Steamed Mixed Cured Meats (腊味合蒸 / La Wei He Zheng)

Name: Steamed Mixed Cured Meats (腊味合蒸 / La Wei He Zheng)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Hunan
Ingredients: 200 g cured pork belly (腊肉, la rou); 150 g cured chicken (腊鸡, la ji); 100 g cured fish (腊鱼, la yu); 2 tbsp cooking wine (Shaoxing wine); 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 3 slices ginger; 2 scallions, cut into sections; 1 tbsp cooking oil

Steamed mixed cured meats (腊味合蒸, la wei he zheng) is one of the most beloved and iconic dishes in Hunan cuisine — a grand, celebratory platter that showcases the region's proud tradition of cured meats. Three or more types of cured meats — typically cured pork belly (腊肉), cured chicken (腊鸡), and cured fish (腊鱼) — are sliced thin and steamed together in a single dish until their smoky, savory flavors meld into one glorious whole. As they steam, the rich fat from the pork belly renders and bastes the leaner chicken and fish, while the cooking wine and soy sauce penetrate every fiber. The result is a dish of extraordinary depth: each bite offers a different texture and a slightly different shade of smoky, salty, umami flavor. The pork is meltingly soft with translucent layers of fat; the chicken is firm and intensely aromatic; the fish is delicate yet deeply savory. Served with plain steamed rice, this is pure Hunan comfort food — the kind of dish that appears at every winter family gathering and Lunar New Year feast. It is rustic yet elegant, simple in technique but profound in flavor.

The winter ritual of curing meats in Hunan

In Hunan, curing meats (制腊味) is a winter tradition that goes back centuries and is woven deeply into the fabric of rural life. Every year, after the harvest and before the Lunar New Year, families across the province would butcher pigs, chickens, and fish, rub them generously with salt and spices, and hang them under the eaves of their houses to dry in the cold, dry winter wind. Many households also built small smoking sheds where pine branches, tea seed husks, or sugarcane peel were slowly burned to infuse the meats with a fragrant smokiness. The sight of rows of amber-colored cured meats hanging outside homes is one of the most iconic images of a Hunan winter. The tradition originated as a practical preservation method — before refrigeration, salting and smoking were the only ways to keep meat edible through the cold months. But over time, the unique flavor of cured meats became so cherished that the practice continued long after refrigeration made it unnecessary. 腊味合蒸 (steamed mixed cured meats) is the crowning expression of this tradition — it brings together the best of the winter's curing efforts on one plate, creating a dish that is both a celebration of the harvest and a tribute to the ingenuity of Hunan's food culture. Even today, many Hunan families consider a winter without cured meats to be incomplete, and the dish is an indispensable part of the Lunar New Year reunion dinner.

Ingredients

The beauty of this dish lies in the quality of the cured meats. Use authentic Hunan-style cured meats if you can find them — the smoky flavor is what makes this dish special.

200 g cured pork belly (腊肉, la rou)
150 g cured chicken (腊鸡, la ji)
100 g cured fish (腊鱼, la yu)
2 tbsp cooking wine (Shaoxing wine)
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
3 slices ginger
2 scallions, cut into sections
1 tbsp cooking oil

