If you want a little more control, you can upgrade to a biltong box or other drying box. Similar to Biltong Sukuthi is cut into thin strips, spices and salt are rubbed on and then it is either air dried, or smoked until it is totally dried out. To easily make a biltong box at home, use a cardboard box, such as a computer monitor box. Everything is easy to understand and clear. Contrary to popular belief, heat is not required to make biltongneither does it make for a better product. If your approx. Lie the meat down in a flat glass container (you don't want to use metal because the vinegar might react with it), then place this glass container in the refrigerator. Its all about the unique spice mix and salt and enjoying this snack with a cold lager. And if it's on the wet side, it'll go rancid faster. If you need a recipe for biltong spice, click here: The best meat to use for biltong will always have a low amount of marbling and muscle sinew. If it swings like 10%, no problem. It makes an amazing summer snack platter when served with drowors, marinated olives, Parmesan sables, spiced nuts, pea and mint dip and freshly baked sourdough bread. Biltong from the land of the Gurkhas! If you want to see how it's done, jump to the video in the recipe using the above button. As with jerky, biltong making arose out of necessity. Absolutely brilliant!!! Don't worry too much if you leave it longer in the wet cure. My South African friends say Biltong is superior to Jerky in every way and if that is true, I can't wait to try this. What is the ideal biltong drying temperature? - Meately Sure thing. Would a little chili powder in the wet marinade be OK or would it ruin it? Certainly would disqualify it as authentic . white powdery mold (Some folks do like to spray the meat surface in encourage this growth). My attempt at making a character sheet She's either always annoyed at any inconvenience or always awkward to see people also has frizzy hair problems thanks to the extremely hot & humid weather in the (I know all too well ) gonna practice some more . The air should preferably dry with good airflow. Here is simple cheap sensor pack to check temperatures around the home. Keep up the great work! Everyone's happy. Biltong needs a fresh air supply to wick the moisture off the meat and dehydrates it. Skies will clear making way for a sunny and dry day. You should assume any link is an affiliate link. You want to see the different spices. Someone much more electrically minded than myself, a friend who is an electrical engineer pointed out that it could be moisture attaching to the condenses. Cant wait ! Anything too extreme will create an extreme result. After your biltong has dried to your preferred consistency, you can continue to store it hanging in a well aerated space indefinitely. Texture-wise biltong is more similar to bresaola when made correctly and beef jerky is more of a leathery sometimes wet and chewy consistency. The paper will allow excess moisture to continue leaving the meat, discouraging mould growth. You can use curing salt. South Africans can get fussy about the way it is sliced too so bringing out the slicer and cutting according to guest preferences also makes something of a talking point at a gathering! As you start getting closer to the biltong being ready, you will probably begin to test pieces of the biltong to see how they are. As a bit of a prepper, I have been making beef and venison jerky for more than a decade. The Worcestershire sauce just adds depth of flavor to the biltong. The yellow color comes from beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A thats healthier for you than the white fat produced from grain-fed cattle. Better to try smaller pieces in a fridge, I wrote about this here. There are air-drying nets available, so if you dont have an electric dryer you may simply want to hang the meat up with a fan directed toward the meat. You still need a little air movement, but the slower it dries, the more even the moisture gradient will be from inside to out. Step #6: attach the dehumidifier. Raw beef inoculated with 4-strain cocktails of either E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, or Staphylococcus aureus, and processed with a standard biltong process, were shown to incur a >5-log reduction . But once you have this culture growing inside the curing chamber, the salt cured meat you put in there will be well protected (as long as you follow a good methodology of course). Perfect for game days, high protein diets and anyone that enjoys great food. 3) When I make the bigger cabinet should I have: a: Just a fan, b: Just a lightbulb, c: both fan & lightbulb? So before I try your recipe I have a question, in the recipe for salting you say 2 hrs yet the video says 3 hrs and for curing recipe 2 hrs video 1 hrs. (Photo by V. Edgar). This will be grain-fed beef. Thank you very much. This case hardening can happen if the humidity is way too low or if theres a gale force blowing onto the biltong. Its best to toast the seeds to release the oils for flavour, but also because the oil suppresses bacterial growth. There are other spices you can add, but these four make the foundation of the biltong spice mix. Whole muscle meat maybe, salami no thank you! You can also do this in a fridge, but make sure the fridge is