Name: Homemade Pork Floss
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 600g (21 oz) pork tenderloin & a pinch of salt; 4 tbsp fish sauce/soy sauce; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp pepper; 2 tsp annatto oil (optional); A pinch of curcumin powder (optional)

Pork Floss is a must-have food in my mom’s kitchen. It lasts long, is easy to preserve at room temperature, and compatible with many daily Vietnamese, Chinese or Thai dishes.. Some examples are Vietnamese xoi man (Savory sticky rice), Vietnamese baguette, porridge, rice balls or cooked rice itself. Therefore, my childhood was associated with it, especially in the morning when my mom didn’t have much time to prepare breakfast. When I studied in Italy, she also sent me a few packages of pork floss and dried shrimp to ease my homesickness. Now I can make it my own thanks to her recipe and several hours researching on the internet. Let me show you how to make pork floss at home in Vietnamese style.

What is Meat Floss and Pork Floss?

Meat floss, also known as “meat wool”, is a type of dried meat product that has been finely shredded and dehydrated. It is popular in several Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Thai, Indonesian and Vietnamese. Meat floss is typically made from pork (pork floss), but it can also be made from beef (beef floss), chicken (chicken floss), or fish (salmon floss, snakehead fish floss, carp floss…).

Meat floss is a long-lasting yet tasty ingredient in various dishes and snacks. It can be sprinkled on top of rice, sticky rice, porridge, and noodles to add a savory flavor and a fluffy texture onto the dishes. Besides, it can be used as a filling for sandwiches, pastries, and buns. In addition to its savory applications, in China, Vietnam, Taiwan, etc., people also use meat floss as a topping for desserts and pastries.

Among all types of Meat Floss, Pork Floss is the most common one and has the most diverse application in culinary. You can easily find it in Asian grocery stores or specialty food shops. It’s also easy to make with a bit of patience. Let’s do it.

Ingredients

The ingredients for making pork floss are very basic: you need pork tenderloin without fat, some spices, and condiments: fish sauce or soy sauce, salt, pepper, annatto oil, sugar, and a pinch of curcumin powder. You should use pork tenderloin because this type of meat is lean and low in fat, which helps your pork floss last longer.

How to Make Pork Floss

Step 1. Preparation

Cut meat into large pieces and remove excess fat.
Boil the meat with 2-3 cups of water & a pinch of salt until cooked, about 20-30 minutes. Skim off the foam on top of the boiling broth to keep the broth clear.

Step 2. Shredding Pork the First Time

Marinate the cooked meat with a mixture of 4 tablespoons fish sauce (if you can’t eat fish sauce, replace it with 4 tbsp of soy sauce or 1 tbsp of salt), 1 tbsp sugar (you can use brown sugar for a better color), 2 tsp cashew oil (optional), 1 tsp salt, turmeric powder (1 pinch), pepper (1 pinch). Mix well and let the meat rest to absorb the spices for about 10-15 minutes.
After resting, continue to stir-fry the pork tenderloin in the a saucepan with a little meat broth (1/2 cup) and stir-fry until the broth completely evaporates.
Then, let the pork rest for about 5 minutes to cool down and use a pestle and mortar to pound and tear it. You can also use a folk to do so.

Step 3. Shredding Pork the Second Time

After tearing, continue to stir-fry the shredded pork with the remaining broth until the meat is dry and firm. Add the broth slowly, little by little (1/2 cup a time), stir fry until dried. Repeat until the broth runs out.

Continue pounding and tearing the meat to your satisfaction. Super fluffy floss is perfect for making desserts and pastries, while less fluffy floss, which is less dry, is more appropriate for savory dishes like sticky rice, porridge or congee. There are many tools to help you do this step, from handy pestle and mortar to hand mixer. With hand mixer, beat the floss in 10 minutes or until the floss is as fluffy as you like.

Step 4. Drying Pork Floss

Finally, put the floss on the stove and stir with low heat until dry to dry the floss. Another method is to dry it in an oven or air fryer. Set the oven with air circulation or air fryer at 100C (212F) and dry the floss in 10 minutes. Remember to set only a thin layer of floss on a baking tray to make it dry more evenly and quickly.
When pork floss is totally dry, turn off the stove, let it cool. Store it in a sealed jar/box, in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Storing Pork Floss

In fact, you can either store your pork floss in fridge or at room temperature for 3-4 months. However, I used to make a mistake: I kept it in fridge and didn’t return it to fridge after eating. Because I thought it’s also alright leaving at room temperature, I left it there in the kitchen countertop. After that, my pork floss quickly got moldy. It’s explained by the fact that the pork floss in fridge can absorb moisture in fridge. When it’s at room temperature, bacteria have the chance to multiply, leading to a quickly moldy pork floss.

Therefore, keep in mind that you should choose only one storing method, keeping in fridge, or at room temperature. Transferring room-temperature pork floss to fridge is safe. In contrast, transferring pork floss from fridge to your room is not.

Making Pork Floss is simple, but it requires your patience to achieve the best result. In return, you’ll get safe, no-umami and preservative pork floss for your family. Try it once!

Homemade Pork Floss

Yield: 4

Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Pork Floss lasts long, is easy to preserve at room temperature, and compatible with many daily Vietnamese, Chinese or Thai dishes.

Ingredients

Pork

600g (21 oz) pork tenderloin & a pinch of salt

Marinade

4 tbsp fish sauce/soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp annatto oil (optional)
A pinch of curcumin powder (optional)