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the cured meats. Soak the cured pork belly, cured chicken, and cured fish in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking. Cured meats are preserved through salting and smoking, which makes them quite salty and firm in texture. Soaking in warm water softens the texture slightly and draws out some of the excess surface salt so the final dish is balanced rather than overwhelmingly salty. Use warm water — not hot — because hot water will cook the surface of the meats and make them tough. After soaking, gently scrub the surface of each piece with a clean brush or your fingers to remove any dust or smoke residue that may have accumulated during the curing process. Pat them dry with paper towels and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
Slice the cured meats. Slice each cured meat into thin, uniform pieces — about 3 mm thick. The cured pork belly should be sliced across the grain so that each slice has beautiful alternating layers of lean meat and fat. The cured chicken should be deboned first if it was cured on the bone, then sliced or torn into bite-sized pieces. The cured fish should have its bones carefully removed and be cut into pieces of a similar size to the pork and chicken. Thin, uniform slicing is critical because it ensures that all three types of meat cook evenly and absorb the seasonings at the same rate. The thinness also makes the dish more elegant to serve and easier to eat with chopsticks. Arrange the slices in neat stacks as you cut them, keeping the three types separate, so that plating in the next step is easy and organized.
Arrange on a plate. Select a deep heatproof plate or shallow bowl that will fit comfortably inside your steamer. Arrange the sliced cured meats in alternating rows or an attractive fan pattern — pork, chicken, fish, pork, chicken, fish — so that each type is evenly distributed across the plate and their flavors will mingle as they steam. The arrangement is not just about aesthetics; it also ensures that the rich, fragrant fat from the pork belly bastes the leaner chicken and fish as it renders during the long steaming process. Place the ginger slices and scallion sections between the layers of meat and also on top. This strategic placement allows the aromatics to permeate the entire dish from the inside out. The plate should not be too crowded — leave a small amount of space between slices so that steam can circulate freely and cook everything evenly.
Season the dish. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of cooking wine, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Drizzle this seasoning mixture evenly over the arranged cured meats, making sure to cover the entire surface. The cooking wine helps to deodorize any gamey or overly smoky notes from the cured meats and adds a layer of aromatic depth. The light soy sauce provides a savory umami base that complements the natural saltiness of the cured meats. The sugar is important — it does not make the dish sweet, but rather balances the saltiness and rounds out the harsh, smoky edges of the cured flavors. The cooking oil helps to keep the leaner chicken and fish moist during the long steaming process and gives the finished dish a glossy, appetizing sheen.
Steam the meats. Bring a large pot or steamer of water to a vigorous boil. Place the plate of seasoned cured meats carefully into the steamer basket, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam over high heat for 40 to 45 minutes. The long steaming time is absolutely essential — it allows the tough, dense cured meats to gradually become tender and allows the fat to render, creating a rich, glossy, deeply flavored sauce at the bottom of the plate. Check the water level about halfway through the cooking time and add more boiling water if needed so the pot does not run dry. You will know the dish is done when the cured pork belly is translucent and soft enough to cut with a spoon, the chicken is fork-tender and falls apart easily, and the fish flakes at the lightest touch. The aromatics of the three different meats will have melded into a single, complex, intoxicating fragrance that fills your entire kitchen.
Serve and enjoy. Carefully remove the plate from the steamer — it will be very hot, so use thick oven mitts or a dedicated steamer plate lifter. Garnish with fresh scallion greens cut into thin strips for a pop of color and freshness. The dish is now ready to serve. The cured meats should be glistening, tender, and deeply fragrant, sitting in a shallow pool of rich, savory jus that has collected at the bottom of the plate. Serve immediately with plenty of steamed white rice — the rice is absolutely essential because it absorbs the flavorful sauce and provides a neutral base that balances the richness and saltiness of the meats. Each bite offers a different combination of textures and flavors: the meltingly soft, fatty pork belly, the firm and smoky chicken, and the delicate yet savory fish. This is a dish meant to be savored slowly, one piece at a time, with generous helpings of rice — the quintessential taste of a Hunan winter.

Secrets to perfect steamed cured meats

Soak before cooking. A 15 to 20 minute warm water soak removes excess salt and softens the texture of the cured meats.
Slice thinly and uniformly. Thin, even slices ensure that all three types of meat cook at the same rate and absorb seasonings evenly.
Steam long and steady. 40 to 45 minutes of steaming is what transforms tough cured meats into meltingly tender morsels.
Arrange with care. Alternating the three meats allows the pork fat to baste the leaner chicken and fish for maximum flavor.
Always serve with rice. Plain steamed rice is essential — it absorbs the rich sauce and balances the saltiness of the cured meats.

Variations

Steamed cured meats is a versatile dish — here are some popular variations from across Hunan and neighboring regions.

With cured sausage (腊肠)

Add slices of Chinese cured sausage (腊肠, la chang) to the platter for an extra layer of sweetness and a satisfying snap. The sausage's wine-infused flavor adds a new dimension to the dish. This four-meat version is particularly popular in Changsha restaurants during the winter season.

With taro or winter melon underneath

Place sliced taro (芋头) or winter melon (冬瓜) at the bottom of the plate, beneath the cured meats. As the meats steam, their rich fat and juices drip down and are absorbed by the vegetable, creating a delicious, savory base that is almost as coveted as the meats themselves. This is a very traditional Hunan home-style variation.

