Famous Que Hau beef jerky, a delicacy in Ky Son land and sky

Ky Son land is poor in many ways, building a unique product is extremely difficult. That said, the brand of Que Hau beef does not come about by chance.

Que Hau beef jerky is a famous brand of Ky Son land, this product has been certified OCOP. Photo: Viet Khanh.

Keeping the fire burning for 27 years

Ky Son is changing day by day but is still the most difficult area of ​​Nghe An province. Although it has benefited from many practical policies of the State (3 National Target Programs, Forest Environmental Services...), the lives of the people still have many worries, and in general, it is still "weak" compared to the general level. In that context, it is difficult to build typical OCOP brands, fortunately there is still "Que Hau cow" to sow trust.

Bo giang, also known as smoked beef, is a product with a strong local character of Ky Son. Surprisingly, the owner of this famous product, Mrs. Bui Thi Que, is a person from the lowlands who came to make a living. Nearly 30 years ago, she was assigned and arranged by her unit to work here. At that time, the population was still sparse, surrounded by wind and clouds.

Even in her dreams, Mrs. Que never thought she would be attached to this land for so long, but in life, no one can predict the unexpected. In the end, Ky Son was the place that kept and nurtured her relationship, gave her a happy family, and was also a great motivation to build a famous brand of highland specialties.

Passionate and above all responsible for her profession, Ms. Bui Thi Que has created excellent products. Photo: Viet Khanh.

Mrs. Que said that both husband and wife were border guards, arriving in the new land with many worries. Ky Son at that time was very different from now, the traffic was not convenient so traveling was extremely inconvenient, trade and commerce were therefore much more difficult. Dozens of invisible obstacles made Ky Son fall behind.

Trade was difficult, food from the lowlands and uplands was very scarce, to maintain daily life, people were forced to store food all year round, especially during lean times or the bitterly cold months. There were no refrigerators or freezers, so they had to follow the traditional method, beef and pork after purchase would be hung horizontally in the kitchen, dried day after day and month after month to use gradually.

“The Giang beef originates from the indigenous people. In the past, people mainly made it according to traditional customs, leaving it almost intact without marinating it with too many spices. I was impressed, so I took the trouble to learn, on the one hand trying to preserve the quintessence, on the other hand constantly improving it to create the most satisfactory product. At that time, the concept of “Giang beef” was not very popular, at first, diners wondered what kind of meat like a stick would look like? To be honest, sometimes I felt confused, not knowing if I could survive in this profession or not?

Yet 27 years have passed, time waits for no one, the Que Hau beef brand has been constantly built up. From a humble beginning, with customers only around the area, now the number of buyers has increased exponentially, the brand has become widely known throughout the North and South, even with many export orders to Germany, Korea, and Japan. The difference of beef is that it sells well all year round, in both winter and summer, especially during the Lunar New Year when it is always out of stock.

The fire has never gone out for the past 27 years. Photo: Viet Khanh.

The increasingly favorable business situation has helped Mrs. Que and her husband expand their production scale, upgrade their house, and build a large restaurant right in Muong Xen town, Ky Son district. Sticking with the profession for half a lifetime is not something everyone can do, besides personal efforts, luck must be interwoven and combined. Therefore, even though she has a big house and a fairly full back, Mrs. Que still insists on keeping the old kitchen, still keeping the fire day and night to make the most delicious batches of meat.

Hard to believe but it is an obvious truth, rain or shine, weekdays or holidays, the fire has still been flickering and burning brightly for the past 27 years.

Take your brand far and wide

“The historic flood more than 10 years ago scared the people of Ky Son, the water pressure from upstream poured down, pushing many families into a helpless situation. My family's old house was no exception, many places were swept away and no longer in their original state, we will never forget that terrifying scene. Strangely, the kitchen area was almost unharmed, perhaps it was fate. For the past 27 years, everything has remained as it was in the beginning, in the end, the fire has never gone out. When the fire goes out, my fate with the profession is over, I always keep that in mind,” Ms. Que confided.

Ms. Que believes that when the fire goes out, her fate with the profession is over. Photo: Viet Khanh.

Insiders affirm that from choosing ingredients, marinating to lighting firewood, hanging the stove, watching the fire... all steps must be done meticulously and carefully to make the best batches of beef. The meat must be selected from strong, muscular, local cattle. Once finished, it will be cut into pieces approximately 15-20 cm long and 5-7 cm wide, then washed, marinated with spices, and left to soak into each fiber of the meat for hours.

Next, use skewers to skewer each piece of meat and hang it on the wood stove. The fire is kept low and dried for about 2 days. During this time, someone must be present to turn the meat in time to avoid it burning and drying out. When the meat is smoky and has enough heat, it will curl up and look dark brown.

Ms. Vi Thi Tham, a leading expert in the field of tourism and a long-time "regular" customer, firmly asserted: "There is no place in the Western region of Nghe An that I have not set foot in. I have basically tasted the delicacies and typical cuisine of each region. I have found that no establishment can surpass the Bo Giang Que Hau. Not only me, but many customers share the same opinion."

To make the most satisfactory batches of beef, you must strictly follow the steps, especially the input quality. Photo: Viet Khanh.

For her part, Ms. Bui Thi Que modestly shared: “My family does not dare to claim to be number 1 because each production facility has its own characteristics, just as each diner has different tastes and feelings. For me, receiving positive feedback from diners is the greatest joy, the spiritual motivation to continue to stick with the profession.

Up until now, the family has not paid much attention to propaganda and promotion work. The products are widely known mainly thanks to regular customers introducing themselves to each other. You may not believe it, but there are some regular customers who have maintained contact for nearly 20 years but have never met in person, but at the end of the year, or when there is a chance, they pick up the phone to place a large order. After 27 years in the profession, I think it is fate."

With its unique characteristics, Que Hau beef has won over diners in the North and the South, and is even exported to foreign countries. Photo: Viet Khanh.

The conversation was sometimes interrupted by customers calling repeatedly. Although she was busy, her words and actions were as smooth as clockwork, without even a small deviation. Mrs. Que had maintained that habit for many years.

“Bo giang is a famous product, it needs to be widely present at e-commerce booths, fairs, supermarkets... inside and outside the province to enhance the brand. Que Hau bo giang has been certified as an OCOP product, which is a great honor and motivation to continue the journey. To be sustainable, we must do it practically, taking the health of the community as the priority. Based on that concept, we set very "strict" criteria in the implementation process, which is the prerequisite to making delicious, quality products", Ms. Que emphasized.

Source: https://nongsanviet.nongnghiep.vn/nuc-tieng-bo-giang-que-hau-my-vi-noi-dat-troi-ky-son-d376403.html