At 111 Nguyễn Công Trứ street, the dried-goods stalls at Buon Ma Thuot Central Market line up one after another, strips of once-sun-dried beef hanging in neat rows. Vendors weigh and pack it deftly, adding a small jar of crushed golden ant salt — this is one of the souvenirs travelers most often pick up after finishing the Central Highlands tourist trail.
Multiple independent specialty brands and travel media document its cross-province origin
Multiple independent specialty brands and travel media (Mia.vn, the Bách Hóa Xanh recipe page, local specialty vendors dacsantaynguyenbapbung.com and ngongialai.com) consistently record this as a traditional Jrai food from Krông Pa district in Gia Lai province, now a standard souvenir item across the whole Central Highlands tourism market, including Buon Ma Thuot. This round of research found no Buon Ma Thuot / Đắk Lắk official media report listing it as a "locally native" specialty — the backing strength is moderate-to-weak (a cross-province source).
Important honest clarification: the true origin is Krông Pa district in Gia Lai province, not native to Đắk Lắk province
An important honest clarification: multiple independent sources consistently point to Krông Pa district in Gia Lai province — known as the "furnace" for its over 1,800 annual sunshine hours — as the true origin of sun-dried beef with golden ant salt, a traditional meat-preservation method of the Jrai people, not native to Đắk Lắk province or Buon Ma Thuot. Phú Yên province also has its own sun-dried beef brand tradition. Because the five Central Highlands provinces' tourism routes commonly interconnect, this item has become a common "pan-Central-Highlands" souvenir at Buon Ma Thuot Central Market and specialty shops around the city. This guide honestly labels its cross-province origin, presenting it only from the angle of "a Central Highlands specialty commonly sold at Buon Ma Thuot markets," not a local Buon Ma Thuot invention.
How to Buy It at a Good Value
- Most market stalls offer samples — taste before deciding on quantity and flavor.
- Golden ant salt is the soul dip for this dish; be sure to pick some up alongside the beef.
- Vacuum packaging travels well, making it a practical souvenir to bring back home.
An Honest Look at This Souvenir's Origin
- The true origin is Krông Pa district in Gia Lai province, a traditional Jrai method, not native to Đắk Lắk province.
- Phú Yên province also has its own sun-dried beef brand tradition — not a Central-Highlands-exclusive preparation.
- This guide honestly presents it as a "pan-Central-Highlands souvenir," not a Buon Ma Thuot local invention.
A strip of sun-dried beef with golden ant salt, its salty-sour-spicy layers well defined, genuinely makes a delicious closing note to a Central Highlands trip — but its true home is under the blazing sun of Gia Lai. The role Buon Ma Thuot's market plays is collection and retail, not invention.