spotlessly clean and the meat does not touch anything. Charcuterie is indeed a French word but I have to say the Italians are the masters in that matter. It will froth as the acid reacts with the soda. This might seem a little odd, but it has scientific reasoning. Biltong was originally created by Dutch pioneers in South Africa, Voortrekkers, who needed reliable food sources on their long treks across the continent. When you have mastered the art of making biltong you will have plenty of friends flocking around to enjoy big games with a couple of drinks and the platter of biltong being passed around. In most cases, flies arent a problem, but pepper has the added benefit of detering them. Really awesome recipe!! The ideal temperature and drying time for biltong is 22C to 24C for the first 24 hours and thereafter at 30C to 33C for two days. As each piece is covered inspice, set it aside in a dish until you are ready to hang it up to dry. I have one question this batch had lost a little bit of the Worcester sauce and vinegar flavour as I added bi-carb of soda to the mix. You can use red wine instead of vinegar if youd prefer. It is vital to make safe to eat biltong. Biltong is a traditional South African cured meat. You need to find the balance between quality and cost because in the drying process, youre going to lose some of the weight, and then per pound biltong can work out quite expensive but it is so worth it! This time-temperature lethality process targets a 5-log reduction in the most thermally resistant pathogen, Salmonella spp. Might need that temp controller too Cheers T. Thank you for putting in so much effort in your site and sharing your experience. My recipe uses the smallest amount of salt required to make a safe cure, based on the weight of the meat. A Link to this webpage was sent to me by a friend in South Africa and it looks delicious. You can air dry the biltong, but it will take longer and you need the right weather, whereas a commercial biltong maker or dehydrator will have a built-in fan for continuous airflow to speed up the process, as well as a light fitting which will prevent the growth of mold, and also help reduce moisture. Interesting 7 Deg could mean thinks drying slowly Also, beneficial bacteria (penicillin) prefers is a little warmer too 85 is doable, but when you have meat in there (which is 70% water), its going to probably be a wetter environment, initially. Airflow and how consistent the moisture is in the environment is key to any dry curing project, but it can work in many scenarios. If youve cut your biltong and want to store it, wrap it in a few paper bags and store it in the fridge. Four hours should be enough; however, I often leave the tray in the refrigerator overnight. 2 Tablespoons of roasted coriander seeds - you can crush these or chop a bit to release the favors. There is a recipe for making biltong spice below here. Thank you so very much. Hanging and curing naturally in 10-14 days is best, this is why the snack is typically made in the winter where the air is cool and the humidity low. Nothing dehumidifies like an aircon. I will do it again for sure!! His wife refused to have any. That way, you can cut the biltong into the thickness of slabs you prefer and trim off the amount of fat so that it is precisely how you would like it. Not dehydrated. Used your recipe with some wildebeest, and the only change was adding some allspice berries to the dry herb mix. Can u give me tips on using an airfryer, I have one that goes down to 90F on dehydrate mode and got some in there now as a tester but open to any tips. Ive been making my own for a few years, gradually tweaking the recipe and feeding it to people with a how is it, honestly?, and plenty of willing feedback. Learning and consuming in a circular fashion, I am always interested in what is happening around the curing and smoking world. Learn how your comment data is processed. It all depends on the type of dryer and thickness of the meat as to how soon your meat is ready. Hang the meat in a well-ventilated, dry-air, warm environment(close to 30C or 86F) protected from insects and animals. Whats going on and is it anything to worry about? Sprinkle the salt all over the meat including the sides. Just add a teaspoon of bicarb to the biltong spice for every 1 kg of meat. go old school.look up south African biltong. This comes down to personal preference. 1) What is the ideal temperature and humidity range for making biltong? Ive since upgraded to an old fridge with the mechanics removed, holes in the bottom, and a fan drawing air past the meat. Two or three slabs will not last that long and will be eaten within a week or two. Recipe was easy and the result was tasty. I have made some cured hams in the past and used Prague curing salt in the wet cure. As soon as the spices are nicely toasted, slightly smoky and fragrant, remove them from the pan and let them cool down completely. I use a half pound of beefsteak (anything that doesnt have much fat) and cut the strips in a variety of widths from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inch so that they cure at different rates, and I can enjoy over a few days. So I end up starting most dry curring at around 75 to 80% humidity for the first two or three days and then take it down to about 70% for most of