What is Pork Floss

Pork Floss aka Pork Sung, meat floss, meat wool, etc… The names that this product seems to have is endless. In Mandarin, it is colloquially called RouSong (肉鬆) or YeukSong in Cantonese. Since I am also confused about the terms, I will be using this term interchangeably in this article.
The product can be made with Beef and Fish, but the most common version is made with pork. Pork Floss is similar to sweetened dried jerky but instead it is shredded and airy like cotton candy. It is typically used with congee, pastries, buns and even in onigiri.

Pork Floss, Pork Sung or RouSong (肉鬆) Quick Summary

Categories	>Pork Floss, Pork Sung or RouSong (肉鬆)
Taste	A light sandy sweet meat. The texture is similar to that of Cotton Candy.
Uses	Used in Congge, Rice Wrap, Onigiri, Sandwich, snacks and more.
Health and Nutrition	Slightly High in saturated fat and Sodium, but still mild compared to Junk Food.
Shelf Life	Long Shelf Life, can last pretty much indefinitely, although it is recommended to follow manufacturer guide.
Thoughts	A versatile product that is used throughout asia. In Taiwan it is commonly eaten with congee. Although you can make things like Onigiri or use it in sandwiches. A great addition to any pantry.
Recommended Best Pork Sung	Formosa Brand Pork Sung, 18 Oz

Pork Floss Taste

Pork Floss has a very cotton like texture with a slightly more dense and sweet soy sauce flavor. When you bite into it, it will be light and airy, until the saliva in your mouth makes it dense. There is also a small caramelized crunchy bits of pork throughout. It add a taste of umami or meatiness to any bland prduct such as rice or bread. The smell is very unique with a hint of meaty caramel flavor.

Pork Floss Uses

As stated before, you can use Pork Floss in many different ways. The most common way to use it among Chinese people is in Congee. Congee is Chinese Rice Porridge, which is basically just water and rice. It is typically eaten with Rou Song, Chinese Pickled Cucumber and Dou Fu Rou. The choice of topping is dependent on what you preference is but it can give a variety of taste and texture to a dish.

Another common way that it is used is in Onigiri, in the center of the rice, there is usually a good amount of RouSong inside it. Chinese bakeries also love using it in their brioche buns where they baked it either inside or on top of the bun. They even use it on plain white bread, what they would do is spread some mayo on it and use the Pork Floss as a filling.

In Shang Hai, they have a dish called Ci Fan Tuan (糍飯糰), where they use glutinous rice and roll it with YouTiao (油條 Chinese Dount) and RouSong. The sticky rice adds a soft texture, while the YouTiao gives it crunch and the Rou Song adds savoriness. The combinations makes it a very popular breakfast snack on the go. Needless to say, RouSong is a very versatile product.

Variations

There are two types of Pork Floss that is commonly sold in America, Pork Sung and Pork Fu. Both are very similar, the only difference is just the texture of it. Pork Fu is slightly more airy and Pork Sung is more dense and intense in flavor. The prices are almost the same and it seems like the content weight are the same as well. You should just buy the one that you prefer.

Where to Buy Pork Floss

You can find Pork Floss in any Asian Supermarket. It comes in many different size. The smallest containers will cost 2-3 dollars, while the large 18 oz container can cost upwards of 10-14 dollars. If you don’t have a Asian Supermarket near you, you can buy it at Amazon but it a Few Dollar More.
There are also two major manufacturer of this product. The Formosa brand is the original one, while the Kimbo brand seems to be the Copy Cat variation of the product. In the supermarket, they usually cost a few dollar cheaper. I cannot taste the difference between the two. However, on the nutritional fact, the Formosa Brand is slightly healthier.

How long does Pork Floss Last?

I assume that it pretty much last forever, kinda like jerky. It is a dried food so bacteria shouldn’t be able to grow on it. I also dont see any expiration date on the packaging. However, I am just assuming. Probably dont eat it if its over three years old. I doubt it will last that long though.

Ingredients and Nutrition

Ingredients

Here are the Ingredients as listed for the Formosa Brand.
Ingredients: Pork, Sugar, Soy Flour, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt, Sodium Benzoate, lard ,salt and Monosodium Glutamate). Its made in USA also.

Rou Song Nutrition

Overall, its not that bad. The sodium and saturated fat is slightly high but compared to junk foods, this is pretty good. You can see the whole ingredient list below.

Recipes With Pork Floss

For those uninitiated, you can just use Pork Floss as a topping for any dish that you like. I personally just use it on top of rice or use it in the Sticky Rice Roll (Ci Fan Tuan).

Ci Fan Tuan

To make the traditional version of this, you need You Tiao and Chinese pickled vegetables. However, most American household would not be able to get those. This recipes just takes it out, the Pork Floss will be the star of this dish.

Ingredient List

2 eggs scrambled.
Pork Floss
1-2 Cup of Cooked Short Grain Rice
Plastic Cling Wrap

Directions

1) Lay the rice onto the plastic cling wrap in a square like shape.
2) Place the egg into the center of the rice.
3) Place the Pork Song on top of the egg.
4) Roll it like a sushi roll.
5) Cut into bite size pieces and serve.

Technique Discussion

1) Although, this dish lacks the crunch and saltiness of the pickled vegetables, the soft egg will provide excellent contrast in texture. This is more adapt to a more western taste so it will be slightly more versatile.
2) Using the cling wrap will let you roll and transport the dish easily after making it.
3) Rolling it is the most traditional way of making this dish. Although you can make it in any shape you like.

One final though, if you want to make a Onigiri version of this. All you need to do is subtract the egg and add a nori wrap on the exterior. Both are very similar and can be eaten on the go.

I hope you find my article on Pork Floss to be helpful, please visit the Article page for more!