Sausages are a popular food item in many cultures, and the Chinese are no exception. Pork is the most common meat used in Chinese sausages, but other meats such as beef, chicken, duck or lamb are often added. Pork liver or duck liver are also sometimes added to liver sausages. Traditional Chinese recipes, similar to Italian recipes for salamis, have been passed down from generation to generation without much understanding of the underlying processes.
They are modified today to comply with the safety regulations of the China Meat Safety Department. Chinese sausages are normally dried in air or over low heat and can be smoked and dried, or fresh. Common condiment ingredients include light soy sauce, salt, sugar and Chinese rose wine (Mei Kwei Lu). Spices such as the five Chinese spices, Sichuan pepper powder and chilli powder can be added to the mixture to give the sausages a different flavor.
Eastern European-style sausages were manufactured in Harbin, the largest city in Heilongjiang Province, in the northeastern region of China. Food colorants are added to meat products such as ribs or ducks, however, their use in sausages is not widespread. Sausage is used as an ingredient in many dishes in parts of southern China, such as Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries. It is used, for example, in fried rice dishes, noodles and other dishes. Chinese sausage formulations are unique, based on a long tradition.
Ingredients such as soy sauce and sugar are added to sausages at very high levels. Chinese rice wines, distilled spirits, or even whiskey or sherry are commonly added to sausages. Nutritional Information According to Livestrong, an 8-ounce serving of Chinese ribs contains a whopping 949 calories. The easiest way to cook Chinese sausages is to cut them into slices and drop the slices with raw rice into a rice cooker.
