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    Home » Pork » How to Cook Blood Jelly

    Published: Sep 8, 2019 · Last Modified: Jul 28, 2020 by Jeannette ·

    How to Cook Blood Jelly

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    I get it. When you think of jelly, you see that pristine colourful block of childhood wonder. So who on earth eats BLOOD jelly?

    A lot of people, actually. Pork blood jelly is abundantly popular in Chinese cooking and has migrated to other cuisines, finding itself in many recipes such as Vietnamese Chicken Tapioca Noodle Soup (Bánh Canh Gà).

    Cooked blood jelly on a plate

    It’s not as horrible as it sounds, I assure you! When cooked well, it has a spring to each bite and tastes as rich as the broth it has been simmering in. 

    I honestly thought about skipping this ingredient altogether, but hey, I promised AUTHENTIC recipes from our kitchen. So that’s what you’re getting. 

    Still, if just the thought of it irks you, feel free to give it a miss in any of the dishes we mention it in!

    Blood jelly held up by chopsticks

    Is eating blood jelly good for you?

    You’ll be surprised (or excited) to know that pork blood curd is HIGHLY dense in minerals and vitamins. Some of these include:

    • protein
    • iron
    • vitamin C
    • calcium

    Just a word of caution though: don’t eat too much blood jelly. There is such a rich concentration of iron that it’s best to eat about twice a week at most.

    How to cook blood jelly

    First of all, let’s talk about where to get it. Our family source it straight from the nearby Asian butcher. It’s common enough to be easily accessible here in Australia and is generally sold cold in a plastic container. 

    From the box, all it really needs is some salt, water and a quick boil to cook. So let’s get started!

    Knife cutting through blood jelly in a box

    Start by using a knife to gently cut the blood jelly into rectangular prisms. I like to go from top to bottom along the length and finish it with one line through the middle from left to right.

    To ensure that each piece slides out of the container without breaking, run the knife along the box’s perimeter.

    Uncooked blood jelly in a pot of water

    Fill a small pot with enough water to completely cover all the blood jelly and season it with 1/2 tsp salt. 

    Put the blood jelly in then turn the heat up to high without the pot lid.

    Chopsticks in pot of cooking blood jelly

    Occasionally give the blood jelly a gentle stir to stop it from sticking to the pot’s base. The water will begin to thicken.

    Pot with lid

    As soon as the water boils, turn the heat off and put the pot lid on. Let it sit for an hour on the stove to slowly cook further. This is the secret for the most velvet blood jelly experience.

    Water running on blood jelly in a pot

    Store the cooked blood jelly before adding it into any soup by filling the plastic container it came in with cold water.

    Empty the pot’s contents into a sink with cold tap water running. 

    Cooked blood jelly in a container of water

    Carefully transfer the blood jelly back into the box.

    The final step now is just to wait until the dish it’s to be served with is close to ready. If it’s a soup, drain and add the cooked blood into the pot to absorb all the flavour!

    Cooked blood jelly on a plate
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    Blood jelly on a plate

    How to Cook Blood Jelly

    If you can stomach the idea of eating blood jelly, you'll be one step closer to experiencing authentic Chinese and Vietnamese recipes! This how-to will show you all the tricks!
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10
    Author: Jeannette

    Ingredients

    • 1 box blood jelly we get it from our local Asian butcher
    • 1/2 tsp salt

    Instructions

    • Use a knife to gently cut the blood jelly into rectangular prisms. Go from top to bottom along the length and finish it with one line through the middle from left to right.
    • Run the knife along the box’s perimeter.
    • Fill a small pot with enough water to completely cover all the blood jelly and season it with 1/2 tsp salt. 
    • Put the blood jelly in then turn the heat up to high without the pot lid.
    • Occasionally give the blood jelly a gentle stir to stop it from sticking to the pot’s base as the water begins to thicken.
    • When the water boils, turn the heat off and put the pot lid on. Let it sit for an hour on the stove to slowly cook further. 
    • Store the cooked blood jelly before adding it into any soup by filling the plastic container it came in with cold water.
    • Empty the pot’s contents into a sink with cold tap water running. 
    • Carefully transfer the blood jelly back into the box.
    • Wait until the dish it’s to be served with is close to ready. If it’s a soup, drain and add the cooked blood into the pot to absorb all the flavour.
    Tried this recipe? Tag me TODAY!If you recreated this authentic recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @wokandkin.

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    Jeannette on Wok & Kin

    Hello, I’m Jeannette!

    I’ll be sharing recipes that will give you front row access to authentic Chinese and Vietnamese cuisines. Find out about how I discovered my love for cooking and who inspired it all here!

     

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    « Vietnamese Chicken Tapioca Noodle Soup (Bánh Canh Gà)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lisa Huff says

      September 08, 2019 at 12:42 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, very intriguing!! I’ve never heard of blood jelly. My son would love to try this!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        September 10, 2019 at 11:41 am

        I hope your son gets to try this out one day!

