Sugar-Free Pork Jerky | Chinese Bak Kwa

Gluten-free | Sugar-free | Dairy-free | Grain-free

I love Bak Kwa! which is a salty-sweet dried meat snack from China. It's a prevalent street food that you can find in markets and stores all over China. Before you see it, all glistening and golden, chances are you'll smell it first as the aroma coming from barbecued Bak Kwa is intoxicating.

The first time I tasted Bak Kwa got me hooked. The texture and taste are similar to jerky, which I was also hooked on for a long time. Unfortunately, due to the high sugar content of traditional Bak Kwa, I can no longer consume this meaty snack.

To help with my Bak Kwa cravings, I've created a version that's free from sugar, gluten and dairy yet still packs a salty-sweet flavour without all the sugar and sodium. 

Hints, Tips & Tricks

It's best to start this recipe the day before you cook, as doing so will give the meat time to marinate overnight. 

I use Zero As Sugar Pure Erythritol and Sweet As Fibre Syrup in this recipe. Both products are sugar and gluten-free and won't spike blood glucose levels, making them an excellent healthy alternative to refined sugar and syrups. Zero as Sugar has zero calories, and sweet as Fibre Syrup has only 16 calories per 10 grams, making it an excellent low carb option for baking and sweetening your food.  

Ingredients

• 500 g (1.1 lb) pork mince (ground)
• 2 tbsp good quality fish sauce
• 2 tbsp low sodium tamari
• 2 tbsp Sweet as Fibre Syrup
• 1 tbsp pure sesame oil
• 1 ½ tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
• 100 g (3.5 oz) Zero As Sugar Pure Erythritol 

For brushing

• 1 tbsp Sweet as Fibre Syrup mixed with 1 tbsp water
• Coconut oil spray

Method

1. Mix together the pork mince, fish sauce, tamari, fibre syrup, sesame oil, 5 spice powder and erythritol until really well combined. Cover with cling film and leave 12-24 hours before cooking. 
2. Preheat your oven to 120C (250F) and cut a piece of nonstick baking paper big enough to fit onto a roasting tray. 
3. Split the mixture into thirds and place one-third into the middle of the baking paper. Place another piece of paper of equal size over top of the meat and paper. Use a rolling pin to flatten the meat till it is very thin and spreads evenly under the paper. 
4. Peel back the top sheet of paper, transfer the rolled meat and sheet onto a baking tray, and bake for 15 minutes. 
5. Repeat the rolling steps with the rest of the meat until all baked, and allow them to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using kitchen shears, cut the meat into Post-it note sized squares. 
6. Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan or barbecue grill plate on high and lightly brush the squares with a little of the fibre syrup water. Spray gently with coconut oil and then cook the squares on each side for 45-90 seconds until caramelised and golden. 
7. Allow the squares to cool before eating, and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.