Pork: The Go-To Meat

• Pork's use in all Chinese cuisines is so widespread the phrase "Chinese pork" is almost redundant. Tenderloin, pork roast, ribs, fresh ham and the belly portion, called pork plate, can be found in Chinese dishes from simple stir-fries to more complex concoctions such as mu shu pork. Tenderloin may be used in slices or cubes for stir-frying or baking, while pork roast typically is baked with soy sauce and spices. Extremely thin strips of fresh ham are especially prevalent in many recipes. In Chinese cooking, fresh ham is sliced with the grain of the meat, not against it, as recommended with beef.

Red-Cooked Meat

• Dishes that may give rise to the idea of "Chinese pork" are known as red-cooked meat. For this, pork cuts are soaked in soy sauce, which causes the edges of the meat to turn brownish-red. Fresh ham, shoulder, loin, roast and spareribs all can be prepared in red-cooked versions, whether stir-fried, grilled, baked or roasted.

Chinese Pork Sausage

• Chinese sausage is known by its Cantonese name, lap cheong. Asian grocery stores carry many types of Chinese sausage, from soft sausages made with sugar and fatty pork to dried versions that resemble rock-hard salami or pepperoni. The type made with fatty pork is best for making potstickers -- a type of dumpling -- because as it cooks, the meat provides enough melted fat to fry the dumplings.

Classic Pork Seasonings

• Beyond pork's widespread use in Chinese cooking, flavorings such as Chinese five-spice and hoisin sauce give the meat its distinctive Chinese taste. Chinese five-spice is a combination that brings together the five tastes of all Chinese cuisines: salty, sweet, sour, pungent and bitter. The combination typically includes Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed and star anise. Hoisin sauce is made from fermented soybeans, garlic, chilies, vinegar and sugar. Hoisin sauce gives pork an intense flavor, especially when used for barbecue sauces or marinades. Hoisin frequently is used for stir-frying pork slices or cubes with bitter greens such as spinach or bok choy.