Bak Kwa (Chinese Pork Jerky)
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5
15 reviews
Excellent
Bak Kwa (Chinese Pork Jerky)
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Bak Kwa is a sweet and savory Chinese pork jerky made from ground pork mixed with sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and spices like five spice powder. The meat is flattened into thin sheets and roasted low and slow to develop a sticky, slightly charred surface while drying into a tender jerky. The recipe includes a maltose glaze that enhances a sticky sheen and caramelized flavor. This preparation results in chewy, flavorful slices suitable as a snack or accompaniment.
Description
Bak Kwa is prepared by thoroughly mixing ground pork with sugar, rosé wine, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and five spice powder. After mixing, the pork is ideally marinated in the refrigerator for several hours to deepen the flavors. The seasoned pork is then spread thinly onto parchment paper and rolled to an even thickness between 2 to 4 mm.
The meat is roasted at a low temperature (250°F/120°C) allowing it to gradually dry and develop a sticky texture. After initial roasting, a maltose-based glaze is applied to add a glossy finish and a balance of sweetness. The glazed sheets are carefully watched to avoid burning as sugars can burn quickly, creating a charred but pleasant jerky appearance.
Once cooked, the bak kwa is sliced into manageable pieces using scissors or a pizza roller once firm and dry enough to avoid crumbling. It is commonly enjoyed as a snack or part of celebrations. The method notes the importance of managing hot steam during cooking and using wire racks to drain excess juices that seep out during baking.
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground pork 15-25% fat. I recommend minimum 20%. Substitute: some people use thinly sliced pork instead of minced but it takes skill to get the meat so thin!
- ¾ cup white sugar Substitute: honey but I find it a waste as the nutrients get destroyed in the heat!
- 2 Tablespoons rosé wine Substitute: shaoxing, huatiao or brandy
- 2 Tablespoon dark soy sauce Substitute: sweet soy sauce but you'll need to reduce the sugar or the bak kwa will be sweeter.
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon five spice powder Click through for homemade 5 spice for the tastiest results- extra can be used in these recipes
- salt optional. omit if your soy sauce is salty. To test, pinch off a bit of the marinaded meat, fry, taste, then season accordingly.
For the glaze
- maltose traditional and vegan, but a little difficult to find outside of an Asian grocery. Substitute: maple syrup, a neutral honey or sugar to glaze the bak kwa instead. You'll need about ½ Tablespoon (mixed with a bit of water to make it easy to apply) per pound of meat.
Instructions
Making the mixture
- Mix the pork with all the ingredients, except for the glaze. Stir for a few minutes till it turns into a gooey and sticky mess. (No mixer needed- you can do it by hand!)Note: you can bake it straightaway as the seasonings are pretty flavorful but it'll definitely taste better if marinated! If not marinating, skip the next step to "Roasting"
- Cover with plastic wrap then refrigerate for 4-8 hours (overnight.)Note: it is normal for some juices may leak out after marinating.
Roasting
- Preheat the oven to 250F/ 120CScoop ⅓-¼ of the meat mixture onto parchment paper (the paper you are going to use to bake later. I recommend Parchment not Silpat for quicker drying in the oven. (It's thinner.))
- Next, cover with a Silpat (more sustainable) or parchment paper/plastic wrap then use a rolling pin to roll flatten the meat into a thin sheet of 2-4 mm. Place the parchment paper on a wire rack or baking tray.Note: if your meat is too thick, some juices will ooze out later. Don't worry and just dry it with a paper towel. If it's too thin, the meat will shrink and form holes (see below.)
- Repeat till all the meat is used up.
- Bake at 250F/ 120C for 20 minutes till the meat forms a dry sheet. Blot off any juices that ooze out with paper towels. (The time will vary a little depending on the moisture and thickness of the meat.) Tip: if you want charred edges around each slice, cut each sheet into the desired sizes now (about 6 pieces per sheet.) If not, just skip to the next step (easier as you don't have to worry about whether the meat is firm enough to be cut easily.)
- Increase the oven temp to 425F/ 220C, glaze the pieces then grill them for 4-9 minutes, watching carefully to make sure it doesn't burn (the concentrated sugars means it will char easily.)
- Remove the trays from the oven, flip the meat with tongs, baste again then grill the other side for 3-5 minutes.
- When charred to your desired color, remove and allow to cool then cut into 6 pieces.
Notes
- Open the oven door carefully during cooking as hot steam can escape rapidly.
- Use a wire rack over a baking tray to allow juices to drip away after initial baking.
- Apply glaze cautiously and monitor closely to prevent burning of sugars.
- Use a pizza roller or scissors to cut the bak kwa once it is sufficiently firm and dry to maintain neat pieces.
- The nutritional information provided is an estimate and may vary.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
3183kcal
(159%)
Carbohydrates
171g
(57%)
Protein
155g
(310%)
Fat
197g
(303%)
Saturated Fat
72g
(360%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
19g
(112%)
Monounsaturated Fat
88g
(440%)
Cholesterol
653mg
(218%)
Sodium
9446mg
(394%)
Potassium
2721mg
(58%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
27g
(54%)
Vitamin A
78IU
(2%)
Vitamin C
7mg
(8%)
Calcium
165mg
(17%)
Iron
10mg
(56%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 18pieces
Amount Per Serving
Calories 3183 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 3183kcal | 159% |
| Carbohydrates | 171g | 57% |
| Protein | 155g | 310% |
| Fat | 197g | 303% |
| Saturated Fat | 72g | 360% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 19g | 112% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 88g | 440% |
| Cholesterol | 653mg | 218% |
| Sodium | 9446mg | 394% |
| Potassium | 2721mg | 58% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 27g | 54% |
| Vitamin A | 78IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 165mg | 17% |
| Iron | 10mg | 56% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
15 reviews
Excellent
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