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Table Suggestions: Bee Cheng Hiang’s Gourmet Bakkwa

By Anonymous Paul on 3 August, 2010

Just like Christmas morning.

The wife, having been to Singapore recently, brought home with her a special package. The contents wrapped in paper and sealed in a special plastic bag. No, it wasn’t any of those brand name, designer stuff you find along the shopping stretch of Orchard Road but a parcel of Bee Cheng Hiang’s gourmet bakkwa. I die.


Bakkwa is sort of like a Chinese style beef jerky, except usually made of pork. To make it you marinate lean minced pork with sugar, salt and other secret herbs, let it set in a thin layer before its smoked and grilled. The end product is a sweet/salty sheet of asado flavored meat. It’s good but I’m not really a fan of it as the lean meat mixture usually toughens up in the cooking process.


Beautiful pile of pork.


In the early 2000’s Bee Cheng Hiang came up with a recipe for “gourmet bakkwa”, using rashers of streaky pork belly instead of minced meat. The end result was so successful that they came up with a spicy gourmet bakkwa variety not long after. There’s a huge difference from the original recipe in terms of texture in that it remains tender and moist even days after they’re grilled. Not that it’ll actually last long after taking a pack home.


And so I snip open the sealed plastic bag and immediately its smoky aroma gives my nostrils a wake-up kick. My mouth instantaneously waters. I pry open the oil-soaked paper to unveil the mound of glistening, caramelized strips. I shudder as I sample a morsel; the fat just oozes with every bite and the flesh just melts in the mouth. An intense pork flavor fills my palate with hints of five spice and fish sauce.

Like stained glass. Lovely streaks of fat and crispy burnt edges.


It’s perfect torn into small pieces and chucked in a bowl of hot congee. Or maybe eaten like tocino with garlic fried rice and a sunny side up. I like it in a toasted baguette just as much as in a soft pan de sal; with no other condiment. But on its own, preferably warm, it’s greasy goodness to the nth degree.

Bee Cheng Hiang

www.bch.com.sg

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  • AUGUST 9, 2010 12:53 PM

    s???oo??u?d??8n said...

    super love this!!! :)

  • AUGUST 11, 2010 12:39 PM

    pilar said...

    I love Bakkwa too! When I came home from a my Singapore trip last year, I brought home 2 kilos of this. One kilo was regular/original flavor, the other kilo was spicy. It's super sarap with rice or you can just eat it on its own.

  • AUGUST 12, 2010 1:57 PM

    Fickle Cattle said...

    That looks amazing.

    http://ficklecattle.blogspot.com/

  • AUGUST 15, 2010 8:58 AM

    someoneshungry said...

    also try bee cheng hiang's bakwa with CHEESE! these come in small packs, labeled with "EZ Cheese". makes for great pasalubong too.

  • AUGUST 20, 2010 8:36 AM

    MrsLavendula said...

    i love bakwa! its so addicting especially those that are individually packed! i've never tried the ones with cheese though...

  • AUGUST 29, 2010 11:54 AM

    The Flow Blog said...

    Singapore has two other famouse brands of Bakkwa you can get: my all-time favorite is Lim Chee Guan but recently, my mom's friend had gifted us with bakkwa from Fragrance. All these stalls (including Bee Cheng Hiang) can be found in singapore's chinatown right beside each other.

  • SEPTEMBER 6, 2010 7:13 AM

    Richard said...

    If you loved BCH, then you should try Lim Chee Guan, they are much less oily and same great bbq taste. They've got a new branch in convenient Orchard road mall, ION

  • SEPTEMBER 6, 2010 11:31 AM

    anonymous paul said...

    I prefer my gourmet bakkwa oily, thank you :)

  • SEPTEMBER 10, 2010 9:08 AM

    Anonymous said...

    hi ask ko lang mag kano pack ng bakkwa?il be leaving to sg on nov and gusto ko mag uwi ng bakkwa..thanx

  • SEPTEMBER 11, 2010 5:24 AM

    anonymous paul said...

    The gourmet bakkwa is about Sgd6/100g. Thereabouts.

  • SEPTEMBER 22, 2010 4:01 AM

    Singaporefoodlover said...

    Lim Chee Guan sitll has the best bakkwa, but Bee Cheng Hiang's Gourment bakkwa is better than lim chee Guan

  • JUNE 23, 2011 1:21 PM

    u8mypinkcookies said...

    i never miss to buy this in SG!