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Making Biltong

IS AN ART .

Learning how to make biltong (the South African way) is an immensely gratifying process. Not only will you save money
and win friends.

Making
Here are the four basic steps to get you started.

1. Meat selection

There are many different kinds of meat that can be used to make biltong. Game meat or Venison is a popular choice due to its leaner quality. Choose according to your preference (and availability) but bear in mind fatty meats are more likely to spoil during the drying process. Meat loses much of its mass during the drying process, so you’ll mostly likely be buying in bulk. In this example we’re using two kilograms of sirloin bought from a local supermarket.

2. Preparation
Start by removing excess fat. This will help with the drying

process, and ensure greater longevity of the final product.

Leave some fat for extra flavour, as you like it.
Don’t cut the slices too thick or they will take too long to dry.

Roughly 20cm in length, and 1cm thickness is ideal. Get rid

of any gristle/sinew – these bits become extremely tough to

chew when dried. Longer strips
are more space efficient for drying, and reduce the number of drying hooks you’ll need to use. Basting and seasoning recipe | for approximately

2kg of meat

250ml vinegar (for basting)
1/2 cup ground coriander
2 Tbs ground black pepper
2 Tbs sea salt
2 tsps paprika

The easiest way to prepare meat for drying is to baste and season simultaneously. Start by adding a layer of your basting mix (vinegar)
and seasoning spices to the bottom of a wide, flat dish or tray. Lay your steaks flat in the dish, then add another equal layer of basting
and seasoning on top. Additional spices like paprika and peri peri can be added according to your preference for spicy flavouring. Let the steaks marinade for two to four hours in the fridge before proceeding to the drying phase

We have inserted a video link with easy biltong making instructions for you to view too. Please see

the link at the bottom of this article..

3. Drying
You can dry biltong in an isolated, dry space (like the Karoo) or a specially constructed

chamber (like a biltong maker) which allows you to control the heat and visitations of

unwanted guests (flies of the fruity kind). Humidity is the enemy and primary cause of

spoilt biltong so creating the right environment for drying is an

essential part of the process, especially in colder or more humid climates.

Depending on the amount of meat and method of drying
you use, it can take anything from 24 hours to 10 days to complete the
process. Personal taste also comes into play, as some like their biltong moist while others prefer the rock hard variety.

Here is a video link for you to watch and try out. From crown national and Mr Ben Kruger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W899ZmXKv8&noredirect=1