern Vietnamese) or chà bông (Southern Vietnamese)

Rousong (肉鬆), also sometimes called meat wool, meat floss, pork floss, pork sung, is a dried meat product that has a light and fluffy texture similar to coarse cotton, originating from Fujian.^[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 culture, as evidenced by its ubiquitous use in Chinese 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 usually happens when the collagen and elastin that normally hold the fibres have been cooked out of the meat.^{[citation needed]} 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 (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.

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 are commonly called abon. Another variant is fish floss. 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.^[2]

Other versions

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

Notable brands

North America

• 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

Philippines

• Bee Tin
• Lord Stow's Bakery

See also

• Bakkwa
• Dried shredded squid
• Machaca
• Pulled pork

References

1. ^ Grigson, Jane (1985-01), World Atlas of Food, Bookthrift Company, ISBN 978-0671072117 
2. ^ Thestar.com. "Thestar.com." Mum’s meat floss legacy. Retrieved on 2008-09-19.