Fermented Beef Roll

Ingredients

• 40 g Fish Sauce (light Vietnamese fish sauce; can reduce for milder taste)
• 40 g Sugar (granulated white sugar)
• 500 g Ground Beef (lean (5% fat) ground beef; can mince from a whole cut if unavailable)
• 250 g Shredded Pork Skin (frozen shredded pork skin, defrosted; discard black pieces)
• 30 g Fresh Ginger (peeled, sliced for boiling the pork skin)
• 50 ml White Wine (dry white wine; can substitute 30 ml vinegar if unavailable)
• 8 g Roasted Rice Powder (toasted rice flour for fragrance)
• 20 g Garlic (minced fine (about 4 cloves))
• 2 pieces Cayenne Peppers (seeds removed, minced; adjust for spice level)
• 10 g Whole Peppercorns (black peppercorns, kept whole for texture)
• 1 packet Nam Seasoning Powder (Thai-style seasoning mix; contains saltpeter in a small inner packet)
• 0.5 g Saltpeter (potassium nitrate from the seasoning pack; essential for safe curing)

Instructions

1. Make Fish‑Sauce Sugar Mix

   Combine 40 g fish sauce and 40 g sugar in a small bowl; stir until the sugar is partially dissolved (it’s fine if some granules remain).

   Time: PT2M

2. Marinate the Beef

   Place 500 g ground beef into a 3‑L freezer bag. Add the fish‑sauce mixture, seal the bag, and gently squeeze to coat the meat evenly. Spread the meat into a thin 1‑2 cm layer inside the bag.

   Time: PT5M

3. Pre‑Freeze the Meat

   Lay the sealed bag flat in the freezer for 2‑3 hours (about 2.5 h). The meat should become pliable but not rock‑hard, which makes later blending easier.

   Time: PT2H30M

   Temperature: 23°C

4. Prepare the Pork Skin

   Defrost the frozen shredded pork skin (≈250 g). In a 1‑L pot, bring 1 L water to a boil, add 30 g peeled ginger, the pork skin, and 50 ml white wine (or 30 ml vinegar). Boil for 1 minute, then drain, rinse under cold water, and pat dry. Cut the skin into small pieces, discarding any black bits.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 100°C

5. Prep Aromatics

   Mince 20 g garlic finely. Remove seeds from 2 cayenne peppers and mince them. Set aside.

   Time: PT5M

6. Blend the Chilled Beef

   Using a blender on the lowest speed, blend the frozen beef for 30 seconds. Open the blender, spread the meat with a spoon, then blend on high for another 30 seconds. Repeat the high‑speed blend for a final 30 seconds. The texture should be sticky but not pureed.

   Time: PT2M

7. Combine Main Ingredients

   Transfer the blended beef to a large bowl. Add the cut pork skin, minced garlic, minced cayenne, 8 g roasted rice powder, and 10 g whole peppercorns. Sprinkle the Nam seasoning powder (excluding the inner saltpeter packet). Mix with gloved hands for about 1 minute, kneading gently as you would dough.

   Time: PT2M

8. Add Saltpeter and Finish Mixing

   Open the small saltpeter packet and sprinkle the 0.5 g onto the meat mixture. Using gloves, mix for 45‑60 seconds until the mixture feels slightly firmer.

   Time: PT1M

9. Shape and Air‑Bubble Removal

   Place the meat mixture back into a clean 3‑L bag (or a shallow tray). Spread it into a uniform sheet about 2 cm thick. Press gently to push out any air bubbles, then roll the sheet tightly with a rolling pin. Seal the bag.

   Time: PT5M

10. Ferment the Roll

    Leave the sealed roll at room temperature (≈23 °C) for 16‑24 hours. For a milder sourness, ferment 16 h; for stronger flavor, extend to 24 h. If your kitchen is cooler, refrigerate for at least 2 days.

    Time: PT16H

    Temperature: 23°C

11. Slice and Wrap

    Unwrap the fermented roll and cut into squares (size of your preference). Place a thin garlic slice, a slice of cayenne pepper, and a laksa leaf on each piece, then wrap tightly with plastic foil to keep air out.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

360

Protein

35 g per serving

Carbohydrates

12 g per serving

Fat

44 g per serving

Fiber

1 g per serving