Steamed Cured Meats (腊味合蒸) is a classic Hunan dish that celebrates the art of Chinese curing — a medley of cured pork belly, Chinese sausage, and cured duck or pork liver, sliced and steamed together until the fats render and the flavors meld into a rich, savory symphony. It is rustic, intensely flavorful, and requires almost no active cooking.
This recipe comes from a village home in Hunan where the family cures their own meats every winter. The secret, I learned, is to steam the cured meats over a bed of dried bean curd skins or taro, which absorb the rendered fat and become as delicious as the meats themselves.
Why This Steamed Cured Meats Recipe Works
- Intense umami from curing — the natural fermentation and air-drying concentrates flavors
- Self-basting steaming — the rendered fat bastes the meats and soaks into the base ingredients
- Minimal effort, maximum reward — the steamer does all the work
- Perfect with rice — the savory, fatty juices are meant to be mixed into steamed rice
Where to Find Chinese Ingredients
- Chinese cured pork belly (lap yuk) — cured pork belly is the foundation of this dish
- Chinese sausage (lap cheong) — Chinese pork sausage, sliced diagonally
- Dried bean curd skins (foo jook) — dried tofu skins or taro slices for the base layer
- Dried tangerine peel — aged dried tangerine peel adds a subtle citrus note that cuts the richness
Step-by-Step Steamed Cured Meats
Prep (20 minutes soaking)
- Soak 200g cured pork belly in warm water for 15 minutes to soften and reduce saltiness. Slice thinly (5mm).
- Slice 2 Chinese sausages diagonally into 5mm pieces. Soak 1 piece dried tangerine peel in warm water until soft, then scrape off the pith and slice into fine strips.
- Soak 100g dried bean curd skins in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain and arrange in a heatproof dish as the base layer.
- Arrange sliced cured pork belly and sausage on top of the bean curd skins. Scatter tangerine peel strips and 2 slices ginger over the meats.
Cook (40 minutes)
- Place the dish in a steamer. Steam over boiling water for 40 minutes. The steam should be steady and high.
- Check halfway — if the dish looks dry, add 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine or water around the edge.
- After steaming, the meats should be translucent and tender, the fats rendered, and the bean curd skins soft and flavorful.
- Garnish with sliced scallions and a drizzle of light soy sauce (if needed — the cured meats are already salty).
- Serve hot with steamed rice. Mix the bean curd skins and rendered fat into the rice for an unforgettable bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to rinse the cured meats?
A quick rinse or soak removes excess surface salt and softens the meat slightly. This is especially important for heavily cured pork belly. Chinese sausage usually does not need soaking.
What can I use as a base instead of bean curd skins?
Taro slices, sweet potato chunks, or even firm tofu slices work beautifully. They all absorb the rendered fat and become incredibly flavorful during steaming.
Can I add other cured meats?
Absolutely — cured duck, cured chicken, or cured pork liver are traditional additions. The more variety, the richer the flavor. Just ensure all meats are sliced to similar thickness for even cooking.
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