Sunday, August 21, 2011

Chinese-Style Sweet Pork Jerky

I never thought the day would come when I'd make my own sweet pork jerky, a favorite treat of mine growing up. Well, my friends, that day has come. And once again, it was SO MUCH EASIER than I thought it would be.

Sweet Pork Jerky

Sweet pork jerky, made in thin sheets, is a popular snack food in Chinese culture. In Cantonese my parents called it "ju yok gon" (literally, "pig meat dried"). In Hokkien, it's known as "bak kwa." There's also a beef version, but I like pork better. And with pork, there are two variations, one made from slicing off solid blocks of meat, and one made from minced meat. I like them both, though the latter is easier to prepare at home, and is also easier on your teeth.

Sweet Pork Jerky

The recipe calls for finely ground granulated sugar, which I grind up in a coffee bean grinder (but not for too long, or the heat will make the sugar melt!) that I reserve for such use. You can also use Baker's Sugar if you have that lying around or don't mind buying it. This ultra-fine sugar dissolves easily.

Sweet Pork Jerky

One thing I've found with homemade pork jerky is that once I've stored it in the fridge (which I have to do, because I can't and shouldn't eat an entire batch in one go), a very slight layer of fat from the meat appears on the jerky, hardening in the cold and making it lose its customary shine. This is solved by reheating, either in the microwave or the toaster oven. Commercial pork jerky doesn't seem to have this problem, but I assume it's due to additives/preservatives. It helps to pat down the jerky with some paper towels after it's done to soak up excess grease (as you would pizza), but it's not foolproof.

Obviously the solution is to have your family and friends enjoy the jerky fresh. They'll be amazed!

Sweet Pork Jerky


Chinese-Style Sweet Pork Jerky

Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1/2 cup finely ground granulated sugar (Baker's Sugar)
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice wine
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
  • 4 drops of red food coloring (optional)
Method
  1. Combine marinade ingredients (all except the pork) in a medium bowl or large freezer bag and mix well.
  2. Add the ground pork, mix it well with your hands or a wooden spoon, and let it marinate overnight (or at least 4 hours).
  3. Preheat the oven to 200°F.
  4. Using canola oil spray, lightly grease an 11 x 17" baking sheet.
  5. Spread the pork mixture onto the sheet as thinly as possible. You should be able to cover the entire sheet.
  6. Place the sheet in the oven on the middle rack. Close the oven door, but leave it slightly ajar -- you can close the door on a wooden spoon, for example. This will allow the steam from the meat to escape, drying it out. Cook for an hour.
  7. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and prep your broiler -- set it to "high" or about 450°F.
  8. Meanwhile, carefully lift the pork up off the sheet and flip it over -- the top of the jerky will appear drier than the bottom, so we want to give the bottom a chance to dry out as well.
  9. Place the sheet under the broiler and broil for about 4 minutes, until the meat just starts to blacken around the edges (or if you don't like the char, as I do, watch it carefully after every minute). The meat should look shiny.
  10. Remove the sheet from the broiler, carefully flip the jerky over again, then broil another 4 minutes (or to your preference) on the other side.
  11. Using tongs, place the jerky onto a wire rack to cool, using a pan or towels below it to catch drippings. If you desire, you can use paper towels to blot out extra grease.
  12. When completely cool, use kitchen shears to cut the jerky into desired shapes. Keep uneaten portion in the fridge.

18 comments:

Vee said...

Does it work with beef as well?

Jen said...

Vee - I assume it would, but I've never tried myself. Chinese beef jerky tends to be more of the strip variety. However, in theory, I don't see why ground beef wouldn't work just as well. You might want to make sure it's as fatty a mixture as you can get (like 80/20), since ground pork I'm sure is fattier than lean ground beef.

Unknown said...

This looks interesting. What kind of fish sauce did you use?

Jen said...

Sara - I think I used Squid brand fish sauce at the time, but I've since started using Three Crabs. Hope that helps!

Unknown said...

It sure does. I'm going to pick up some supplies today. Thanks!

Trialheadfoods said...

Your jerky in the picture itself looks very tempting. I would surely love to try the recipe mentioned by you.
Beef jerky

Unknown said...

I'm a bloke and also in England, I'm not sure what a broiler is, if the oven has an option or how to use one! Can it be done in a standard oven?
Thanks

Monica said...

David -- In the U.S. our electric ovens typically use a heating element on the bottom for baking (I could be wrong -- it might do both bottom and top, but you would want to put the food in the middle for even heating). When you "broil" the oven heats up the top heating element only -- and you typically put the food close to the top element so it browns quickly. I hope that helps...

Monica said...

Jen -- Thanks for this recipe -- it looks terrific. I just made regular beef jerky for the first time (in a dehydrator) for my family -- I don't really like American-style jerky myself (too salty and I don't like the seasonings). Your recipe sounds terrific and I can't wait to try it!

Steven Mon said...

Now I know what I'll be doing this weekend

Sandra said...

A broiler is the heating element in the topv of the oven used in the UK to make toast if you have got a toaster.

Sandra said...

A broiler is the heating element in the topv of the oven used in the UK to make toast if you have got a toaster.

Hyacinth Marius said...

It is my favourite too. I always wanted to make it but end up buying it. After seeing your post, maybe I will make it. Cross my finger.
top sites, delicious Hot Red Pepper Beef Jerky

Unknown said...

I've heard mixed opinions on whether you should cook the meat, particularly pork, prior to dehydrating it. Did you dehydrate yours from the raw state?

Marlene Detierro said...

This seems very easy to make. I am up to it on of these days.

Marlene
Reverse Mortgage Broker Seattle

Unknown said...

Has anybody on here actually made this yet? How did it turn out? Any tips? Thanks for the reverse mortgage link Marlene.
Matt

Linda said...

Never tried it before. Looks like easy to make this pork jerky. I will give a try for sure with my dehydrator!

Jerky Dehydrator

Unknown said...

My wife and I made it today. Cooked it longer as it didn't seem dry enough. It was a hit with my Malaysian and Hong Kong friends tonight!