Wenzhou Pork Offal Noodles (Zhuzang Fen / 猪脏粉)

A Bowl of Guts and Glory: Why Wenzhouers Start Their Day With Offal

I still remember the first time I stood in line for zhuzang fen on a drizzly morning in Wenzhou. The stall was nothing more than a fold-up table, a propane burner, and a massive aluminum pot simmering with what looked like an entire pig's worth of parts. The air smelled of white pepper, garlic, and something deeply savory that I couldn't quite place. A woman in front of me ordered two bowls to go, carefully balancing them on her scooter before disappearing into the mist. "Breakfast," my friend explained, as if eating pork intestines at 7 a.m. were the most natural thing in the world.

 

And in Wenzhou, it is.

Zhuzang fen (猪脏粉, literally "pig offal noodles") is the undisputed king of Wenzhou street food. You'll find it everywhere—from proper restaurants with laminated menus to plastic-stool stalls set up on sidewalk corners. It's the dish Wenzhouers crave when they move away, the taste of home that no other city can quite replicate. The combination of chewy rice noodles, tender pork intestines, silky duck blood, and a peppery, bone-deep broth is simultaneously comforting and addictive. It's not fancy. It's not pretty. But it's honest, deeply flavored, and exactly what you want when the southern Zhejiang fog rolls in off the East China Sea.

I've eaten this dish at dawn in the old city, at midnight after too much beer, and at countless plastic tables in between. The version below is adapted from a stall run by a husband-and-wife team near Wuma Street, where they've been ladling bowls since the early 1990s. I've adjusted the recipe slightly for home kitchens—you probably don't have a 20-year-old broth pot sitting around—but the soul of the dish remains intact.

The Noodles: Why Thickness Matters

The noodles in zhuzang fen are thick, round rice noodles (cu mi fen / 粗米粉), about the width of spaghetti but with a distinct chewiness that wheat noodles can't replicate. They're the backbone of the dish, soaking up the broth without turning mushy.

If you live near an Asian grocery store, look for "Jiangxi rice vermicelli" or "Guilin rice noodles" in the dried noodle aisle. Fresh rice noodles labeled "ho fun" or "sha he fen" are too flat and wide—what you want is a round, thick strand. In a pinch, you can use dried banh pho (the thick round kind used in Vietnamese pho), though the texture will be slightly softer. Avoid instant rice noodles or thin vermicelli entirely—they'll disintegrate in the hot broth.

To prepare dried noodles, soak them in warm water for 30–40 minutes until pliable but still firm, then finish cooking them directly in the broth. This last step is crucial: the noodles absorb the porky, peppery flavor as they soften, becoming one with the soup rather than just a carrier for it.

The Offal: Working With Pork Intestines

Let's address the elephant—or rather, the pig—in the room. Pork intestines (zhu da chang / 猪大肠) are non-negotiable in this dish. They provide a unique, bouncy texture and a subtle funk that defines zhuzang fen's character.

If you're buying fresh pork intestines from a butcher, look for ones that are pale pink, firm, and not overly slimy. They should smell clean, not sour. Cleaning them is labor-intensive: turn them inside out, rinse thoroughly, rub with coarse salt and flour to scrub away impurities, then blanch in boiling water with ginger and cooking wine before proceeding with the recipe.

The easier route—and the one I recommend for first-timers—is to buy pre-cleaned pork intestines from a Chinese grocery store's frozen section, or better yet, from a store that sells them already braised in soy sauce and spices. The braised version saves hours of work and adds an extra layer of flavor. If you go this route, just slice them into bite-sized rings and add them to your broth to warm through.

Duck blood (ya xie / 鸭血) is the other key offal component. Sold in jiggly, dark-red blocks, it has a silky, tofu-like texture that contrasts beautifully with the chewy noodles and bouncy intestines. Find it in the refrigerated section of Asian markets, usually near the tofu. If you absolutely can't source it, firm tofu is an acceptable though not ideal substitute.

Recipe Tip

The secret weapon in Wenzhou zhuzang fen is the generous dusting of white pepper (bai hu jiao / 白胡椒). Don't be shy—it should hit the back of your throat with a gentle, warming heat. Some stalls also add a spoonful of homemade chili oil at the table; feel free to do the same if you want extra kick.

For the most authentic flavor, make your broth with pork bones (neck bones or trotters work well) simmered for at least two hours. If you're short on time, a high-quality store-bought pork or chicken broth enriched with a piece of smoked ham hock or a few slices of Chinese cured ham (Jinhua ham, if you can find it) will get you surprisingly close.

Ingredients

- 8 oz thick round rice noodles (cu mi fen), dried or fresh
- 6 oz pork intestines, cleaned and pre-braised (or fresh, cleaned and blanched)
- 4 oz duck blood, cut into 1-inch cubes (or firm tofu as substitute)
- 6 cups pork bone broth (see note above)
- 2 scallions, white and green parts separated, sliced thin
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (shaoxing wine)
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for color)
- 1–2 tsp ground white pepper (to taste)
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Fresh garlic chives (jiu cai / 韭菜) or cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- Chili oil (optional, for serving)

Instructions

- If using dried rice noodles, soak them in warm water for 30–40 minutes until pliable. Drain and set aside. If using fresh thick rice noodles, simply separate them gently.

- In a medium pot, bring the pork bone broth to a gentle simmer. Add the minced garlic, ginger, cooking wine, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Let it simmer for 10 minutes to infuse.

- Add the pork intestines to the broth and simmer for 5–7 minutes until heated through and tender. If using fresh (not pre-braised) intestines, simmer for 20–25 minutes until tender.

- Gently slide in the duck blood cubes (or tofu). Simmer for 3–4 minutes until just heated through—don't boil vigorously or the blood will toughen and develop a rubbery texture.

- Meanwhile, bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Blanch the soaked rice noodles for 1–2 minutes (if dried) or 30 seconds (if fresh) until tender but still chewy. Drain and divide between two large bowls.

- Ladle the hot broth, intestines, and duck blood over the noodles in each bowl. Make sure each bowl gets a good mix of toppings.

- Sprinkle generously with ground white pepper—this is essential. Top with sliced scallion greens, chopped garlic chives or cilantro, and a drizzle of chili oil if desired. Serve immediately, while steaming hot.

---

Notes

- **On the broth:** Traditional Wenzhou zhuzang fen broth is made by simmering pork bones with dried shrimp, a touch of star anise, and white peppercorns for hours. For a shortcut, start with store-bought pork broth and enrich it with a small piece of ham hock, 3–4 dried shrimp, and 1 tsp white peppercorns simmered for 30 minutes. Strain before using.

- **On the offal:** If pork intestines are absolutely unavailable, you can substitute braised pork belly for a different but still delicious bowl. It won't be zhuzang fen proper, but the spirit remains. Duck blood can be replaced with silken tofu cut into cubes, though you'll miss the signature silky texture.

- **The Wenzhou way:** Locals often eat this with a side of youtiao (Chinese fried dough stick) for dipping into the broth, or with a cold plate of pickled vegetables to cut the richness. A cold Tsingtao beer alongside is not uncommon for the midnight crowd.

- **Make ahead:** The broth and braised intestines can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. In fact, the flavors improve overnight. Reheat gently, cook the noodles fresh, and assemble just before serving.

---

Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below—I'd love to hear how it turned out, especially if you tracked down real duck blood!