Xiang Chang
香腸·(xiāng cháng)
Biandang (便當) – The Box Tied with a Rubber Band
For kids of the Taiwanese diaspora, snapping the rubber band off a lunchbox to find these plump, garlicky, mahogany-red sausages was the ultimate taste of home. Traditional sausage-making is a weekend-long ordeal of grinding meat and stuffing hog casings. But Taiwanese grandmas are infinitely pragmatic. By packing the meat into a foil roll and utilizing a brilliant "water-fry" method, you get the unapologetically sweet, deeply savory snap of the night market on a weeknight. The real secret? A pinch of licorice powder and a heavy splash of Kaoliang liquor.
Before you start
Prepare the foil wrappers.
Tear off six 8x10-inch sheets of aluminum foil. For an extra barrier, you can place a similarly sized piece of parchment paper inside each foil sheet.
Ingredients
- coarse ground pork1 1/2 lb
- Kaoliang liquor2 tbsp
- ice water2 tbsp
- granulated sugar3 tbsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- garlic powder1 tsp
- red yeast rice powder1 tsp
- five-spice powder1/2 tsp
- white pepper1/2 tsp
- ground cinnamon1/4 tsp
- licorice powder1/4 tsp
- water1/2 cup
- neutral oil1 tsp
Method
- 01
Mix the meat matrix vigorously until sticky.
In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, Kaoliang liquor, ice water, sugar, salt, garlic powder, red yeast rice powder, five-spice, white pepper, cinnamon, and licorice powder. Using your hands or wooden chopsticks, stir vigorously in one direction only for 3 to 5 minutes until the meat becomes pale and paste-like. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
- 02
Shape the casing-less sausages in foil.
Spoon roughly a half cup of the chilled meat mixture onto the center of a piece of prepared foil. Form it into a rough log, roll the foil tightly around it, and twist the ends like a candy wrapper to compress the meat into a dense, firm shape. Repeat for the remaining mixture.
- 03
Set the sausage shape with heat.
Place the foil-wrapped sausages in a steamer basket over boiling water, or bake in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes to cook the protein and set the shape permanently. Remove and let them cool.
- 04
Water-fry the sausages from a cold start.
Unwrap the set sausages and place them in a cold, non-stick skillet. Add the cold water and a tiny drizzle of neutral oil. Cover with a lid and turn the heat to medium-high.
- 05
Caramelize the exterior in the rendered fat.
Let the water boil and steam the sausages until it evaporates completely, about 5 to 7 minutes. Once you hear a sharp sizzle, remove the lid. The sausages are now frying in their own rendered fat. Roll them continuously with tongs until they develop a deep, glossy mahogany crust. Slice on a bias and serve.
Notes
The Kaoliang difference.
High-proof Taiwanese sorghum liquor (Kaoliang) gives this sausage its unmistakable, slightly floral aroma. If you cannot find it at your local Asian grocer, high-proof vodka mixed with a splash of sake, or Taiwanese rice wine (Michiu) will work in a pinch.
Why we use garlic powder.
Traditional night market sausages are eaten with fresh, raw garlic on the side. But placing raw garlic inside the meat mixture can cause it to sour prematurely during the resting phase, so we rely on garlic powder for the marinade.
Make-ahead friendly.
Once the sausages are steamed in their foil wrappers, they can be refrigerated for 4 days or frozen for months. This is the ultimate Sunday meal-prep for a Wednesday bento box.