Chinese Steamed Pork Patty

5 from 5 votes

This authentic Chinese steamed pork patty recipe (蒸肉餠, jing yuk beng) is a delicious blend of umami flavors from the Chinese sausage and preserved vegetables mixed with minced pork. It's juicy, rich, and a true Asian comfort food with a bowl of steamed rice.

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Total Time40

Course: Main

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 124kcal

Author: Joyce Lee

Ingredients

300 g pork shoulder or butt (or 454g of pre-ground pork)
1 Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong) (diced)
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons preserved mustard stem/tuber (diced)
2 stalks green onions (finely minced)

Pork Patty Seasoning

½ tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Shaoxing cooking wine (or miju cooking wine, or dry sherry)
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

Preparation

To ensure the pork cooks evenly and quickly, it's best to take the pork out of the fridge to room temperature while we are preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Begin by soaking the 4 dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water for about 30 minutes. To make sure that they stay submerged, place a small plate on top of them. Prepare the rest of the ingredients while we wait.
In a small bowl, mix together ½ tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon Shaoxing cooking wine, and ½ teaspoon sesame oil and set aside. (Do not add the cornstarch)
Finely dice 1 Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong) and set them aside.
Then finely dice 2 tablespoons preserved mustard stem/tuber and set it aside.
Finely mince 2 stalks green onions, separating the whites from the greens. We will use the white part for the minced pork patty, and the green part as a garnish. Set them aside for now.
Once the mushrooms are re-hydrated and soft, squeeze the liquid out. This will allow the mushrooms to absorb the delicious pork juices while it's steaming.
Cut out and discard the tough stems, and finely dice the caps into small pieces and set it aside.

Hand Mince Pork Shoulder (If Not Using Pre-Ground Pork)

Thinly slice 300 g pork shoulder or butt.
Then cut them into strips.
Dice the pork strips into small pieces.
Lift the knife 2-3 inches above the cutting board and chop the pork using the weight of the knife and gravity in an up and down motion. You don't need to aggressively chop the pork. Repeated the motion across the whole surface. (Works best with a cleaver. If you don't have one, use your largest and heaviest kitchen knife).
Fold the chopped meat onto itself back into a pile
Repeat chopping across the surface again until it is flat again.
Repeat the folding and chopping process 5-10 times.

Assemble the Pork Patty

Add the minced pork (or ground pork), 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and pre-mixed seasoning we made earlier to a large bowl.
Use a wooden spoon (or a few chopsticks held together) and stir the pork in one direction for about 5 minutes to allow the meat glutens to emulsify the fat and pork together. This will create a springier, textured patty.
Next, add in the chopped preserved mustard, Chinese sausage, the whites of the green onions and shiitake mushrooms and mix well.
Place everything on a plate with a lip and form this mixture into a flat ½ inch to ¾ inch patty. (Try not to form a patty thicker than 1 inch, or it won't cook quickly and evenly. If you do end up making a thicker patty, steam it for 1-2 minutes longer.)

Steam the Patty

Prepare your steamer by adding water and letting it build up steam for about 5 minutes on high heat. Place your plate or bowl in the steamer and steam for 10 minutes.
Once the patty is cooked, sprinkle green onions on top and carefully take it out of the steamer. I like to use oven mitts, but you can also buy steamer claws as well.
Serve your Chinese steamed pork patty with rice and enjoy!

Notes

Hand Minced vs Pre-Ground Pork: For this recipe, it's best to use fatty pork like shoulder, which can be hand-minced for a better texture. If you're using pre-ground pork, that's fine too, but it will have a drier and more crumbly texture. If you do opt for ground pork, make sure to try to use medium ground pork. Try to avoid extra lean ground pork if possible.
Shopping for Preserved Mustard Stems: When shopping for preserved mustard stems, they are also known as preserved mustard tubers as well. They can come in slices or strips and usually come in small packages. Look for the words 榨菜 on the packaging. If you can't find preserved mustard stems, substitute it with ½ tablespoon of soy sauce to make up for the missing salt and umami flavor.
Do Not Use Glass Cutting Board For Hand Mincing Pork: Since you will be repeatedly chopping the the pork with, you want to make sure you don't use delicate cutting boards like glass, which may crack it.
Mix the Pork in One Direction: When combining the pork with the flavorings, stir in one direction for 5 minutes. This helps to emulsify the fat and pork, resulting in a springier textured patty.
Easy Mixing with Thick Utensils: To make mixing easier, I combine 4 wooden chopsticks to make a thicker tool for me to mix the pork. Alternatively, you can also use a wooden spoon as well.
Don't Form the Patty Too Thick: In order for this to cook quickly (and not overcook), do not form the patty to thick. This will ensure it steams quickly and won't cook out all the delicious meat juices. I form my patties between ½ to ¾ an inch.
If You Don't Have A Steamer: You can use a metal trivet or 2 bamboo/wooden chopsticks crisscrossed at the bottom of a wok to elevate the plate. Just make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the plate.
Don't Over Steam: When steaming the pork patty, make sure to have the steaming rack ready. Steam for 10 minutes (If you make a thicker patty, you may need to steam it for 12 minutes). Then sprinkle with green onions before serving. Over-steaming will overcook the meat, which will cook out all the juices that keep the pork moist and tender.
Green Onions Are Essential: Adding green onions to the final dish, adds a pop of freshness that really enhances this dish. Definitely do not skip this ingredient.

Nutrition