Roasted Pork

Ingredient Name: Roasted Pork (Head)

Traditional Chinese Name: 燒豬 (shāo zhū)

What is this?
  • Fully cooked and edible piglet roasted Cantonese-style
  • This is the leftovers from a full roasted piglet (as not to waste any part of it)
  • The piglet is roasted and has a crisply, slightly salty outer skin
  • Roasted pig is traditionally served in banquets, for special occasions like baby’s 30 or 100 day celebration, weddings, birthdays
  • It is a common fare (mainly the stomach and meaty portions) in most Cantonese styled restaurants

How do I prepare it?

  • No need to wash or blanch this meat
  • Serve as is
  • Cut into edible portions (for the head, I cut it into quarters)

Where can I buy this?

  • Any Cantonese-styled restaurant will serve roasted pork
  • Most restaurants will serve roasted piglet (on pre-order)

What is the cost?

  • The price will vary depending on season (more expensive during Chinese New Year’s), size, location
  • On average, it’s around $30 HKD per catty

Any benefits?

  • The meat is very tasty and creates a wonderful aroma (even if boiled just by itself!)
  • You don’t need to add additional salt to the soup as the roasted pork itself is already salty
  • The head is a skinny portion of the pork, so fat is minimal
  • The roasted pork head can be kept frozen for up to 3 months to be used for soups

Any precautions?

  • Be sure to cut the bones clean through to avoid splinter and bones floating in the soup
  • Avoid using the stomach or other common parts of roasted pork as those parts are more fatty and the fat will dissolve into the soup