        Reply
        • Wendy says

          November 01, 2022 at 9:54 am

          Do you wash out the plastic container before putting the cooked blood back into it? It seems like the cooked blood would get cross contaminated with bacteria unless you really washed the container well!

          Reply
          • Jeannette says

            January 05, 2023 at 2:39 pm

            Hi, Wendy! Yes, we wash the container before putting it back in. Alternatively, you can just use a clean container and put the cooked blood jelly in instead 😀

            Reply
    2. Alison says

      September 08, 2019 at 1:44 pm

      This is the first recipe I’ve ever seen for blood jelly. I’ve never heard of it before. It’s very authentic.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        September 10, 2019 at 11:40 am

        It sure is authentic! Straight from our home kitchen!

        Reply
    3. Emese says

      September 08, 2019 at 1:56 pm

      5 stars
      I seriously had no idea you can do this with blood. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        September 10, 2019 at 11:40 am

        It’s quite a unique process!

        Reply
    4. Dahn says

      September 08, 2019 at 3:31 pm

      5 stars
      I have never heard of blood jelly but I have heard of blood pudding. This is much prettier

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        September 10, 2019 at 11:39 am

        Thanks, Dahn!

        Reply
    5. Veena Azmanov says

      September 08, 2019 at 3:44 pm

      5 stars
      I have never come across such a unique recipe. This looks so creamy and surely special too.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        September 10, 2019 at 11:39 am

        Thanks Veena! They sure are creamy and special!

        Reply
    6. Maxine says

      August 19, 2020 at 6:02 am

      5 stars
      My daughter is anemic and I read that eating pork blood is helpful. I am American born Chinese but I never learned how to cook pork blood, although I like eating it. Thanks for your recipe!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        August 19, 2020 at 7:25 am

        You’re very welcome! I hope it helps your daughter!

        Reply
    7. Maxine says

      December 04, 2020 at 1:02 pm

      5 stars
      So glad I found your recipe. I have been making this monthly for my daughter who has anemia and it had become part of her regiment. After the blood is cooked, I make pork blood with Chinese chives. Thanks for keeping the traditional recipes alive.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        December 04, 2020 at 5:22 pm

        You’re so very welcome, Maxine! I LOVE having it with chives and I hope it helps your daughter in the long run 😀

        Reply
    8. Wayne says

      January 12, 2021 at 10:44 am

      Hi, thanks for the instructions on cooking! Do you know how long it stays good for once it has been cooked and stored in the refrigerator?

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        January 13, 2021 at 1:46 pm

        Hi, Wayne! They will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days 🙂

        Reply
    9. D says

      May 28, 2021 at 6:38 pm

      5 stars
      Very interesting. Coq au vin has traditionally blood in the sauce… Black pudding is made with blood… Etc.. It is a common countryside ingredient… And very heathly (and tasty) if the blood has been stored properly. Thanks for a different use.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        May 28, 2021 at 10:22 pm

        You’re very welcome! Thanks for sharing that information!

        Reply
    10. Pierre Siou says

      September 02, 2022 at 12:16 am

      How long will uncooked pork blood jelly last in the refrigerator?

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        January 07, 2023 at 8:22 pm

        Hi, Pierre! We keep it in the fridge no longer than 3 days. When we buy it, we cook it that same day, so we often never leave it in the fridge for longer than 1-3 days. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    11. Pierre Siou says

      November 11, 2022 at 8:55 am

      How long will pork blood jelly keep in the fridge?
      Can it be frozen?

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        January 05, 2023 at 11:51 am

        Hi, Pierre! Once cooked, you can leave it in the fridge for about 2-3 days. I wouldn’t suggest freezing it, as it may lose its texture. My best suggestion is to buy a smaller container and eat it across 2-3 days along with the dish you’re serving it with. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    12. Shawn says

      December 24, 2022 at 3:12 pm

      Is the jello real blood?

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        January 04, 2023 at 4:01 pm

        Hi, Shawn! Yes, the blood jelly is made using pig’s blood.

        Reply
    13. Jessica L. says

      February 15, 2023 at 9:52 am

      Whenever I Cook this, it ends up a little chalky – is there anyway to prevent it? I tried to cook it on low heat but it doesn’t give me the same silky texture like when I go to hotpot restaurants.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        February 18, 2023 at 12:20 pm

        Hi, Jessica! I find that when I get it at hotpot restaurants, you can choose between pig and duck blood. Duck blood is much silkier than the pig version. At home, I would suggest turning off the heat as soon as you see the bubbles frothing at the top so that it has more time to slowly cook from residual heat. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    5 from 8 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Blood jelly held up by chopsticks
    Cooked blood jelly on a plate
    Blood jelly on a plate
    Blood jelly held up by chopsticks
    Blood jelly on a plate

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