Wafer thin Bak Kwa (Chinese Pork Jerky) is a must-have for the Chinese New Year. Make your own using just a few simple ingredients and at a fraction of the cost.
Bak Kwa is the Hokkien (Fujianese) word for dried meat. It is actually more like wafer thin slices of barbecued pork jerky. Unlike beef jerky which is usually dehydrated to remove the moisture in the meat, Malaysian Chinese style pork jerky is moist and grilled to perfection over charcoal fire.
Bak Kwa for Chinese New Year
Back when I was a kid, Bak Kwa was only available during the period leading up to the Chinese New Year. The delicious aroma of barbecued meat permeating the air adds to the excitement and anticipation of the festivities to follow. Like all special foods available only once a year, it was a pricey treat. Even so, people seldom made Bak Kwa at home.
Homemade Bak Kwa for the Overseas Chinese
Today, Bak Kwa is available year round in Kuala Lumpur and prices have soared. During the Chinese New Year, prices are even more steep. It makes a whole lot of sense to prepare it at home at a fraction of the cost. For us here in the American Midwest, the homemade version is the only option. Meat products are not allowed into the country via the airports and I have not seen any being sold at the Asian markets.
Two Versions of Bak Kwa
There are two versions of Bak Kwa. The first one is chewier in texture with visible bits of thinly sliced pork in it. The other is more tender because it is made totally with minced (ground) pork. I personally prefer the first version but for the home cook, the minced (ground) pork version is easier to achieve.
Use Ground Pork with Sufficient Fat
From past experience, it is better to use minced (ground) pork with about 20% fat content to get that slightly translucent texture when held to the light. I tried using very lean pork once and was disappointed with the results. The texture was a little too hard and dense. Also, spreading a thin even layer of meat on the parchment paper helps. Mine were on the thin side. 3mm to 4mm is probably ideal.
Similar Tools Used in Making This Bak Kwa (Chinese Pork Jerky)
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• Large Broiler Pan and Rack, 12-3/4 x 16-1/2-Inch
• Stainless Steel Wire Cooling Rack
• Ultra Sharp Premium Heavy Duty Kitchen Shears
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lbs ground pork with at least 20% fat (900g)
- 2 tbsp Shao Hsing cooking wine
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- ½ tsp five-spice powder
- 2/3 cup sugar (145g)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well with a sturdy serving spoon for about 2 minutes. Mixture will turn gooey. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Prepare 5 to 6 sheets of parchment paper the size of a jelly roll pan (15.5in x 10.5in).
- Spread a thin layer of meat mixture with a butter knife onto parchment paper. The meat layer should be about 2mm to 2.5mm thick. Leave an inch around the perimeter of paper clear of meat for easy handling.
- Place a large piece of shrink wrap over the meat. Using a rolling pin, roll over meat to smoothen and even out the spread meat. Remove shrink wrap. Repeat until all meat is used up.
- Transfer sheets of meat to jelly roll pans and bake in a 250°F (120°C) oven for 15 minutes.
- The partially cooked meat should be nice and dry*. When it is cool enough to handle, cut each sheet of meat into 6 pieces.
- Increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Transfer meat and parchment paper to a broiler pan this time and grill for approximately 5 minutes. Meat burns easily at this stage. Adjust time accordingly.
- Remove from oven. Flip slices of meat over with a pair of tongs. Return pan to the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
VIDEO
NOTES
NUTRITION
This was great, I made it twice. I did add jut a tiny bit of Maggi brand Magic Sarap the 2nd time and it was even better. I also glazed them in honey water….salty sweet and delicious.
Glad to hear the recipe worked out well for you. Time to make a double batch soon. 😉
We stopped over in Singapore just before last Chinese New Year & many people were queuing at the shops in Chinatown that were selling Bak Kwa. I had never seen it before, despite living in Singapore for a while many years ago. On our wqy back through Singapore from Australia, to our home in UK, I bought some Bak Kwa to try.
It must be easy to understand that we then had a problem as I don’t think anyone sells this very much in UK then I found your recipe.
I tried it out today and it was fantastic!! Thank you very much.
My next attempt I think I will leave out a little Rice Wine & add Sweet Chili Sauce.
