Pork - Bak Kwa (Dried Meat)

I like Chinese-Malaysian style dried meat (Hokkien: bak-kwa, Mandarin: rou-gan). We have made it several times, because Steve is also hooked on it, especially since we added a lot of cayenne pepper.

Ingredients – Makes 1.76 lbs (0.8 kg)

• 2.2 lbs (1 kg) ground pork

Seasoning

• 1 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp brandy or rose wine
• 3/4 cup (180 gm) sugar
• 1/2 tsp licorice powder*
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/8 tsp five spice powder
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 2-3 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix the seasonings into the ground pork. Cover the meat mixture and keep in the fridge at least 4 hours.
2. Spread the meat mixture evenly onto a baking mat as thin as possible (1/16 to 1/8 inch thick). Put on a baking pan, bake in oven at 175F (about 80C) until firm, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Repeat steps (2) & (3) until done.
4. Cut the meat into large pieces (about 4x6 inches works well) for grilling. At this point, the meat can be wrapped and stored for several days in the fridge before grilling.
5. If smoking (hickory is good), build a two level fire. Grill the meat until it is reddish-brown. Move pieces to the cool side when they are close to done so they can smoke.
6. Serve immediately, or wrap and store in the fridge. Heat the dried meat in the oven before serving.

* Licorice (Chinese: gan cao) powder can be found in most Asian grocery stores. Ground anise seed can be substituted if licorice powder is not available.我很喜欢马来西亚华人的肉干（福建话是bak kwa）味道。我们做了很多次肉干因为 Steve也喜欢上它了，尤其是我们做的是肉干是加了很多的辣椒粉。

材料 - 可做 1.76磅（0.8公斤）

• 2.2磅（1公斤） 碎猪肉

调味料

• 1 1/2汤匙 鱼露
• 2汤匙 酱油
• 2汤匙 白兰地或玫瑰酒
• 3/4杯（180克） 糖
• 1/2茶匙 甘草粉
• 1/2茶匙 胡椒粉
• 1/8茶匙 五香粉
• 1茶匙 调味盐
• 2-3茶匙 辣椒粉（可有可无）

做法

1. 将碎猪肉和调味料搅拌均匀，包盖然后放进冰箱至少4小时。
2. 取部份（1）材料压平（尽可弄薄但尽密无小洞）在烘烤软垫上，用铁盘放进华氏175（摄氏80）温度烘炉约10-12分钟或至结实。
3. 把肉片取出烘炉，退热。重覆至做完（2）和（3）。
4. 切肉片块成约4x6寸以方便烧烤。在此，可包盖肉片块存进冰箱几天以待烧烤。
5. 若要烟薰（山核桃木的烟薰味很好），弄两层火，将已近烤好的肉片块移至较低热的位置让它烟薰。烧烤肉片块至呈褐红色。
6. 可即食，或包盖肉干放进冰箱，食用前再烤热。