There’s Much More To Chinese Meat Dishes
We know you love your General Tso's chicken, orange chicken, and sweet and sour pork, but there is so much more to Chinese meat dishes than just those that you get at Panda Express. If you're feeling adventurous and want to explore the delicious world of authentic Chinese cuisine, look no further. These 20 Chinese meat dishes will have you wanting to buy a plane ticket just so you can eat them at the source.
1. Dongpo Pork
A delicious meat dish originating from Hangzhou, China, dongpo pork features thick pieces of pork belly braised in a savory, slightly sweet sauce made primarily of soy sauce. The long cooking time is definitely worth the wait, especially when the meat comes out juicy and oh so tender.
2. Xinjiang Big Plate Chicken
Better known in China as dapanji, this hearty dish from Xinjiang combines bone-in chicken with potatoes, pepper, onions, and a bold sauce served over thick, hand-pulled noodles. The spice mix made of cumin, dried chilies, garlic, and more give it that distinctive Northwestern Chinese flavor you'll grow to love.
3. Sichuan Tea-Smoked Duck
This delicious Chinese dish requires many cooking steps before it reaches the dining table. In many cases, the duck is first seasoned and marinated, steamed and smoked, and then sometimes fried before it's officially complete. It's tiring, but worth it, especially when you get a taste of that fragrant flavor combined with its crisp skin.
4. Wuxi Spareribs
Wuxi spareribs are nothing like the American ribs you know and love, but they're delicious in their own right. These pork ribs are slowly cooked in a glossy sauce made of soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings, creating a sweet and salty flavor. When prepared well, the meat easily falls off the bone in the most delectable way.
5. Cumin Lamb
Cumin lamb, most commonly associated with Xinjiang cuisine, brings together the best of lamb and warming spices. Thin slices of meat are stir-fryed together with cumin, chilies, onions, and cilantro or scallions, creating a dish built off of assertive seasonings that'll pack each bite with a punch.
6. Meicai Kou Rou
This Chinese pork belly dish combines thick slabs of meat steamed together with preserved mustard greens to create this salty, fermented flavor that balances the richness of the pork. It's the kind of meaty dish that leaves you drooling and ready to dig in the moment you see those juicy cuts of pork belly!
Franchin at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia
7. Guo Bao Rou
This northeastern specialty is one we think the Americans will appreciate. It features thin slices of pork that are double-fried until super crispy, finished off in a bright, sweet and sour sauce made from vinegar and sugar. The result feels familiar to your typical takeout-style sweet and sour pork, but more complex in flavor and texture.
8. Yunnan Steam Pot Chicken
Have you ever had chicken prepared in a clay steam pot? If your answer is no, this Yunnan specialty is telling you it's time to give it a try. As the chicken cooks through this vessel, the condensation collects inside and creates a clear, concentrated broth that gives this dish its memorable clean and delicate taste.
9. Lion’s Head Meatballs
Don't worry, this meat dish isn't actually made out of lion meat, the meatballs are just so large in size, it's like a lion's head! Typically braised or steamed with napa cabbage, bok choy, or other mild vegetables all together in a savory broth, these meatballs come out tender, filling, and juicy every time.
MCB (Michael C. Berch) on Wikimedia
10. Chongqing Spicy Chicken
Better known as la zi ji, Chongqing spicy chicken is definitely for the spice lovers only. Bite-sized pieces of fried chicken are cooked together with plenty of dried red chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and aromatics to create a rich and savory dish that doesn't hold back on spiciness.
FotoosVanRobin from Netherlands on Wikimedia
11. Beggar’s Chicken
The name of the dish might not sound the most appetizing or welcoming, but don't let that stop you. Beggar's chicken is simply named after a legend involving a homeless beggar, but the dish itself features moist chicken that's stuffed, wrapped in lotus leaves, sealed in clay, and cooked until tender and fragrant. It's delicious!
12. Shacha Beef
Shacha beef is native to the Gansu province in China, using, you guessed it, shacha sauce as its main ingredient. This savory condiment is made of many things including seafood, garlic, shallots, chilies, spices, and more, creating a salty and savory sauce that pairs perfectly with slices of stir-fried beef. It's best served with a bed of hot rice.
Christopher from Shanghai, China on Wikimedia
13. Mao-Style Red-Braised Pork
Let's just say China certainly knows how to make pork delicious with their wide variety of pork-focused dishes. This Mao-style red-braised pork is just another example, with a mixture of sugar, soy sauce, chilies, and spices coming together to create a sweet, salty, and spicy sauce. With the meat so tender and comforting, you'll devour it in seconds.
14. Dezhou Braised Chicken
This traditional dish from Dezhou in Shandong Province is known for its deeply seasoned meat and soft texture. If you need any convincing that this dish is delicious, it's also known as "Dezhou Five-fragrant Boneless Braised Chicken" which gives some insight into just how flavorful this chicken truly is when prepared well.
15. Fen Zheng Rou
This might sound a little strange, but fen zheng rou translates to something along the lines of "steamed pork with rice powder." This classic comfort dish takes pork belly, coats it in seasoned ground rice, and steams it over vegetables like sweet potatoes and squash. The unique rice coating absorbs the pork juices and keeps the meat soft and tender.
16. Chaoshan Braised Goose
This traditional meat dish from the Chaoshan region takes a braised goose and slowly cooks it in a master stock flavored with soy sauce, spices, garlic, and plenty of aromatics that make it anything other than bland. It's often served with tofu, eggs, or other meats that have been cooked in the same broth.
Walter Lim from Singapore, Singapore on Wikimedia
17. Hunan Steamed Preserved Meats
Also known as lawei hezheng, this Hunan specialty takes various preserved meats like cured pork, sausage, and even smoked fish or chicken, arranges them in a bowl, and steams them so that their savory juices and smoky flavors come together. It's a simple dish that really only needs a bowl of rice to enjoy it with.
18. Water-Boiled Beef
Don't be fooled by its translated English name, this meat dish is actually one of Sichuan cuisine's more aggressive beef dishes! Just picture beef slices cooked in a spicy broth that's full of dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and hot oil. Every bite has so much flavor, but also a lot of spice, so beware.
Guilhem Vellut from Paris, France on Wikimedia
19. Three Cup Chicken
Three cup chicken is one of the most popular and iconic dishes to come from Jiangxi cuisine, and holds a special place in many locals' hearts. Juicy, tender chicken is seasoned with rice wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil, alongside a mix of garlic, ginger, and chilies, creating a delicious and easy to enjoy chicken dish that's good for any weeknight.
20. Salt-Baked Chicken
Salt-baked chicken is a Hakka dish where seasoned chicken is traditionally wrapped and cooked in heated salt. Salt bakes allow the meat to cook and be seasoned evenly, resulting in a completed chicken dish with concentrated and fragrant flavors that pair perfectly with rice.
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