With dried chili and black bean sauce

For a spicier version, top the arranged cured meats with a spoonful of chopped dried chilies and fermented black beans (豆豉) before steaming. The chilies add a gentle, warming heat that cuts through the richness of the cured meats, while the black beans contribute a deep, earthy umami. This version is more common in the Xiangxi region, where spicier food is preferred.

Nutrition

Estimated values per serving (recipe serves 4). Cured meats are rich in protein and fat but also high in sodium due to the curing process.

Nutrient	Per serving
Calories	420 kcal
Protein	32 g
Total fat	28 g
Saturated fat	10 g
Carbohydrates	6 g
Sodium	980 mg
Sugar	2 g

Values are estimates. Actual nutrition will vary depending on specific ingredients and portion sizes. Cured meats are naturally high in sodium.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are 'cured meats' (腊味) in Hunan cuisine?

Cured meats (腊味, la wei) are a cornerstone of Hunan culinary tradition, especially during the winter months. The process involves salting pork, chicken, fish, or duck, then hanging them outdoors to dry in the cold winter air and smoke from a wood fire — typically using pine, camphor, or tea seed husks. This combination of salting, cold-drying, and smoking preserves the meat while giving it a distinctive deep amber color, firm texture, and intensely smoky, savory flavor. In Hunan, curing meats is a winter ritual — families prepare large quantities before the Lunar New Year, hanging rows of pork, chicken, and fish under the eaves of their houses. The tradition dates back centuries, originally developed as a preservation method before refrigeration, but it has become beloved for its unique taste. Cured meats are so deeply embedded in Hunan food culture that the phrase 'no cured meats, no winter' is commonly heard in rural villages.

Can I use store-bought cured meats instead of making my own?

Yes, absolutely. Making your own cured meats from scratch requires weeks of salting, drying, and smoking, which is impractical for most home cooks. Store-bought Chinese cured meats (腊肉, 腊鸡, 腊鱼) are widely available at Chinese grocery stores and Asian markets, and many of them are quite good. Look for vacuum-sealed packages from reputable brands, or better yet, visit a Chinese butcher shop where you can see and smell the cured meats before buying. Fresh, high-quality cured meats should have a deep, appealing smoky aroma and a firm but not rock-hard texture. Avoid products that look excessively dry, have an off smell, or show signs of mold. If you cannot find all three types of cured meat, you can make this dish with just cured pork belly (腊肉) alone — it will still be delicious, just with a slightly less complex flavor profile than the traditional three-meat version.

Why is this dish steamed rather than stir-fried?

Steaming is the traditional and best cooking method for cured meats because it gently softens the firm, dense texture that results from the curing process. Stir-frying would make the already salty, dry-cured meats even tougher and would cause them to burn easily due to their low moisture content. Steaming, on the other hand, slowly relaxes the muscle fibers, renders the fat, and allows the three different meats to release their juices and aromas into a shared pool of flavorful liquid. The steam also carries the fragrance of the ginger and scallions deep into the meat. Additionally, steaming is a gentle, hands-off method that lets you focus on preparing other dishes. The result is meat that is meltingly tender, glossy, and infused with the mingled smoky flavors of all three cured varieties — something that simply cannot be achieved with any other cooking technique.

Is this dish very salty? How do I control the saltiness?

Cured meats are inherently salty because salt is the primary preservation agent, so yes, this dish is on the saltier side — but that is by design. The saltiness is meant to be balanced by plain steamed rice, which is always served alongside. That said, there are several ways to control the salt level. First, soak the cured meats in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking — this draws out a significant amount of surface salt. Second, you can blanch the sliced meats in boiling water for one minute, then drain, which further reduces saltiness. Third, go easy on the soy sauce — the recipe calls for just one tablespoon for the whole dish. Finally, serving with generous portions of rice and perhaps a simple vegetable soup will create a balanced meal where the savory, salty cured meats are the star without overwhelming your palate. Taste a small piece of your cured meats before cooking to gauge their saltiness.

Related Recipes

If you enjoyed this classic steamed cured meat dish, explore these other beloved Hunan specialties that showcase the region's rich culinary traditions.

Steamed Mixed Cured Meats (腊味合蒸)