The Best Biltong Recipe

Biltong is one of those South African delicacies that’s delicious and easy to make. You can use different types of meats including ostrich, beef and game to make your biltong. It’s undoubtedly the perfect snack that goes with every occasion.

Biltong Recipe

Ingredients

2 kg lean roasting beef
125 g salt (The coarser the better)
25 ml brown sugar
5 ml bicarbonate of soda
2.5 ml coarse ground black pepper
12.5 g ground coriander seeds
200 ml vinegar (preferably Apple-cider vinegar)
50 ml Worcestershire sauce
1 litre warm water

Method

1. Cut meat into strips of approximately 4 cm thick. Make sure you cut with and not against the grain of the meat. Cut the strips with the grain and if possible (and desired) leave a thin strip of the fat on one side. The fat will dry out nicely and add to the taste.
2. Mix the salt, brown sugar, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, black pepper and coriander seeds together.
3. Rub the dry spice mixture into the meat and let it stand for about an hour. The longer it stands the saltier it will become.
4. Starting with the thicker pieces at the bottom, layer the strips of meat in a large bowel. Mix the Worcestershire sauce and vinegar together and sprinkle the mixture over each layer. (Do not dip the meat in the mixture)

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5. Leave it in a cool place for 24 hours. It’s important to cover the bowel to prevent flies from getting to it.
6. Remove meat, strain the vinegar mix and add a litre of warm water to the mix.
7. Rinse the meat into the vinegar/water mix and rub off any salt and spices that still cling.
7. Squeeze the meat dry with hands or dry it with paper towel.
8. Roll the meat in the remaining dry spice mixture.
9. Skewer meat and hang it in a warm, but dry place, making sure they don’t touch anything on the side or bottom. When the air is humid, the meat is at higher risk of spoiling. So, put a fan in the room so that it can blow the hot air onto the meat. Ensure that all the windows are closed so that no flies can get in.
It can take 3 – 20 days for the meat to dry, depending on various factors, the weather being one them.