Chaogan (Beijing stewed liver)
Photo: N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Chaogan is believed to have been invented at the Huixianju restaurant in Qing-dynasty Beijing, and despite its name it is simmered rather than stir-fried. Huixianju opened at Xianyukou in 1862. Tianxingju opened diagonally opposite in 1933, and the two merged under joint state-private ownership in 1956; the merged shop kept the Tianxingju name and its stewed liver. Yaoji, opened in 1989 on Gulou East Street, is a newer specialist that serves it from early morning.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Soy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 3Hands-on 30 minTotal 1 hr 15 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 200g cleaned pork large intestine
  • 150g pork liver
  • 800ml pork or chicken stock
  • 3 slices of ginger
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
  • 3 tbsp potato starch, mixed with 6 tbsp cold water
  • 5 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • Steamed pork buns, to serve

Method

  1. Blanch the intestine in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and rinse. Cut it into 2cm lengths.
  2. Bring the stock to the boil with the ginger and star anise, add the intestine, cover and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, until tender.
  3. Slice the liver 3mm thick. Add it to the pot with the soy sauce and white pepper and simmer for 3 minutes, keeping the heat below a boil.
  4. Stir the starch mixture again and pour it into the pot in a steady stream, stirring, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon like thick gravy.
  5. Mix the garlic paste with the vinegar, stir half into the pot and spoon the rest over each bowl. Serve with the steamed buns.

Tip from the editors. Add the liver last and keep the pot under a boil, or it turns grainy; pour the starch in slowly so the sauce does not lump.

Where to eat chaogan (beijing stewed liver)

Chaogan (Beijing stewed liver) in Beijing

Yaoji Chaogan (Gulou) ★ 4.2

¥ Street foodGulou Nanluoguxiang

Yaoji Chaogan on Gulou East Street in Beijing, opened in 1989, serves chaogan, a thick pork liver and intestine stew, with steamed buns and zhajiangmian.

TryChaogan, a thick pork liver and intestine stew, with pork and scallion buns

TipThe shop opens at 06:00 for breakfast; the stew is seasoned with garlic, vinegar and soy, and Ctrip lists luzhu and baodu beside it.

Directions

Tianxingju (Xianyukou) ★ 3.8

¥ Northern ChineseQianmen Dashilar

Tianxingju on Xianyukou Street near Qianmen, founded in 1862, serves Beijing-style stewed liver with steamed stuffed buns from early morning in Beijing.

OrderOrder the Beijing-style stewed liver with steamed stuffed buns, the shop's classic pairing.

TipFounded in 1862 as Huixianju, the shop opens at 07:00 on Xianyukou Street near Qianmen, so it works as a breakfast stop.

Directions

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