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).
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!
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!
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.
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. The water will begin to thicken.
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.
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.
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!
How to Cook Blood Jelly
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.
Wow, very intriguing!! I’ve never heard of blood jelly. My son would love to try this!
I hope your son gets to try this out one day!
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!
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 😀
This is the first recipe I’ve ever seen for blood jelly. I’ve never heard of it before. It’s very authentic.
It sure is authentic! Straight from our home kitchen!
I seriously had no idea you can do this with blood. Thanks for sharing.
It’s quite a unique process!
I have never heard of blood jelly but I have heard of blood pudding. This is much prettier
Thanks, Dahn!
I have never come across such a unique recipe. This looks so creamy and surely special too.
Thanks Veena! They sure are creamy and special!
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!
You’re very welcome! I hope it helps your daughter!
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.
You’re so very welcome, Maxine! I LOVE having it with chives and I hope it helps your daughter in the long run 😀
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?
Hi, Wayne! They will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days 🙂
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.
You’re very welcome! Thanks for sharing that information!
How long will uncooked pork blood jelly last in the refrigerator?
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!
How long will pork blood jelly keep in the fridge?
Can it be frozen?
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!
Is the jello real blood?
Hi, Shawn! Yes, the blood jelly is made using pig’s blood.
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.
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!