I am glad to hear the recipe turned out well for you. Bak Kwa is also not found in my neck of the woods here in the US. Good thing we can all make it in our own kitchen now. 🙂
Adding a little sweet chili sauce is an idea I had not thought of. May be worth a try.
I agree with the honey glaze – I mix any juices recovered from baking with honey and a touch of (American) sambal oelek (not the much more complex, richer, Indonesian sambal’s). I also substitute honey for sugar in the actual marinade. I have various added a little tomato paste instead of Magic Sarap as my wife is a celiac.
Could I leave out 5 spice powder? Also, if I want to freeze it, I should freeze the bak kwa after step 6 or step 8? Many thanks for the easy recipe!!
Your bak kwa will not be as flavorful without the five-spice powder. I would not leave it out unless you absolutely cannot find five-spice powder. I have never tried freezing bak kwa but if I have to, I would do it after Step 8.
Freeze it before grilling. Only grill when you want to eat. Freezing after grilling the texture will be different. It will be tough and flavors is lost.
I see your point. If you are doing it in big batches and do not mind the work, then by all means freeze and grill later. I would not bother if it was just a few slices.
Hi Linda,
thanks for posting your recipe.
BTW I think you meant “tongs” instead of “thongs” in step 8.
Aloha, Nate
Good to see you here, Nate! Oops…I need to change that ASAP! 😉
Hi Linda, thanks for sharing this. Our whole family crave Bak kwa and it is pricy in KL now. How long can the Bak Kwa last if refrigerated?
Thanks
Tanya
You are welcome, Tanya. Bak Kwa should last a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. Simply reheat in the oven slightly when ready to eat.
Hi Linda
Thank you for this recipe. I made this last weekend and lets just say it didn’t last over night. We have them for sale here in NY but they cost $24 a pound. with this I made 4 pounds worth for less than 6 dollars. I also added honey at the last 5 minutes it sweeten it up a bit and tasted great.
You are welcome Jeff. Adding some honey towards the end is a great idea. So much cheaper to make at home. Takes a little effort but well worth it. 🙂
Can I omit the fish sauce or replace with something else? I can’t stand fish
Yes, you can omit it but it will not be as flavorful.
Amazing recipe, thank you. Way tastier than normal beef jerky. It’s funny, I hate fish sauce, but it plays in this recipe. Omitted 5 spice but this was great
Yes, that little fish sauce does make a difference. Subtle but discernible.
Your recipe for Bak Kwa is what I am looking for. Man, I tasted the Bak Kwa from Golden Nest and was hooked eating and very addicting. Thank you for the recipe. Adding honey water while slowly cooking the flatten beef jerky sweetens this snack all together. I am changing the recipe of the marinade by adding Sriracha sauce instead of five spice powder, and changing the meat from 1/2 ratio of ground beef and ground pork for a tender texture of the jerky. I agree that making it homemade is so much cheaper, and buying a pound at Asian grocery stores is like $22 to $25 / box. I cannot believe these are sold so expensive. I am also glad that you cook Chinese and Malaysian cuisine. Yummy!!!!
Definitely cheaper to make your own. 🙂
just found your recipe after coming back from Hong Kong and buying some of these sweetmeats from the airport store that specializes in it. it was very expensive. I remember mom buying them from the street side stalls in Ipoh. They had varieties where there was much more fat and grilled juicy and greasy. delicious! that was 40 years ago. we have them here at the Chinese supermarkets in LA. but definitely better from the HK store. I will have to try making some. They are my all time favorite food! Thanks
You are welcome. I hope you get to make some soon.
I dont have the wine. Can i use hua diao wine instead? Thanks
I believe Shao Hsing and Hua Tiao are the same. The name is used interchangeably.
Hi Linda,
Thanks so much for the recipe and the video. I made it and ate most of it 😉 They are the best! For sure, next time in HK/Macau, I would not even bother to buy it. I added black pepper and honey for the last 5 minutes for my 2nd batch. Both were amazing! Next time, I will add some chili to give it a kick.
Now, need to move a bit to digest…hahaha.
Thanks,
Adelna.
You are welcome. Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
Hi, does it have to be that brand of cooking wine?
You can use any brand of cooking wine.