Salted Pork, Bamboo Shoot, and Fresh Pork Soup

Name: Salted Pork, Bamboo Shoot, and Fresh Pork Soup
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Jiangsu-Zhejiang
Ingredients: salted pork belly (yān ròu), 12-day cured, rind removed, cubed; fresh pork shoulder, cut into 3 cm cubes; fresh bamboo shoots, peeled and sliced 5 mm thick; ginger, smashed; scallions, green parts only, knotted

腌笃鲜 · yān dǔ xiān

家庭快手版 · Home version: My grandfather in Suzhou used only spring bamboo shoots he dug himself, cured his own ham in winter, and insisted on ‘fresh pork’ meaning same-day slaughtered. This version respects his ratios: 1:1:1 salted pork : fresh pork : bamboo shoot.

Every March, my grandfather walked the hills outside Suzhou to dig ‘dragon beard’ bamboo shoots before sunrise. He’d cure pork belly with Sichuan peppercorns and rock sugar for 12 days, then simmer the trio—salted pork, fresh pork, and raw bamboo—with nothing but water and time. ‘The broth must taste like spring rain,’ he’d say.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More pork recipes →Soups

Ingredients

salted pork belly (yān ròu), 12-day cured, rind removed, cubed腌肉（12天 cured，去皮切块）🏮 asian300 g
fresh pork shoulder, cut into 3 cm cubes鲜猪肩肉，切3厘米方块🛒 local300 g
fresh bamboo shoots, peeled and sliced 5 mm thick鲜笋（去壳切5毫米片）🛒 local300 g
ginger, smashed老姜，拍松🛒 local40 g
scallions, green parts only, knotted小葱葱绿，打结🛒 local40 g

salted pork belly (yān ròu), 12-day cured, rind removed, cubed: Look for ‘Jiangsu-style salted pork’ or make your own: rub 300g pork belly with 15g coarse salt + 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns + 10g rock sugar; refrigerate 12 days. Rinse well before use.

fresh pork shoulder, cut into 3 cm cubes: Must be freshly butchered (not pre-packaged). Ask for ‘blade shoulder’ or ‘chuck shoulder’ with visible marbling.

fresh bamboo shoots, peeled and sliced 5 mm thick: Substitute frozen bamboo shoots (thawed & rinsed) if fresh unavailable. Never use canned—they’re too soft and sweet.

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Instructions

1Rinse salted and fresh pork separately. Blanch salted pork in cold water 5 minutes; discard water. Blanch fresh pork 2 minutes in fresh cold water; discard water. Rinse both under cold water.
咸肉久焯去咸，鲜肉短焯去腥
🔍 Look for High heat 咸肉5分钟／鲜肉2分钟 · 5 min / 2 min
Visual: 咸肉焯水仍淡；鲜肉焯水微粉Salted pork water remains pale; fresh pork water turns faintly pink
You know it's right when: 鲜肉褪去生红血色Fresh pork loses raw red hue
2Place both porks, fresh bamboo shoots, and smashed ginger in large stockpot. Cover with cold water (1.8 L). Bring slowly to first simmer.
冷水同煮，激发本味
🔍 Look for Medium-low 20–25 分钟 · 20–25 minutes
Visual: 锅底初现小泡；水面仍如镜面Tiny bubbles form at bottom; surface still glassy
You know it's right when: 首个气泡轻‘噗’一声破面First bubble breaks surface with soft ‘pop’
3Skim foam immediately. Reduce heat to lowest setting. Cover partially and simmer gently for 1.5 hours. Do not stir—let layers settle.
静置慢炖，汤色才清
🔍 Look for Low heat 1.5 小时 · 1.5 hours
Visual: 汤色始终澄澈；油脂聚成一枚金圆片Broth remains perfectly clear; fat floats as single golden disc
You know it's right when: 蒸汽细如游丝，几不可见Steam rises in thin, almost invisible thread
4Add knotted scallion greens. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes more. Skim any residual oil.
最后加葱，保清香
🔍 Look for Medium-low 20 分钟 · 20 minutes
Visual: 葱结转为鲜翠玉色；汤面泛微光Scallions turn vibrant jade-green; broth gains slight sheen
You know it's right when: 香气由肉香转为清雅青草香Aroma shifts from meaty to floral-green
5Strain broth through fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Discard solids except tender bamboo shoots and pork. Serve broth piping hot with reserved solids in bowls.
滤汤去渣，唯留真味
🔍 Look for 2 分钟 · 2 minutes
Visual: 汤如液态黄玉倾泻——晶莹剔透，光润生辉Broth pours like liquid topaz—crystal clear, luminous
You know it's right when: 静置10秒后汤中无丝毫浑浊No sediment clouds the broth after 10 seconds

Tips

· True yanduxian uses *only* these three ingredients—no chicken, no ham hock, no mushrooms.
· If using frozen bamboo shoots, blanch them 5 minutes before adding to pot to remove freezer taste.
· Serve in warmed porcelain bowls—the broth must arrive at the table steaming, not merely hot.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library