How to make biltong

Biltong

The process of making Biltong has been A South African tradition for nearly 200 years, dating back to as far the Dutch Settlers who did this process to preserve their meat.

 

The word biltong is from the Dutch bil ("rump") and tong ("strip" or "tongue")

 

However today the task is simplified by what we now call a Biltong box, ( which I will explain in a later post how to make ) , and a bonus is you will save money, and have bragging rights to your mates on just good your biltong taste.

 

Firstly

 

Getting your hands on the right sort of meat is an essential part of making the biltong just the right way.

 

Beef is obviously the natural choice but you can also go for venison which much leaner, and in a way healthier, which is perfect for those blokes whose arteries are blocked. But for now we will use beef as an example.

But whatever you select remember the cut, aging and fat content will all affect your biltong in the same way they do when you cook with these meats.

The best cuts to go for would be Rump, or Sirloin, a nice fat piece of steak, because remember the meat will shrink due to the drying process.

 

Secondly

 

Start by removing excess fat from the meat, remembering to leave a little behind for personal taste, and flavour, this depends on how lean you want your meat. it would be advisable to get rid of any unwanted sinew.

 

the ideal length to cut the meat would 15cm - 20cm and about 1 - 1,5 cm thick, the thicker the cuts of meat the longer it will take to dry.

 

Basic Seasoning

( for 2kg meat )
2Tbs ground black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely ground roasted coriander
2Tbs sea salt
250ml vinegar ( basting )

the best way to prepare the meat would be to add a layer of vinegar and seasoning together in the bottom of a wide tray or dish.

Lay the meat flat in the tray or dish and then add a equal layer of vinegar and seasoning spices on top. Let the meat marinade for 2 - 4 hours before going ahead with the drying stage.

Thirdly

This is the part will you will need a Biltong Maker, you can either buy one or you can make one yourself. The Biltong box  basically keeps unwanted insects, pets, and even greedy humans from getting stuck in to your biltong. The biltong box provides a dry air which then dry's the meat out making it into biltong. Remember Humidity is the enemy here, it will spoil the biltong.

The drying can take anything up to 24 hours to 8 - 10 days to complete, but this also depends on the method of drying and the amount of meat you are using and the thickness and size of the meat you are using, it also depends on personal preference, whether you like your biltong wet or dry.

Lastly

You can experiment with your meat once you have got the hang of the all of this by adding different spices and herbs, you can also try using different cuts of meat.