South African Biltong
"stephan gates terrific version of biltong, essentially air dried beef. The cook time is zero but none of the times include up to 20 days hanging"
photo by canes12284
- Ready In:
- 4hrs
- Ingredients:
- 8
- Serves:
-
10
ingredients
- 2 kg filet of beef
- 150 ml red wine vinegar
- 50 ml Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, coarsely ground
- 1 tablespoon black pepper, coarsely ground
- 50 g fine sea salt
- 150 g brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
directions
- Cut the beef into strips about 4cm thick. Pack the meat into a smallish bowl, so that it fits tightly.
- Add the vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Leave for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the coriander and pepper together in another bowl.
- In a third bowl, mix the salt, sugar and bicarbonate of soda together.
- Remove the meat from the marinade, but reserve the marinade for later use.
- Add the beef to the bowl of spices, mixing it around until evenly coated. Save any spices that don't stick.
- Bury the spiced beef in the salt and the sugar mixture and leave it for 3 hours.
- Remove the beef from the brine and dip it back into the reserved vinegar marinade for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the beef from the marinade and using the vinegar, wash all the salt off (don't skip this bit or the biltong will be unbearably salty).
- Squeeze the beef to remove as much liquid as possible. Roll in the spices once more. The meat is now ready for hanging.
- Cut lengths of string, and tie them tightly around one end of each beef strip. Tie the string to the top of your hanging contraption and make sure that they hang freely without touching anything on the sides or bottom.
- Leave the strips hanging for 3-20 days in a warm, dry place. It is difficult to say exactly how long it will take for the biltong to reach the correct stage, it's basically when the meat is as tough as old boots!
Questions & Replies
-
What ingredients do you need -
I was making two other dishes while preparing this and totally forgot the sodium bicarbonate. Is my biltong going to turn out?
Reviews
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This is a wonderful recipe for Jerky and tastes like great Jerky BUT this is not South African Biltong, I?m South African and grew up eating it all the time and still do. The Worcestershire sauce changes the taste and texture of it. Biltong only uses vinegar, brown sugar, coriander seeds, pepper and salt, if you want chilli biltong add chilli flakes not powder. -
Ok so this was the first time that I have tried to make biltong and since I don't have a drying cabinet I used a dehydrator instead. I found that the spice proportions were way off and I needed to use way more coriander and chilli flakes than were suggested in order to cover the meet (this may be because I cut my beef thinner to fit into the dehydrator). I was a bit sus about how much salt was suggested but followed the instructions. The flavor of the spices was good but the biltong was saltier than fish piss! I would recommend either using less salt or leaving it in salt for a shorter period. Biltong is edible if you have plenty of beer to wash it down with but you will have to get wasted in order to get through just a few strips... -
I've made this multiple times. I substitute ground coriander in, slice it thinner, marinate it in the spice 3 hrs at room temp or overnight in fridge. I dry it in my dehydrator for about 2hrs rotating the trays. I find a London Broil makes the best biltong. -
2kg filet of beef 150 ml red wine vinegar At least I had my laugh for the year-carton!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Hi This will be my first time making biltong what meat do I user (Silver side etc..
see 8 more reviews
Tweaks
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Rock salt instead of sea salt as the biltong may turn out too salty otherwise. Woustershire is a nice touch but frowned upon by enthusiasts. Malt or beer vinegar makes an amazing addition. -
Added piri-piri as a rub before hanging to dry.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
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I am a middle aged foodie who has had the luxury of living all over the world except asia. Lived in or grew up in Nigeria, Kenya, Chicago, Russia,and haiti. born in New Zealand, brother born in Austria and many more.
I have chronic medication resistant depression after 10 years on anti depressants that worked well but would stop working after a year or two, so now do my best at home living on disabilty. Not a bad thing, many have far worse health issues but i have been able to concentrate on food/cooking.
My main passions are my cats. I live in the woods and somehow many starving strays or "dumps" have found the message babies who passed on left in the woods saying "suck lives at xxxx road. Most arrive sick and/or starving. Right now i have 2 that arrived with feline herpes and their attendant 2ndry bacterial infections but are doing beautifully. One old man who was going to be euthanized bc a lady who found him as a stray was moving and didnt want him...well he was a biter and rather grumpy who was in ICU for 3 days with a deadly gut infection which was fixed but he left with a diagnosis of diabetes. 3 months on insulin and finally diet controlled and he caught the herpes virus, respiratory symptom version and turned into a cuddler. Butterscotch must think "why didnt i figure out this cuddle stuff was great before i got sick!" Doing wonderfully even though he has bouts. he and the other kids are my babies. Sadly Butterscotch died of Lymphatic cancer in winter of 2008. A year before Big Boy arrived in my life, starving and weak. Full of affection he jumped into my arms and stayed, turns out he has FIV (cat hiv) so he needs to be watched closely. I love him dearly
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