the dry-cured projects I do like pancetta, braesola, Lonza or dry-cured and then cold smoked bacon. Most mould problems are caused by improper drying procedures. This recipe will still work for that but make sure to use 6% salt still. Ill be getting something like this soon, temp & humidity sensor/logger prob get most consistent in basement? See the post for an in-depth explanation of the processes involved. When you trim the biltong, you need to choose for yourself. This is the ultimate way of making the famous South African cured meat, often confused with beef jerky. It was my 1st time ever making biltong. Happy you like! Lightbulb to dehumidify, fan to circulate. It is advisable to put a tray down before hanging up the meat because they will tend to drip a bit before they get dry. If you suspect that case hardening is your problem, I recommend cutting through the end of the meat and checking it. The more translucent and oilier the saturated fat is, the better. Make sure your meat is fresh and blood-free. I would at least vacuum seal it. You are right. If you see the first signs of mould appearingwhite dots or furry moulduse a clean cloth with some vinegar and dab/wipe it off. Hopefully Ill be able to find that in some store. The top of this article goes through all the best beef cuts for making biltong. I have just set up a small curing chamber, 8 ft cu, from a refrigerator but am seeing some instability in my humidity control..confirmed by a recording temp/hum monitor. My local butcher goes way overboard with salt on their biltong. Cheers Tom. Best recipe, and love the weight tool you added. Biltong is air cured, not cooked, not dehydrated. The meat hooks you want to use here should be food grade and have a plastic covering. https://asktheexpert.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/109/~/what-causes-grayish-color-on-cured-pork%3F. Biltong is best done at around 21C .Air dried Mongolian beef use a higher temp to dry with heat . Its the bomb!! Your tutorial is very good and your recipe looks amazing. So some rewiring was done, which only turned on the fan when the compressor was on. Sprinkle the vinegar on and rub everything in thoroughly whilst turning the meat with your hands. I had this probably with a large commercial fridge, too much power! Black pepper and beef are a pair made in heaven. 4 Pounds of beef - cut into 1-inch-thick strips that can be of any length. Although heat doesnt add to the quality of the product, it can be used to increase air circulation around the meat, by means of a temperature gradient (heat rises!). This is a great recipe but being the experimental person that I am I am considering two-hour smoke I do bacon and Pancetta for 8 hrs and its great. As a 28 yo French woman it was about time ! How to Make a Biltong Box or Buy | Biltong Blog Step drill bit. 4 1/2kg now drying. Plastic-covered paper clips make for a cheap solution. Once you have tasted biltong, youll be a fan of this spiced dried meat that South Africans have made famous around the world. Top rump and Silverside are the two preferred cuts of beef, although I've had great results with other cuts including the following. Four hours should be enough; however, I often leave the tray in the refrigerator overnight. I have a question this time : I just bought a wine cellar (18 bottles). 01 May 2023 01:09:48 This is what my grandfather did, and I suspect the early pioneers too. But the results and the process improved once I improved the airflow and oxygen going in the chamber. This next point cant be overemphasized; use fresh spices and toast, grind and mix them just before youre about to apply them. Here is a quick synopsis on how to make biltong. Biltong traditionally did not include sugar at all and the preservation is mainly achieved by the addition of vinegar. Use a sharp knife or biltong slicer to slice it. (You can see this on the dehydrator biltong recipe). Holidays and weekends have been spent in the great outdoors, hiking, fishing and diving all around the world. How to Make Authentic Biltong - Tastes Better Than Jerky! For this, you will need a spray bottle for food. It basically just follows the procedure but since it is common to have a fermentation stage having that higher temperature and higher humidity allows that pH and acidity to increase to create a hostile environment for bad bacteria. Toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan, then grind down in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. Just wanted to say, THANK YOU so kindly for sharing this amazing recipe! Trial and error is the way! What were trying to achieve when drying biltong is to concentrate the flavour of the beef by removing a lot of the moisture, similar to dry aging. In this guide, Im going to show you how to make it for yourself. The best methods to extend that time are to vacuum seal it or keep in a fridge. Roughly 20cm in length, and 1cm thickness is ideal. Leave the meat to dry for between 24 hours to 4 days in the biltong maker, and close to a day if using a dehydrator. If you want trim the fat a bit or leave it on. Most South Africans have a biltong slicer, which makes the job easier. Alternatively OP you could look at getting a smoker thingthose don't mind humidity afaik, I didn't realise the lightbulb was meant to dehumidify. Lie