Traditional Chinese sausages

Cantonese Chinese Sausages in Hong Kong Grocery Stores

Lap cheong, or Chinese sausage, is a type of cured meat product commonly found in southern regions of China such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan, and Guangdong. Traditional Chinese sausage is made by stuffing seasoned pork into natural casings made from animal intestines, then air-drying it naturally. However, in modern factory production, artificial casings are often used, and hot-air drying is employed to enhance production efficiency. Lap cheong can be eaten on its own and is also widely used as an ingredient in various Cantonese dishes.

Production

Chinese sausage is believed to have originated during the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, or even earlier. Its earliest documented method appears in the *Qimin Yaoshu*, an agricultural text from the Northern Wei period.

The main ingredients for Chinese sausage are pork and sausage casings. First, the pork is finely chopped and mixed according to the desired ratio of fat to lean meat. Salt, sugar, rice wine, soy sauce, and other seasonings are added. The seasoned meat is then stuffed into casings, compressed, and segmented using string into desired lengths. One end is tied off, while the other end is fitted with a string for hanging. The sausages are then dehydrated using either natural air drying or hot-air drying, allowing for long-term preservation.

Uses

Compared to other types of preserved meats, Chinese sausage retains its pork fat better due to the casing that encases the meat mixture. In Guangdong and Hong Kong, Chinese sausage is a key ingredient in making lap mei fan (claypot rice with preserved meats). Whole sausages are placed on top of uncooked rice and steamed together. Once cooked, the rich, flavorful oils from the Chinese sausage infuse the rice, giving it a distinctive aroma and taste.

Chinese sausage buns (lap cheong bao) are steamed buns made with whole sausages inside. Sliced Chinese sausage can also be stir-fried with vegetables or mixed into other dishes. It is a common ingredient in a variety of Cantonese foods, including stir-fried glutinous rice, lo mai gai (sticky rice in lotus leaf), and turnip cake.