Jiuzhuan Braised Pork Intestines 九转大肠
Jiuzhuan Braised Pork Intestines is featured among the local specialties of Shandong.
Jiuzhuan Braised Pork Intestines (九转大肠) is a Jinan (济南) dish of pork large intestine, cooked by boiling, frying and braising. Its reddish, glossy finish covers tender meat with a slightly crisp surface.
How it is made
The intestine is boiled with spices until soft, then fried before the final braise. The seasoning includes sharen (砂仁), cinnamon, cardamom, spring onion, ginger, garlic, cooking wine, clear stock, soy sauce and sesame oil. Chopped coriander is scattered over the finished dish.
Flavour and texture
Shandong’s government food feature describes sourness and sweetness alongside a fragrant, spicy and salty finish. Its emphasis is on soft texture and richness without a greasy sensation.
Where it comes from
A naming story preserved by Shandong’s government places the dish in a Jinan restaurant during the Qing Guangxu reign. Originally called red-braised intestine, it supposedly gained its present name because guests compared the careful cooking to a Daoist nine-turn elixir. The story also links the name to the proprietor’s fondness for the number nine.
Sources & reading
Written from the linked sources and fact-checked against them on 2026-09-26. Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.
Image credits & notes (1)
- Serving example. Photograph of the Jiuqu Dachang (九曲大肠, literally: "9-coil big guts") dish served in Jinan, Shandong Province, China.Photo: Rolfmueller · CC BY-SA 3.0Resized for the web; the photo itself has not been edited.