the meat down in a flat glass container (you dont want to use metal because the vinegar might react with it), then place this glass container in the refrigerator. You can read it here. I cant give accurate advice on how long to store it this way, but I think its safe to say that no sane person is going to leave biltong uneaten for more than a few days. Always slice across the grain of the meat when eating it. Step #1: draw templates for cutting. Every biltong maker has their own preference on spice mix. She actually liked it and that was fantastic! Some dry biltong in a dehydratorand some people use a DIY biltong dehydrator or "biltong box" as it's often called. People who visit South Africa and are introduced to biltong always want to take some back to their home countries whether it is Scandinavia, France, Italy, or the UK just as long as they can get meat products through customs. The third day of Jazz Fest looks to be a gorgeous one. For biltong strips, cut tenderized steak into 2cm strips and follow the recipe. The other option if youre new to the whole idea of dry curing meat, is to just use your normal kitchen fridge. So is the the greyish tinge/oxidation okay? Many home biltong makers add a lot of ingredients to their biltong, thinking that adding more will lead to a better result, but in reality theyre muddying the clarity of the flavour and masking the star of the showgood quality meat! Step #2: cut the holes for the fan and the dehumidifier. If youre making this biltong recipe for yourself, consider making or buying a biltong box or biltong dryer where you can control the environment where the biltong is made. Then you disappeared and I cried. It can also occur while making your own biltong. The brown vinegar in South Africa typically has a bit of brown sugar in it. Cool, is, of course by South African standards, anything around 18 to 25C. When ready, take it off the hooks, chop up a biltong slab and enjoy. After so many failed previous attempts, finally your recipe worked beautifully for meits like being back in south Africa again, Love it. The air fryer will give a harder dryer piece of meat in 4 to 6 hours. Been making and munching the stuff for years. I however eat it like Biltong This is my version: Cut topside or silverside into 2 cm wide strips and marinade in salt, curry powder and lemon juice for 24 hrs. Then you can decide what you will do with the rest of your meat. Place the 100 watt bulb in the center of section A. A combination of good airflow and relatively cool temperatures are the key to successful biltong making. Im lucky enough to harvest quality meat from the wild. Your house seems like the place to be) Thanks! I do have a query regarding lower temperatures. All the best, TOm. When you live in a city or a humid climate, you can use one of the following proven and tested methods. If you want something a little more fancy, there are biltong cutters (a board with a hinged knife attached), biltong knives (traditional knives made for purpose), hand crank mechanical cutters, and at the high end, expensive elecric cutters, mostly used by butchers and biltong suppliers. MAC is good if you're looking for good price/quality. Thanks mate! I sometimes use them in case of emergency biltong shortage, so Im not sure how to break it to them. I ended up doing this without the pink salt and it is a great recipe. The process of making this traditional, deliciously meaty South African snack is simple, though getting it just right can be tricky. Can you please advise. In desperation, Ive taken to resting a knife on top of some over-dried biltong and hitting it with a camping mallet (not recommended, and not only because I upset the neighbours and smashed the chopping board!). Oui, vive la France ! Biltong curing consists of salting the meat and then giving it a dredge in a marinade or vinegar solution. Rely on airflow. Required fields are marked *. Add a hook to the thickest end of each length. Once ready, cut into thin slices with a sharp knife and enjoy some of the best meat youll ever eat. Just remember that although biltong meat will dehydrate to about 50% of its original mass, the fat will pretty much stay the same. There are affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. If you are hanging the meat in a room with afanit may take up to 10 days to dry. If you want to check out the options and a guide on building a curing chamber, here is a detailed page on all the setup. I double checked, but I am presuming you didnt use any nitrates/nitrites. I prefer brown, but white, balsamic, or even cider will also work. . Make sure your wet meat is sprinkled everywhere with vinegar and salt and then marinate for at least 12 hours in the refrigerator so it can penetrate. I need to buy a portable cooler. You can go up to 6 hours before adding the baking soda if you're using it. Never come across biltong done with balsamic vinegar before. I had another wine cellar that was too small to hang the meat, I had to lay it so the pieces preciously mentioned have been curing in there at 13C for 2-3 weeks and I just transferred them to the 17C wine cellar to be hang. A cool air-conditioned room, or dry cool basement, will also help provide the right environment for making and storing biltong. We will add the peppercorns unroasted. Biltong can