Name: Pipikaula
Prep time: 12 h 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 12 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients: 2 lb flanken-cut short ribs or flank steak, cut into long strips; ¼ cup shoyu; 2 tablespoons Hawaiian salt (or coarse sea salt); 1 tablespoon sugar; 4 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons neutral oil, for frying

Prep20 min + 12 hr dry

Cook10 min

Total12 hr 30 min

Serves6

Pipikaula (literally 'beef rope') is Hawai'i's answer to jerky: strips of flank or short rib meat rubbed with Hawaiian salt and shoyu, traditionally sun-dried for days, now more often oven-dried or refrigerator-dried overnight and then pan-fried hot and fast just before serving.

It's more tender than mainland jerky and meant to be eaten warm, straight out of the pan, rather than as a shelf-stable snack — think of it as a pūpū, not a road-trip food.

How fo’ make ’um

Combine the shoyu, salt, sugar, garlic, and pepper. Rub the mixture into the beef strips, working it into every surface.
Lay the strips in a single layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
Dry in the refrigerator, uncovered, at least 12 hours (up to 24), or use a low oven (170°F) for 4–5 hours until the surface is dry and slightly firm but not brittle.
When ready to serve, heat oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until very hot.
Fry the pipikaula strips 1–2 minutes per side, until deeply browned and slightly charred at the edges — it cooks fast since it's already partially dried.
Slice against the grain if the strips are thick, and serve immediately as a pūpū with rice or on its own.

Local tips

The bone left in flanken cuts adds flavor while drying — trim it off before frying if you'd rather eat it boneless.
Don't skip the rack — strips drying flat on a sheet pan turn soggy underneath instead of firming up.
A traditional version hangs the strips to dry in the sun for a day; the fridge method is the reliable modern substitute.

Keep grinding

More liddis

← All recipes

Pipikaula

How fo’ make ’um

Local tips

More liddis

Spam Musubi

Plate Lunch Mac Salad

Hurricane Popcorn