Biltong

"Biltong is one of those things that everyone has their own opinion of... how to salt, how to spice, how wet/dry it should be, etc. This is my personal favourite recipe which is simple and straight-forward. It is excellent as is, but feel free make changes to the spice mixture to suit your tastes."
 
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photo by Bokenpop aka Mad photo by Bokenpop aka Mad
photo by Bokenpop aka Mad
Ready In:
96hrs
Ingredients:
7
Yields:
48-60 biltongs
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ingredients

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directions

  • Trim excess fat off the meat.
  • Slice meat along the grain no thicker than 1.5cm.
  • Cut those slices into strips of 3-5cm wide.
  • Combine sugar, baking soda and black pepper.
  • Roast coriander in a pan over a medium heat for 2 minutes and then crush it fine.
  • Mix into the sugar mixture.
  • Pour vinegar into a flat dish and drag meat strips through the vinegar coating them well.
  • I use my cooler box for this next step in the process: sprinkle a handful of salt over the bottom of the cooler box and cover with a layer of meat strips.
  • Sprinkle the meat with a layer of salt and then the spice mixture.
  • Keep layering the meat, salt and spices finishing with a layer of salt and spices.
  • Close cooler box and leave to stand for 24 hours.
  • Discard any left over vinegar.
  • When you open the cooler box, there will be a lot of water drawn from the meat and the salt should be dissolved.
  • Take the meat out of the cooler and place on a tray.
  • Remove any large pieces of salt that may still be on the meat.
  • It is your choice if you still want to pat the meat dry, I never do.
  • Discard the water in the cooler.
  • Using a paperclip opened to resemble an "S", hook each meat strip and hang to dry.
  • I use a biltong box because the biltong is dry within 3 days of hanging - conventional methods take much longer.

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Reviews

  1. Simple, easy and great advice! The Biltong turned out exactly as expected. Thanks!
     
  2. THis was a easy snack to make but I got impatient waiting for the biltong to dry because I wanted to eat it right away! I used some biltong spices I bought on the internet but used your method.
     
  3. I convinced DH that I would make biltong this year, as that is normally his speciality over summer... somewhat reluctantly he "gave in" but kept a careful eye on the "new spices" "roasting of coriander" and placing in "cooler box" !!!! After 24 hrs hubby hung up the meat in the pantry and is keeping a watchful eye.... I will update when the meat is dry! (we don't have a biltong box) - Can't wait! Thank you Boekenpop for the ease of making biltong and your method of culminating all the spices - 5 stars - update, biltong came out really good, next time I need to get kosher salt... but, really good, thanks very much for sharing.. a firm keeper for next year's winter must do's
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I was born and raised in South Africa but now live in Delaware USA. Since I can remember I have been cooking! My first real cooking experience was when I was 7. I came home from school one afternoon and felt like French toast. My elder brother was home with his friends and did not want to make it for me, so I got a pan out, put it on the stove, turned the stove on to high. After that I could not remember what to do, but I knew that French toast involved bread so I put the bread in the hot pan without grease and poured milk over it! Oy vey... My brother's friend asked me what I was trying to make and I told him. He laughed and told me I was making it wrong but he also taught me how to make French toast the right way. I came home every day after that and made French toast. I felt so confident with the little bit of knowledge I had acquired that I soon started experimenting with other things. Nothing was going to stop me! The first full meal I ever made for my family was boiled rice and oven roasted chicken pieces with a steamed vegetable medley. I was 8 years old and my mom was in hospital. My dad was struggling to hold down an intensely busy job, keep the family going and be with my mom, so I thought I would help him. I don't think he believed that I had done it on my own. I remember telling him that I read in a cookery book how to make a roast chicken but I did not know what "a" rosemary was so I just put the chicken in the dish without it. Decades later with a myriad tried and tested recipes behind me - flops and failures included - I know my way around any food item and kitchen utensil, much to my family's delight!
 
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