Xuzhou-style Meat Sauce Handmade Noodles

Experience the bold, savory depth of Xuzhou-style noodles. This authentic recipe features a rich, spice-infused pork sauce served over perfectly chewy noodles.

Ingredients

• 400 g cooking oil
• 100 g minced ginger
• 100 g chopped scallions
• 100 g Pixian bean paste
• 1.25 kg ground pork
• 12 g white sugar
• 80 g sweet bean sauce
• 100 g minced garlic
• to taste dark soy sauce
• to taste specialty spice powder blend
• to taste handmade noodles
• 3 g salt
• 5 g MSG
• 2 g white pepper powder
• to taste bone broth or noodle water
• to taste garlic sprouts
• to taste cilantro
• to taste cooked soybeans
• to taste shredded black fungus

Instructions

1. 1Heat the Oil

   

   Add 400 grams of oil into a hot iron wok. Allow the oil to heat up thoroughly before adding your aromatics to ensure proper frying.

   Tip: Ensure your wok is well-seasoned to prevent sticking, even when using this amount of oil.
2. 2Sauté Aromatics

   

   Add 100 grams of minced ginger and 100 grams of chopped scallions into the hot oil. Sauté them over medium heat until they turn lightly golden and become fragrant.

   Tip: Keep the aromatics moving to prevent the minced ginger from burning, which can turn the oil bitter.
3. 3Fry the Bean Paste

   

   Add 100 grams of Pixian bean paste to the aromatics. Stir-fry constantly until the paste releases its flavor and the oil turns a distinct reddish color.

   Tip: Frying the bean paste in oil is crucial for developing the deep, savory red base of the sauce.
4. 4Cook the Ground Pork

   

   Add 2.5 jin (1.25 kg) of ground pork to the wok. Turn off the heat briefly to break up the meat evenly, then resume cooking over medium-high heat to brown it without clumping.

   Tip: Breaking the meat down while the heat is off ensures a finer texture for the sauce.
5. 5Season with Sugar

   

   Add 12 grams of white sugar to the frying pork. Continue to stir-fry to ensure the sugar is fully incorporated and the meat is cooked through.

   Tip: Sugar balances the saltiness of the bean paste and enhances the overall depth of the meat sauce.
6. 6Add Sweet Bean Sauce

   

   Once the meat is fully cooked, add 80 grams of sweet bean sauce. Sauté over high heat for about two minutes to allow the sauce to caramelize and fully integrate with the pork.

   Tip: Using high heat during this stage brings out the aroma of the sweet bean sauce significantly.
7. 7Season the meat sauce

   

   Drizzle the dark soy sauce into the stir-fried meat mixture. Mix thoroughly over high heat to ensure the sauce is evenly combined with the meat and develops a rich color and depth of flavor.

   Tip: Adjust the amount of dark soy sauce based on your personal preference for color and saltiness.
8. 8Add minced garlic

   

   Incorporate the minced garlic into the meat sauce mixture in the wok. Sauté over high heat until the garlic becomes fragrant and fully integrated into the sauce.

   Tip: Adding garlic later in the cooking process preserves its bold, fresh aroma.
9. 9Season with special spice powder

   

   Sprinkle the unique spice powder mixture over the meat sauce. Stir the mixture thoroughly to ensure the spices are evenly distributed, as this step is crucial for the final flavor profile of the dish.

   Tip: Use a specialized spice blend rather than generic thirteen-spice or five-spice powders to achieve the authentic flavor.
10. 10Boil the noodles

    

    Carefully add the noodles into a large pot or wok of boiling water. Boil for two minutes after the water returns to a full boil to achieve the perfect texture.

    Tip: Ensure the water is at a rolling boil before adding the noodles to prevent them from becoming mushy.
11. 11Prepare the base seasoning

    

    In a serving bowl, combine 3 grams of salt, 5 grams of MSG, and 2 grams of white pepper powder. This forms the aromatic base for your noodle soup.

    Tip: These base seasonings will dissolve and create a flavorful broth once the hot noodles and liquid are added.
12. 12Assemble the noodles

    

    Transfer the cooked noodles into the bowl containing the seasoning base. Add a generous scoop of the prepared meat sauce on top to complete the dish.

    Tip: You can follow this by adding hot bone broth or cooking water to serve.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions