Dried Beef Jerky

Dried Beef Jerky

　　　Dried beef jerky is the most important cured meat product among the Hui people. It has a unique flavor and is rich in nutrients, making it popular among various ethnic groups. As living standards have continued to improve, this once "luxury dish" — dried beef jerky — has long "flown into ordinary households," becoming a distinctive and flavorful food.

　　The production process of dried beef jerky is simple. Select plump beef (mainly yellow cattle), and mix it with salt, Sichuan peppercorn, pepper, star anise, and tsao-ko (all four seasonings should be ground into powder). Rub the mixture into the meat by hand until the seasoning is absorbed, then seal it for 15 to 20 days before taking it out to air-dry. The main season for making dried beef jerky is winter.

　　Dried beef jerky can be pan-fried, steamed, or stir-fried with vegetables such as lotus root vegetable (莲花菜), and generally does not require additional salt or other seasonings.

　　Because dried beef jerky is a cured product, it is difficult for inexperienced individuals to distinguish its quality or authenticity by sight alone. Therefore, it is recommended that people buy only Halal-style dried beef jerky — that is, those processed and produced by the Hui community. The beef consumed by the Hui people must come from live cattle slaughtered by an imam, as the Hui avoid eating livestock that has not been slaughtered by an imam. This fundamentally ensures the quality of the raw materials used in the jerky. Moreover, the Hui method of making dried beef jerky is relatively traditional; aside from the aforementioned seasonings like Sichuan peppercorn, no other chemical additives are used.