Kitchen smoke’s flavor and highland people’s bond

When talking about highland cuisine, smoked buffalo meat is always one of the most memorable specialties. More than just a dish, it is an indispensable part of life for ethnic communities in Vietnam’s Northwestern region, deeply connected with traditional stilt houses, the glowing red fires of winter kitchens, and the stories shared by villagers around the hearth.

In the past, smoked buffalo meat was not only a delicacy, but also a way for highland people to preserve food. Men who ventured into the forest for many days, or families preparing for the long winter, used this method to store meat for extended periods while retaining its original flavor.

In modern times, smoked buffalo meat is no longer limited to highland family meals. It has become a favorite among diners in lowland areas as well. However, maintaining the authentic flavor and developing the craft of smoked buffalo meat sustainably remains a challenging journey.

Nguyen Thi Suong, owner of Phong Suong smoked buffalo meat facility in Dien Bien Province - Photo: Ngoc Hoa

Nguyen Thi Suong, owner of the Phong Suong smoked buffalo meat facility in Dien Bien Province, shared, “When we talk about the highlands, we can’t leave out smoked buffalo meat. We learned the craft from our grandparents and parents, and we’ve been preserving it for generations. Even now, as more people know about it, maintaining and developing the craft is still very difficult.”

Born and raised in a Black Thai family in Dien Bien District, Dien Bien Province, Nguyen Thi Suong has been familiar with the smoky aroma and spicy flavor of smoked buffalo meat since childhood. In her breezy stilt house nestled in the mountains and forests, the craft of making buffalo meat is not only a livelihood, but also a cultural legacy, an emblem of the skill and resilience of the Thai women.

Holding the secret family recipe for seasoning and the traditional technique to smoke the meat evenly so that it’s well-cooked, not dry, yet retains its natural sweetness, Suong patiently built a small production facility named Phong Suong. The name itself is both a brand and a message, symbolizing a life that has weathered hardships yet remains steadfast and full of warmth, much like the rich aroma of buffalo meat by the kitchen fire.

Although she started out as a small-scale traditional producer, with skilled hands and a strong determination to preserve her ancestral craft, Suong gradually brought smoked buffalo meat beyond the border of her village. Thanks to this craft, her family steadily improved financially; her children received proper education; and their home became more solid and secure – things she once thought were out of reach in a land perpetually cloaked in mountain winds and mist.

“Smoked buffalo meat is our root, our family tradition. Because we’ve held on to those roots, we now have a stable life with steady income, and our children no longer have to migrate for work,” Suong shared, her eyes shining with pride.

She added that in the past, smoked buffalo meat was made mainly for family consumption and familiar guests. But as more people from the lowlands discovered the dish, demand started to grow. However, bringing the product to more customers hasn’t been easy.

“Our orders are still limited because we don’t have a stable market. We mostly sell to repeat customers, people recommending it to each other. Right now, we don’t have a way to promote it widely, and we don’t know how to make it more well-known,” Nguyen Thi Suong said.

Preserving and developing the craft of making smoked buffalo meat in today’s modern world is no easy task. According to Suong, the biggest challenge now is how to bring the product to more people while still maintaining its traditional flavor.

“People are still used to the old way of selling – those who know will buy, those who don’t, just won’t. Even though we’ve been shown how to introduce the product to a wider audience, we still mainly sell through traditional channels to familiar customers. That’s because we lack tech-savvy people and don’t have the resources to invest.”

Phong Suong smoked buffalo meat on display at the 2025 Ban Flower Festival - Photo: Ngoc Hoa

Preserving and developing the craft

Nguyen Van Dung, Deputy Director of the Dien Bien Department of Industry and Trade, told Vietnam Economic News that product promotion is crucial for establishing smoked buffalo meat in the market as both a traditional dish and a competitive product. Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Zalo, and TikTok are effective tools for introducing the product to customers. Producers can take advantage of these platforms to share images and videos of the production process, as well as the stories behind the product, thereby building trust and enhancing its appeal among consumers.

“In the coming period, the Department of Industry and Trade will continue to implement programs and initiatives to boost the province’s e-commerce development, enhancing support for ethnic minority communities in bringing their products onto reputable e-commerce platforms. We will guide and assist them in effectively using online storefronts and e-commerce websites,” Nguyen Van Dung emphasized.

Notably, the Department will prioritize developing rural trade infrastructure, such as local market systems, especially in rural, remote, and isolated areas, to facilitate goods exchange and service supply. It will also implement preferential policies to encourage and support production and trade activities as well as livelihoods for ethnic minority communities and residents in border, mountainous, and disadvantaged areas of the province.

Additionally, in order to effectively implement national and local industry promotion projects, priority will be given to supporting the application of modern machinery, equipment, and advanced technologies in deep processing of agricultural products, especially ethnic minority specialties, to enhance product value, productivity, quality, and competitiveness, meeting consumption needs both inside and outside the province.

Most importantly, highland cuisine is not just food, but part of a cultural essence, a story about people deeply connected to the mountains and forests, to the glowing hearths in cold winter days. And smoked buffalo meat, with all its rustic yet rich flavors, deserves to be preserved and spread so that every mention brings back memories of smoky kitchens, mountain breezes, and the sincerity and warmth of the highlands.