Pork bone congee, or zhū gu zhōu, or, more familiar to me in Cantonese phonetics, “gee gwut jook,” is a simple rice congee dish flavored with a meaty pork bone stock.
I remember this pork bone congee recipe from our childhood cooked in a large 12-quart soup pot. (I often wonder where that pot went. I’ll have to ask my sisters if either of them has it stashed somewhere.)
My mom always used that pot for pork bone congee, because it was the largest pot we had in our house at the time. Even though she cooked it in large volumes, pork bone congee always went quickly, with leftovers reheated over the course of a few days. Like most soups and stews, it seemed to get better with each day, until it was finally gone.
I remember that my mother would sometimes salt the pork bones overnight before making the congee if she had time. In those days, to my young palette, it genuinely seemed like one of the best things I ever ate––or would eat. Perhaps it was just because our culinary standards weren’t that high, but I like to think that my mom’s delicious pork bone congee recipe really was the best. I wish I could remember more details about how she’d make it, like the salted pork bones, but I’ve tried to make mom’s recipe as close to how I remember hers tasted!
One other point I wanted to cover is regarding the dried seafood which you can check on our Dried and Preserved Ingredients page. I think it is more of a Cantonese and/or Hong Kong thing but adding dried seafood to soups and congee gives them a nice umami boost of flavor. Pictured below is a package of dried conch or shellfish and oddly, the package labeling does not really specify the type but based on the price, I think these were dried conch. One slice is good for this congee.
These dried cuttlefish are about 4 to 5 inches long and may not look appetizing but certainly can make your soup quite tasty! Just add them whole after a quick rinse.
Dried scallop is probably the favorite of the three, at least in our family, and I remember it was used for many congee and soup dishes. A couple of whacks with the back of the cleaver breaks these dried scallops up nicely.
My parents have used one or more of the dried scallop, dried squid/cuttlefish and dried conch/abalone in this pork congee but one or two pieces of any of these three is sufficient to add that extra flavor without overwhelming the dish. That said, it is totally optional and up to you whether you want to add it!
This pork bone congee really is the perfect home-cooked, comforting soup for cold winter days. I hope you enjoy it!
You’ll need:
- 3 pounds pork back bones, cut into 2-inch pieces, washed, and drained
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4½ quarts water
- 2 pieces dried squid or 2 pieces dried conch or 3 large dried scallops, smashed into small pieces (optional)
- 1 cup uncooked rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes
- 1 scallion, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Fresh ground black or white pepper, to taste
Rub the pork bones in 1 tablespoon of salt and marinate for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, in the refrigerator.
Put the marinated pork bones in a large pot with 4½ quarts of water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Skim off any foam with a spoon or a fine-meshed strainer, and discard.
Next add the dried squid/conch/dried scallops (if using), cover the pot loosely, and turn the heat down to a simmer. Let the soup simmer for 4 hours.
Taste the soup and re-season with salt if needed. Add the soaked rice and simmer for another hour. If you decide to use Judy’s method for 20-minute Congee, then all you need is an additional 20 minutes after adding the grains!
One point I’d like to make here is that the texture and consistency of congee is a very personal thing. Some like their congee cooked like a gruel, where you can’t see any signs of individual rice granules at all. Others prefer the rice granules cooked until they just open up or “blossom like a flower,” to use the literal translation of a Chinese expression. Finally, some prefer it thick and others prefer it thin. This recipe yields a thick congee, where the rice is cooked until it blossoms like a flower. But once you’re familiar with this congee recipe, feel free to adjust the amount of water and/or rice according to your own preferences!
At this point, give your congee another taste, and add additional salt to taste. Ladle the congee into small bowls, and serve with chopped scallion, cilantro, and pepper.
Hope you enjoy my Mom’s favorite pork bone congee recipe!
Pork Bone Congee Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork back bones (cut into 2-inch pieces, washed, and drained)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4½ quarts water
- 2 pieces dried squid or 2 pieces dried conch or 3 large dried scallops) (smashed into small pieces, optional)
- 1 cup uncooked rice (soaked in water for 30 minutes)
- 1 scallion (chopped)
- ¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
- Fresh ground black or white pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Rub the pork bones in 1 tablespoon of salt and marinate for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, in the refrigerator.
- Put the marinated pork bones in a large pot with 4½ quarts of water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Skim off any foam with a spoon or a fine-meshed strainer, and discard.
- Next add the dried squid/conch/dried scallops (if using), cover the pot loosely, and turn the heat down to a simmer. Let the soup simmer for 4 hours.
- Taste the soup and re-season with salt if needed. Add the soaked rice and simmer for another hour. If you decide to use Judy’s method for 20-minute Congee, then all you need is an additional 30 minutes after adding the grains!
- One point I’d like to make here is that the texture and consistency of congee is a very personal thing. Some like their congee cooked like a gruel, where you can’t see any signs of individual rice granules at all. Others prefer the rice granules cooked until they just open up or “blossom like a flower,” to use the literal translation of a Chinese expression. Finally, some prefer it thick and others prefer it thin. This recipe yields a thick congee, where the rice is cooked until it blossoms like a flower. But once you’re familiar with this congee recipe, feel free to adjust the amount of water and/or rice according to your own preferences!
- At this point, give your congee another taste, and add additional salt to taste. Ladle the congee into small bowls, and serve with chopped scallion, cilantro, and pepper.
Nutrition
Cecelia says
I called my local meat store and it appears they have pork “neck bones” rather than pork “back bones” in stock. Not knowing much about the different pork cuts, are these the same things? And if not, can I still use them interchangeably?
Judy says
Yes, you can.
Barbara Murphy says
I am cooking this right now. Do I pull the pork meat off the bones? How much soup will I have before adding rice?
Bill says
Hi Barbara, don’t worry about pulling the meat off the bones until you are ready to eat this. You should have about 4 quarts of soup after cooking it covered at a slower simmer for 4 hours.
Vu says
How much longer do you cook after adding the grains when NOT using the 20 minute method? It’s doesn’t really say.
Bill says
Hi Vu, the recipe says to soak the rice and cook for an hour after you add it, but you can cook it longer depending upon how you like the rice in your congee. Some people like the see the grains in the congee, and others cook it until you can’t make out the individual grains. I like it somewhere in between, which is why we recommended 1 hour of cook time when using pre-soaked rice.
Cyndi says
I love this congee. It reminds me of my mother’s congee too. She would also salt the bones overnight. This meal reminds me of home! Thanks for sharing!
Bill says
Hi Cyndi, Thanks for your comment and input! Yes, I remember that my mom used to salt the bones overnight too. Salting the pork bones overnight definitely makes this pork bone congee better :)
Peter says
I used instant pot on this and found the rice and water ratio to be in inaccurate. Do 4 qt of water and 1.5 cups of rice. I would also wash off the salt from the bones before boiling it. It was too salty with that tablespoon of salt. Salt can always be added in later. I also added a little bit of sesame oil too at the end to boost the aroma and flavor. I also heard about soaking the rice in oil before cooking so I think I will try that next
Judy says
Thank you for your cooking tips, Peter. Hope you enjoyed this recipe.