Name: Dongpo Elbow
Cuisine: Sichuan

Dongpo elbow (Dongpo zhǒuzi) is a Sichuan dish attributed to the Song-dynasty polymath Su Shi (pen name Su Dongpo, 1037–1101), who is associated with several braised-pork preparations named for him across different parts of China. The Hangzhou version (Dongpo pork, using belly) is the more famous internationally; the Sichuan elbow version is larger, more rustic, and specifically associated with Su Dongpo's hometown of Meishan.

A whole pork hock (the lower leg joint, including skin, fat, meat and bone) is blanched briefly, then slow-braised for two to three hours in Shaoxing rice wine, dark and light soy sauce, rock sugar, ginger slices, star anise and scallion. The braising liquid level is monitored and topped up as needed; the heat is kept very low throughout. After the extended cook, the collagen in the skin and cartilage has dissolved, the fat layer has rendered to a jelly-like consistency, and the whole hock takes on a deep mahogany glaze.

Served whole at the table on a plate of braised napa cabbage or paired with a bowl of pickled mustard greens (suancai) to cut through the richness. The meat separates from the bone at the lightest pressure of chopsticks.

One hock typically serves two to three people alongside rice and one or two lighter dishes. It is a festive presentation dish as well as an everyday comfort food in Sichuan and Meishan households.

Regional variants

The Hangzhou/Zhejiang original uses pork belly cut into squares and leans sweet-savoury with generous rock sugar and Shaoxing wine. The Huangzhou (Hubei) version — from Su Dongpo's actual place of exile — incorporates fermented tofu (furu) into the braise for a funkier depth. Sichuan interpretations are spicier and less sweet, sometimes finished with chilli oil. A Cantonese reading pairs the meat with lily bulb and goji berry for a lighter tonic-style dish.

Where the name comes from

東坡肘子 Dōngpō zhǒuzi — named for the poet-official Su Dongpo (1037–1101) who allegedly composed the recipe while stationed in Huangzhou during political exile. The origin story is disputed — Hangzhou, Huangzhou and Meishan all claim the dish. Zhǒuzi means elbow but refers here to the pork shank or hock; smaller belly-cut versions circulate under the name Dongpo pork (Dongpo rou).

Pairings

Steamed white rice is the base — the rich braising sauce is meant to be spooned generously over it. Shaoxing wine works as both cooking medium and drink alongside. A light steamed green such as baby bok choy or gai lan balances the fat. The dish is typically served family-style at the centre of a banquet table with three or four lighter cold and hot dishes surrounding it.

Where to learn to cook it

Hangzhou cooking academies teach the classical technique; the two-hour slow braise with rock sugar caramelisation is the crux. Quality Zhejiang soy sauce matters — Weishengxian (味事达) is the traditional brand. Home cooks online recommend the Chinese Cooking Demystified YouTube channel for a well-tested English-language walkthrough. The skin must render without splitting, which is why the heat stays very low throughout.

Common misconceptions

The elbow is pork shank — not human elbow — and the naming trips up first-time diners reading a translated menu. The dish is sweet-savoury, not a dessert, though the sugar content surprises Western palates. Multiple regions claim Su Dongpo as their own and each attaches the dish to a different chapter of his life; the historical evidence linking any single recipe to the poet himself is thin.

Dongpo Elbow

Where to try

Dietary notes