This blend of 5 spices commonly used in Chinese cuisine create a beef jerky that is wonderfully sweet and spicy!

I have been wanting to make a Chinese 5 spice beef jerky recipe for some time now. The spice has been sitting in my cabinet just waiting for the perfect time to whip up some dried beef. Well the day arrived and it did not disappoint!

5 spice can actually be made up of several different ingredients, which surprised me. You would think that a spice which has a name so bold that it has the number of ingredients in the name, they would be universal. But, I guess not…

The Chinese 5 spice that was used for this recipe was made of star anise, cloves, fennel, cinnamon, & Sichuan peppercorns. Some ingredients of 5 spice might differ, but overall will give you a flavor that represents the 5 basic flavors of Chinese cooking – sweet, sour, bitter, salty, & savory.

What I like so much about this recipe, other than it’s taste, was the minimal amount of ingredients. Since the Chinese 5 spice packs most of the flavor, I really didn’t have to add much else. Above you will see the meat marinating in curing salt, 5 spice, and beef broth. That’s it! (I did transfer the beef to a ziplock bag and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 22 hours)

Lightly pat dry with paper towels before drying. I used my dehydrator when making this Chinese 5 spice beef jerky. One hour at 160° F and then an additional three hours at 145° F.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have. Let me know how it turns out!

For more in depth directions on how to dry your beef jerky, visit my page Jerky Making Methods.

3.0 from 2 reviews

Chinese 5 Spice Beef Jerky

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

6 hours

Total time

6 hours 20 mins

 

Author: Will

Ingredients

Lean Beef

• 1lb Top Round London Broil

Marinade

• ¼ tsp Prague Powder #1 (curing salt)
• 1 tbsp Chinese 5 spice
• ¾ cup beef broth

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat from the beef and place in freezer for an hour or two to partially freeze.
2. While the meat is in the freezer, combine the Prague Powder #1, Chinese 5 spice, & beef broth in a medium bowl or ziplock bag. Mix well.
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain. Cut with the grain for a chewier jerky.
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture and marinate for 6-24 hours in the refrigerator.
5. After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and strain excess marinade. Gently pat beef strips with a paper towel if needed.
6. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. A dehydrator was used with this recipe and dried for 1 hour at 160 degrees and an additional 3 hours at 145 degrees.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

3.5.3208

 For more in depth directions on how to dry your beef jerky, visit my page Jerky Making Methods.