Rou Jia Mo (Chinese Braised Pork Sandwich)

About This Recipe

Rou jia mo, sometimes called 'China's hamburger,' is a Shaanxi province street food classic: pork shoulder braised for hours in a master stock of soy sauce, star anise, and warm spices until falling-apart tender, then chopped and stuffed into a crusty, pan-fried flatbread called mo. The bread itself is a distinct baked-then-fried preparation, giving it a texture somewhere between a bun and a biscuit, sturdy enough to hold the juicy, richly spiced pork without falling apart. The technique that defines rou jia mo is the long braise: pork shoulder is simmered for two to three hours in a spiced soy braising liquid (a lu shui, or master stock, that many households keep and reuse for years, adding depth over time), until it's tender enough to shred or chop with a cleaver, rather than slice neatly. The mo bread is made from a simple flour dough, shaped into rounds, baked briefly, then pan-fried until the surface turns crackly and golden, creating a textural contrast against the soft, juicy pork. Stuffed generously with the chopped, juicy pork and sometimes a scatter of chopped chile or cilantro, rou jia mo is beloved street food found throughout northern China, celebrated for its combination of crisp bread and deeply savory, tender meat.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 700 gpork shoulder(cut into large chunks)
• 0.33 cupsoy sauce
• 2 tbspdark soy sauce
• 2 tbspshaoxing wine
• 2 tbsprock sugar or brown sugar
• 3star anise
• 1cinnamon stick
• 4 slicesfresh ginger
• 3 clovesgarlic
• 1dried chile(optional)
• 3 cupswater(or as needed to cover)
• 2.5 cupsall-purpose flour(for bread)
• 1 tspsalt(for bread)
• 1 cupwarm water(for bread)
• 3 tbspneutral oil(for frying bread)
• 0.25 cupcilantro or green chile(chopped, optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Braise the pork

   Combine pork, soy sauces, wine, sugar, star anise, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, chile if using, and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

2. 2

   Simmer long

   Cover and simmer 2-2.5 hours until the pork is completely tender and falls apart easily.

3. 3

   Make the dough

   Mix flour, salt, and warm water into a smooth dough. Knead 8 minutes, rest covered 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Shape and cook the bread

   Divide dough into 4 portions, roll into flat rounds. Cook in a dry pan over medium heat 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned, then pan-fry with a little oil until crisp and golden on both sides.

5. 5

   Chop the pork

   Remove pork from the braising liquid and chop or shred finely with a cleaver or two forks, moistening with a little braising liquid.

6. 6

   Assemble

   Split each bread round and stuff generously with the chopped pork. Add cilantro or chile if desired.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve hot, with extra braising liquid on the side for dipping if desired.

Variations

• •

  Use pork belly for an even richer, fattier filling.

• •

  Add a spoonful of the reduced braising liquid directly into the sandwich for extra juiciness.

• •

  Make a lamb version (yang rou jia mo), common in some regions of northern China.

Storage

Refrigerate braised pork in its liquid up to 4 days; the flavor deepens over time. Store bread separately and reheat in a dry pan before assembling fresh sandwiches.

Frequently Asked Questions