Cut the strips into about a 1/2 inch wide, soak in vinegar/Worcestershire for about an hour, squeeze dry and brine in your salt/pepper/coriander/sugar spice mix for about 4 hours or longer). You can change the quantities of the ingredients to make more if required. What Vinegar Do You Use to Make Biltong? The use of vinegar in the production of biltong also adds a distinctly acidic flavor that jerky doesn’t possess.

The process starts the same, but with jerky, the meat is sliced thinner than biltong. All the fat is removed, so the jerky will not spoil prematurely. While the meat is resting, I roast some coriander in a frying pan until it turns light brown, I then crush it in my pestle and mortar. So without further ado, here’s my tried and tested biltong recipe. Once you’ve given it a try, please let me know how you like it, and if there are any variations to the traditional ingredients you swear by, no matter how strange!You should aim for 40% - 50% moisture loss for a wet or medium cure biltong and up to 70% for dryer biltong. The main aim of all of these is to create dry circulating air so that the biltong cures correctly and efficiently. Optionally, add the bicarbonate of soda and give it a good mix through. As soon as the froth disappears remove the meat from the wet cure and pat it dry with a paper towel. This step takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Salt the meat all over and let it sit for 3 hours, flipping a few times to make sure it salts evenly. Like most other cured meats it's easy to adjust the flavourings and ingredients used. One can get extremely creative with this so here are a few ideas.

While a moderate intake of saturated fat from biltong is not likely harmful, you’ll want to make sure you’re eating plenty of heart-healthy, plant-based fats, too. Balance is key. Summary

How to make Biltong Sticks (Stokkies or Snap-Sticks)

Both jerky and biltong use dried meat as their primary ingredient, but the meats are dried differently. As biltong production grows, variations in the ingredients and flavor profiles are expanding. Potential add-ins include Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, chili peppers, and other spices. While the Khoikhoi were finding ways to preserve meat, the Quechan Indians from the South American Native tribe, which was from the ancient Inca empire, were also preserving meat and called it charqui.

Humidity - It's best to keep the humidity low if possible, but not cork dry. Otherwise, the outside will suffer from case-hardening which results in biltong that's soft in the middle but bone dry on the outside. I've successfully cured biltong in as high as 80% humidity, but with a fan blowing full steam to keep airflow very good. The higher the humidity, the longer it takes to be ready, and there is also a higher chance of mould growing on the meat. When you live in a city or a humid climate, you can use one of the following, proven and tested methods. The Voortrekkers prepared for these long trips by hunting. As the hunters went out to hunt in the mornings, they found Wild game like kudu, impala or springboks, which they shot and used to make biltong and hung out to dry. While jerky has a more consistent moisture content and texture because it relies on lean cuts of meat, biltong has more diverse textures because various cuts may be used. Some types may be very moist and fatty, with others dry and crumbly. Summary Traditional Spices are mixed with the beef silverside consisting of salt, pepper, coarsely ground coriander, and red wine vinegar.So, have we convinced you to try it yet? If so, here are a few biltong brands we recommend and think you'll love. Use a non-reactive storage container when soaking the meat in vinegar. Vinegar is acidic and reacts with certain metals. Custom-built box - Basically a fan and a heating source in a wooden box. Simply do it yourself or buy it online. Many tutorials exist, but it's just a computer fan and a light bulb attached to the inside of a wooden box. Simple and effective. When finished this initial curing remove the strips and squeeze and pat dry. You can keep the vinegar/water mix for rinsing the strips later (see below).

Fan and heater - Hang your meat on a clothing rail and place a fan close by so that it creates good airflow. Place a heater close by if you live in a very cold or slightly humid climate. This will help dry the air and make the biltong cure a bit faster. During the manufacturing process the beef joints are hand cut to size according to the specific type of biltong being made. During the marinating process we have carefully sourced our very own secret recipe of natural herbs and spices that are carefully roasted and ground on our premises.We all like tasty biltong. Using traditional biltong recipes guarantees lovely flavours. To make it, you need good quality meat. Remove the spiced strips from the dish and rinse in the vinegar/water mix from 2 above. Most of the spices on the outside of the meat should rinse off. Squeeze or pat dry. Leave more or less of the spices to your taste. Jerky tends to have a smokier flavor than biltong due to the way it’s cooked. Thus, biltong is sometimes described as tasting meatier and less smoky than jerky. This comes down to personal preference. It’s important to note that, while your biltong will shrink by around half the size when dried, the fat doesn’t shrink at the same rate as the muscle. I like a little fat because it helps carry flavour, but I tend to remove most of it before hanging. Large chunks of fat can be a little unpleasant to deal with when eating biltong. Biltong ingredients This guide is a step-by-step process on how I make biltong at home during the year. Once I perfected my recipe, I hardly ever buy biltong as I can plan my week and timing to know precisely when my biltong will be ready.