How to prepare buffalo meat in the authentic Northwestern Vietnamese style.

Dried buffalo meat is a delicacy of the people of Northwest Vietnam. So, how to make delicious, authentic Northwest-style dried buffalo meat? Let's find out in the article below.

Dried buffalo meat is a delicacy of the people of Northwest Vietnam. So, how to make delicious, authentic Northwest-style dried buffalo meat? Let's find out in the article below.

Dried buffalo meat is a delicacy of the Vietnamese people, especially those in the Northwest region. Dried buffalo meat is often served to honored guests.

This dish is made from lean, tendon-free muscle meat, discarding any scraps or flabby parts from buffalo, cattle, or free-range pigs raised in the Northwest mountainous regions. The meat is deboned and sliced ​​lengthwise along the grain into pencil-shaped pieces, 20cm long and 5cm thick.

Dried buffalo meat is often served to honored guests. (Image: Illustration )

Dried buffalo meat is seasoned with chili, ginger, and mắc khén – a fragrant wild pepper characteristic of the ethnic groups in the Northwest mountainous region – and then smoked using smoke from charcoal or wood-fired stoves. After processing, the dried buffalo meat has a mild, pleasant smoky aroma that is not overpowering.

Dried buffalo meat is prepared naturally using traditional techniques, without preservatives, yet it is very delicious and can be stored and eaten gradually for about a month.

So, how do you make delicious, authentic Northwest-style smoked buffalo meat? Let's read on!

You should choose meat that is dark pink or dark red in color, with a slightly coarse texture; buffalo meat with less muscle will often have white streaks of fat.

Fresh, high-quality buffalo meat should feel slightly firm and elastic when pressed with your hand, and should not have any strange odors. It's best to buy meat from reputable distributors, trusted sources, and large supermarkets.

Avoid buying meat that has uneven or unusual coloring, a slimy outer membrane, lacks elasticity, feels mushy when pressed, or shows signs of liquid leakage, as these are signs of meat that has been injected with water and is unsafe for consumption.

Making

1. Preparing buffalo meat

First, cut the buffalo meat along the grain into pieces that are 20cm long and 5cm thick. Then, tenderize the meat several times to make it soft.

Cut the buffalo meat along the grain into pieces that are 20cm long and 5cm thick.

2. Marinate with spices

Roast the dried chilies until fragrant, then grind or finely chop them with garlic, ginger, lemongrass, mắc khén (a type of spice), salt, and sugar. After grinding, mix well until the spice mixture thickens.

Next, rub the seasoning onto each piece of buffalo meat, then add a little salt, sugar, and MSG to taste and mix well. Marinate the buffalo meat with the seasoning for 3 hours.

Note that adding too much mắc khén and hạt dổi (special spices) will make the buffalo meat bitter and unappetizing. Therefore, for 1kg of buffalo meat, you should only add 3 teaspoons of mắc khén.

3. Dry the kitchen rack.

After marinating the meat for 3 hours, hang the buffalo meat in front of a charcoal grill, 60-70cm away from the grill, for 9-12 hours.

Dried buffalo meat is cut into flat, thick slices along the grain. After drying, it becomes quite hard, so when eating, you'll have to use a mallet to pound it until it softens.

High-quality, authentic dried buffalo meat will have a distinctive smoky aroma that is not overpowering, along with the characteristic flavors of the marinade. Good quality dried buffalo meat will have a dark brown color and a dry exterior. The meat inside will be pinkish and still fresh.

Dried buffalo meat is cut into flat, thick slices along the grain. After drying, it becomes quite hard, so when eating, you'll need to use a mallet to pound it to soften it. High-quality buffalo meat will expand after pounding, while pork meat will fall apart.

To make delicious smoked buffalo meat, you should spread the buffalo meat on bamboo racks, then cover it with banana leaves to keep it warm, and insert some mugwort leaves between the meat.

Next, light the charcoal stove with a medium flame so that the smoke is evenly distributed, then place the meat on it to dry. While the meat is drying, turn it over if the surface is dry, and also check the stove temperature.

After drying the meat on the stove for 9-12 hours, place it in a steamer to cook it thoroughly once more.

Dried buffalo meat, with its spicy and salty flavor from characteristic spices, might be difficult to eat at first. However, if you savor it little by little, slowly enjoying it with corn wine, you will find its unique and delicious taste very appealing.

Dried buffalo meat can be dipped in chili fish sauce, garlic fish sauce, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and lemon,... but perhaps the best combination is with cham cheo or chili sauce to enhance its flavor.

Source: https://nongsanviet.nongnghiep.vn/cach-lam-thit-trau-bac-bep-chuan-vi-tay-bac-d415771.html