Dendeng Babi Goreng (Indonesian Sweet Pork Jerky)

• This recipe roughly yields about 300-350 grams (11-12 oz) of dendeng babi manis

Prepare the pork:

• I suggest to get 50% more pork to account for the excess fat you trim off
• I use a boneless pork butt/pork shoulder. Trim off any excess fat. I suggest to cut it into 2 to 3 strips. Then I put these strips in the freezer for about 1 hour to partially freeze them so they can be easily cut into thin slices
• Cut the pork across the grain into about 2 mm in thickness. Cuttin it across the grain will ensure your jerky stays tender
  

Add seasonings:

• Add sugar, ground coriander, salt, and garlic powder. If you want to add the optional chili powder and red yeast rice powder, this is when you add them too.
  
• Use your hand to mix everything, rubbing the seasoning into the meat. Make sure the pork slices are evenly seasoned. The mixture will be damp now because the sugar has melted and all the seasonings will stick to the meat nicely
  

Bake the meat:

• Arrange the two oven racks, one on the upper 3rd and the other on the lower 3rd. Preheat the oven to 200 F (95 C).
• Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil. You may need more than one pan. You can also use parchment paper. Oil the foil to prevent sticking.
• Arrange the pork slices on the baking pan in one layer. Make sure to spread out each slice so it can dry properly.
  
• Place the baking pans on the positioned rack and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pork is dry to the touch. Flip each side to the other side and bake again for another 20-25 minutes or until dry to the touch. The texture of the pork slices will be "leathery" at this point. They are not ready to be consumed yet at this point and still need to be fried
  
• IMPORTANT TIPS: We don't want to dry the pork until it's bone dry like the American meat jerky, which is tough and super chewy. The baking is only to dry the surface of the jerky. The inside is still "moist". That's why the texture will be "leathery" or "rubbery". The texture is flexible

If you are not frying the dendeng on the same day:

• You can make ahead up to this point. Let these cool down completely and then store them in an air-tight container and keep them in the fridge for up to one week and you can fry them whenever you want
  
• They can also be kept frozen for up to one month. Once they have cooled down completely, wrap in a cling wrap, in few batches, and then store them in a freezer-friendly container or bag, push all the air out and seal. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then fry when you want to serve them

Fry the dendeng:

• Preheat oil that is suitable for frying, like vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or any oil of your choice, over medium heat. If you stick a skewer into the oil and you see bubbles sizzle around it, the oil is ready
• We want to fry in batches, probably 3-4 batches. Fry the first batch. Move the meat around gently to make sure they fry evenly and to prevent them from burning (because the jerky is sweet). It doesn't take long to fry, about 2-3 minutes
  
• Use a spider skimmer to remove the meat from the oil and place on absorbent paper towel to absorb excess oil. Remove any bits in the oil before frying the next batch. Those little bits are a mixture of tiny pieces of meat and most likely some ground coriander. Add those back into the fried pork jerky
  
• Continue with the next batch

Air fryer method:

• Preheat your air fryer to 350 F (180 C). Spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray or brush with some oil. Brush oil on both sides of the pork slices and then arrange them in one layer on the basket. Do not overcrowd the basket. Do this in batches. Air fry for 3-5 minutes (the time varies depending on your air fryer model, so you need to monitor) until they are nicely brown but not burned
  
• Continue with the next batch until you are done

Storage:

• Let them cool down completely and then store in air-tight container. I store this in the fridge and it can last for 2 weeks or longer. The meat jerky remains tender even after refrigeration. They can be served cold or room temperature. Let them sit out at room temperature if you don't want to eat them cold