also be made from: Chicken, simply referred to as chicken biltong. Note that biltong treated (in humid areas) with saltpeter and baking soda for mold will have a much redder final color but should not be moist inside. biltong in humid weather - Smoking Meat Forums White spirit vinegar is traditional (made from grape must). This will help with the drying process, and ensure greater longevity of the final product. You can buy ready made biltong boxes, or make your own. You want to be able to identify the different spices. I've made biltong without trouble in the UK without issue. By far the best biltong I have ever tried! just a random story. If the case hardening is severe, the tough outer layer can prevent moisture from leaving the middle. Don't blitz it too fine. You can do your own research on pink curing salt otherwise known as sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate mixes with regular salt, I still use it as a form of protection just to make sure the meat is safe. I have used it with great success with beef, kangaroo, fallow and red deer meat. BTW Charlie, have you ever used a pre-mix call Crown Mills now Crown National? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. If youre interested in a simple guide and recipe, please check out the page I wrote on jerky & biltong here. It was also typically made in the winter months when the colder temperatures would reduce the risk of mold. As a babe in the woods when It comes to curing (iv only made hams, bacons, and pancetta) having someone share the lessons they have learnt is much appreciated. ), A Biltong recipe that produces consistent results with an authentic, traditional spice mix. The humidity will also be very . Play with the biltong spice recipe until you find what you like. It is eaten in great quantities here, but its popularity is only now starting to spread around the world. Use a non-reactive storage container when soaking the meat in vinegar. While the meat is marinating, toast the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and chilli flakes in a dry pan on medium heat. Please dont rely on heat. If you prefer softer biltong, with a good dryer and thin cuts, your biltong can be ready to your liking in 2 to 3 days. Are there any issues you have to pay special attention to when making biltong in a humid climate? Find it, it will be worth the effort. I know this probably doesnt make any sense, but remember that after the biltong has been dried, you will cut it a second time, and that time it will be against the grain. Biltong - Better Meat Preservation than Jerky - UrbanSurvivalShop.com These methods rely on drawing air across a cold surface. This is why it is important to check on the progress of the biltong every single day. The bicarb neutralises the acid in the vinegar, but also acts as a meat tenderiser. How to best store biltong at home | Biltong Blog Don't cut the slices too thick or they will take too long to dry. Combine all the spices and sprinkle into the meat. How to Make Biltong (with Pictures) - wikiHow The golden standard for perfectly cured biltong is medium wet with lots of fat. Pieces shouldn't be too thick The vinegar tenderizes the meat, preserves the meat by killing off any microbes, and balances the salt. As soon as you spot mould wipe it off with vinegar making sure to get all of it. Remove the thinner strips at the top and dip them quickly in hot water. Thank you Charlie I have sourced 5kg of topside for the next batch and I agree fennel is awesome just got to be careful about my salt intake as I now make a lot of billtong cold smoked salmon and kimchi. I salted for roughly 3 days in a ziplock bar in the refrigerator with a pan and 8 lb weight on top (as per Ruhlman and Polcyns Salumi). Tom, gem of a site and already great help as I begin my own dry-cured meat hobby. Salami is definitely the advanced category of using a curing chamber. Its tricky to get the salt quantity right. Salt is a brilliant flavour enhancer and preservative. Making Biltong for the first time - Milkwood: permaculture - stories Thanks again. Add a pinch of pink salt if you want. Hello I would like to try this recipe how does it work on elk or deer meat they might be to lean. I'm really big on prep, usually going from the end forward then back from beginning to end. Cut the meat into 3cm or 1,1-inch strips along the grain of the meat. The recipe for the biltong spice can be found below and this can be made at the same time. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I have compiled a recipe book as we speak, which will be available soon, it will include what I have learned around meat curing across many different countries as well. It really has a recognisable flavour. You're trying to dry the meat, not cook it. Weigh the meat and write it on the label. We looked at how to pick the best meat so let's check out the rest of the ingredients. My Aussie and ZA mates all love it. Hi Andew looks lekker my last batch using another recipe (my first) was too salty 1.4 tbsp per kilo for 24 hrs. This time can be shorter or longer depending on the thickness of the meat, the humidity of the environment, the wind flow around the biltong, the temperature, and lastly, how you prefer your biltong, slightly wet or dry.

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