Canadian Maple Chinese Pork Jerky
(Air Fryer Baked Maple Chinese Pork Jerky)

Photo of completed Canadian Maple Chinese Pork Jerky

Chinese Pork Jerky, the delicious, flavorful, tender, juicy, sweet & salty savory treat or snack, is ground pork marinated in several seasonings and spices for 24 hours. They are then flattened on a baking sheet and oven grilled to set, and then cut into bite-sized pieces and brushed with Canadian Pure Maple Syrup before they are sent into the air fryer or oven for final grill to bring out the smoky flavor and slight char tone on the surface. It can be eaten on its own or in sandwiches, fried rice toppings, or any other way you like!

Ingredients A:

  • 1.5 Cups Ground Pork
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup
  • ½ Tablespoon Salt
  • 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Light soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Dark soy sauce
  • ¼ Teaspoon Fish Sauce
  • ¼ Teaspoon Sesame Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
  • ¼ Teaspoon Chinese 5 Spices Powder
  • ½ Tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine
  • ⅛ Teaspoon White Pepper Powder

Ingredients B:

  • 2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup (for brushing)

Instructions:

  1. Combine ingredients “A”. In a large mixing bowl, add in all the ingredients above.
  2. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until the meat mixture turns gooey in texture.
  3. Once the meat mixture is ready, transfer it to an airtight container and put it in the fridge to marinate for 4 hours, preferably overnight for best flavor.
  4. Preheat the oven at 350*F
  5. Spread the meat mixture evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  6. Cover the meat mixture with a piece of parchment paper and roll to flatten the meat mixture thinly and evenly into a rectangular shape with a rolling pin (see video/picture).
  7. Once this step is done, remove the parchment paper and bake them at 320 degrees F for 20 minutes (oven temperature may vary; adjust temperature/time accordingly).
  8. Remove from the oven and cut it into the desired size with a pizza cutter or kitchen scissors.
  9. Brush the meat slices with maple syrup (Ingredient B) and re-bake at 380°F for 2-3 minutes or up to your desired tone (oven temperature may vary; adjust temperature/time accordingly).
  10. Remove the meat from the oven, flip the meat to the other side, and brush it with the remaining maple syrup. This time, lower the temperature to 360 degrees F.
  11. Re-bake at 360 degrees F for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the desired tone is achieved on both sides (oven temperature may vary).
  12. Let the pork jerky cool down and enjoy it.
  13. Store the remainder in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Option 2: Grill In An Air Fryer

  1. Follow step 1 to step 8 above.
  2. Brush the meat slices with maple syrup (Ingredient B) and re-bake to get the slightly charred tone in an air fryer at 160 degrees C for 2 minutes or until you get your desired result. Please note that the cook time may vary depending on your air fryer model. The above temperature setting and time are based on our Philips Viva Air Fryer. Adjust the temperature/time accordingly until they are cooked through. Bake the meat slices in an air fryer in batches.
  3. Next, flip the meat to the other side, brush it with maple syrup, and air bake it for 1-2 minutes, or to your desired tone at 120 degrees C for this round.
  4. Remove from the air fryer and allow the pork jerky to cool before serving, or cool completely before storing.
  5. Store the remainder in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
  6. To re-heat, heat them in an air fryer at 80 degrees for 3-5 minutes.
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Tips & Notes:

  1. Adjust your oven/air fryer temperature/baking time accordingly and use the temperature setting above as a reference.
  2. Two available options to choose from to make this recipe: fully in the oven or in the air fryer for the final grill (the second step). In the tutorial, we used the oven to set the meat and then moved to the air fryer to completely grill it. In the second batch, we grilled them in the oven. Select your preference for grilling this pork jerky.
  3. At step 9, adjust the re-bake time and temperature according to your preferences as well as the desired tone of the jerky you are looking for. Always keep an eye on it at this stage, as it can burn easily. We prefer a slightly charred pork jerky, but definitely not too much. So, always monitor them closely at this point.
  4. If you store the pork jerky in the fridge, just reheat it in the oven or air fryer before consuming it.
  5. This Maple Pork Jerky recipe uses Canadian Pure Maple Syrup, but if you can’t find or use maple syrup, you can substitute it with either honey or maltose.
  6. You can try this recipe with ground chicken or beef. Make sure to select ground chicken or beef with some fat on it but not completely lean.
  7. If you want to make a big batch, just double or triple the recipe ingredients.
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