Sichuan Wind-Cured Pork Belly (Larou, 腊肉), Part 2: Smoking + Cooking
The Mala MarketEquipment
- high steamer rack for wok-smoking
- porous metal steamer tray for wok-smoking (can sub another rack of identical height)
Ingredients
Sichuan Wok-Smoked Larou
- 1 layer larou strips (amount depends, see video in post)
- 4 handfuls white rice, divided
- 4 dried mandarin peels, divided
- 2 handfuls oolong tea, divided optional
- 2 tablespoons ground rock sugar, divided can sub granulated sugar
Boiled Larou
- 1 strip larou halved horizontally
Steamed Larou
- ¼ strip larou sliced
Steamed Larou with Rice
- 1 cup jasmine rice rinsed and drained
- 1 cup water more if not using rice cooker
- ¼ strip larou sliced into bite-size chunks or slivers
- 1 scallion, green part only sliced
Stir-fried Cauliflower Larou
- ¼ strip larou sliced thinly
- 2 cloves fresh garlic sliced
- ½ head cauliflower sliced into bite-sized florets, washed and drained
- ½ cup water or vegetable stock
- 2 scallions washed and sliced diagonally
Stir-fried Bell Pepper Larou with Douchi
- ¼ strip larou sliced thinly
- ½ red onion julienned, optional
- 2 bell peppers washed, julienned and deseeded
- 4 ounces dried firm ("pressed") tofu/beancurd (doufugan) sliced thinly into 1 cm wide strips, optional
- ½ tablespoon Chinese light soy sauce (Zhongba preferred)
- 1 tablespoon douchi (fermented black soybeans)
Instructions
Sichuan Wok-Smoked Larou
- In a black iron (carbon steel or cast iron) wok, cover the base with heavy foil, shiny side up, to protect the finish. Add half the dry rice, mandarin peels, tea leaves and rock sugar. Arrange the steamer rack and tray on top (see video in post) or two steamer racks side-by-side. Lay as many larou strips as fit in the wok. Cover with wok lid and turn heat on to high. Start running the kitchen exhaust fan on high now, or you might set off an alarm. When the wok starts smoking (lift lid to confirm), turn the heat down to low and smoke for 5-6 minutes. Flip meat and replace lid, smoking for another 5-6 minutes.
- Check the meat and remove from heat if satisfied. If you want to intensify the color and smell, replace the blackened rice, peels, tea and sugar with the remaining half of the ingredients and cover the wok again. Repeat process up to one time, checking and rotating meat throughout. Hang-dry another 2 days before using or storing.
Soaking
- Wash (scrub) and soak larou in room temp water for 1-4 hours before cooking. Rinse again after soaking to remove excess oil.
Boiled Larou
- Add enough water to cover larou in wok or pot. Bring to a boil and cook, covered, for 25-30 minutes on medium heat. The larou is done when you can easily poke through the meat with a chopstick and the fatty layer has turned a deep rosy pink. Drain and slice. The larou can be eaten immediately while warm or stored in the refrigerator and served chilled.
Steamed Larou
- Plate the sliced larou and steam on high heat for 10 minutes. Serve immediately alongside rice and other dishes.
Steamed Larou with Rice
- Thoroughly rinse and prepare rice as usual, adjusting water amount to cooking method. Add bite size pieces of larou on top, overlapping as needed. Steam on regular white rice setting. Top with sliced scallion and serve with plenty of veggies. (Note: Although you can certainly fit more than ¼ strip of larou in your rice cooker, the ratio of rendered oil to rice will be higher with the longer rice cooking time. Add more with this in mind!)
Stir-fried Cauliflower Larou*
- In a wok or large pan on medium high heat, stir-fry sliced larou until crisp. Remove from heat, leaving rendered fat behind. Add garlic to fat, stir-frying 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add cauliflower and stir-fry 1 minute, then add water/stock and cover. Steam until tender, 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once cauliflower softens and excess water evaporates, return larou to pan, tossing to mix and reheat. Add scallions just before transferring to plate. Serve immediately.
Stir-fried Bell Pepper Larou with Douchi*
- In a wok or large pan on medium high heat, stir-fry sliced larou until crisp. Remove from heat, leaving rendered fat behind. If using red onion, cook until translucent. Add peppers and stir-fry 2-3 minutes until cooked to your liking. If using doufugan, add with the peppers. Add soy sauce and douchi, stir-frying 1 minute. Return larou to pan, tossing to mix and reheat. Transfer to plate and serve immediately.
Notes
Smoking larou is optional for enjoying this cured pork belly, but it is one of the defining steps of the Sichuan larou tradition. Skipping it will not affect listed cook times or longevity. For more in-depth smoking directions, please refer to the post above.
Dried larou can be stored in the refrigerator for upcoming use, but vacuum-sealing your extras in freezer-safe storage bags is the best way to preserve larou throughout the year.
*If your larou is on the drier side, soak rinsed larou for 2-4 hours and parboil for 15 minutes before slicing for stir-fries.