Ultimate South African Biltong Recipe (Video) (2024)

Biltong is dry cured meat invented by Dutch settlers in South Africa. It's a unique dry cured meat with a method and texture similar but not the same as Beef Jerky and Bresaola.

Making biltong is an easy process anyone can follow and you'll have a delicious dried meat snack in only a few days. It consists of three basic steps. Selection and preparation of the meat, curing and spicing the meat, and finally drying it.

Throughout my 20+ year professional cooking career, I've used and developed many biltong recipes and this is the best way to make biltong.

Curing explained

The aim of curing food is to avoid spoilage and make it more delicious.

Biltong curing consists of salting the meat and then giving it a dredge in a marinade or vinegar solution.

The meat is then air-dried in a dry environment with very good airflow.

Salt and vinegar both act as detergents against bad bacteria by displacing water and lowering the Ph level.

Drying the meat gets rid of excess water which in turn helps to preserve it and also give it amazing flavour.

The best meat for biltong

Beef is the most widely used meat for making biltong.

In South Africa Yellow fat C grade beef is very popular to use.

Top rump and Silverside are the two preferred cuts, although I've had great results with other cuts like rump cap and striploin.

The most important thing to remember when choosing meat is the quality of the meat and fat marbling.

Look for meat that is fresh, aged for at least 21 days and has a good amount of fat running through the meat. This will ensure a succulent, soft and perfectly cured result.

For me the best biltong has got to have a nice layer of fat on top, but if you want, you can trim the fat to your liking.

The choice is yours but I fully recommend leaving the fat on. For texture and flavour.

Ingredients

• Biltong spices - Traditionally only coriander was used. Everyone adds their own little touches and with me being a professional chef having more knowledge on flavour pairings, things will hardly just stay at coriander. I love to add fennel seeds, chilli flakes and black pepper. It's what I've settled on and it's what I'm sticking with for the best spices.
• Wet cure - This varies from recipe to recipe but I like using a mixture of red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and honey. Some recipes use brown sugar, brown vinegar and even soy sauce. Traditionally only vinegar was used.
• Bicarbonate of soda - This is not an absolute must but I like to add it right before I remove the meat from the wet cure. It neutralises the acidity a bit so the meat is not over sour and acts as a tenderiser for tougher cuts. Again, it's optional and I've made many batches without it and had no problems.

Instructions

1. Trim the fat to your liking. I recommend leaving on quite a bit for the best texture and flavour.
2. Cut the meat into thick pieces ALONG THE GRAIN of the meat. I rarely cut less than 3 cm or 1,1 inch thick slabs. The meat cures and eats a lot better when it's cut thick. Thinly cut meat can become a bit leathery and dry so, stick to thick. We cut along the grain of the meat because when you slice the ready biltong you need to cut ACROSS THE GRAIN.
3. Salt the meat all over and let it sit for 3 hours, flipping a few times to make sure it salts evenly.
4. While the meat salts, mix together the wet cure.
5. After 3 hours simply wipe off the salt but DO NOT wash it off with water.
6. Add the meat to the wet cure and let it sit for another 2 hours flipping over twice to make sure it's evenly covered in the liquid. Do this in a clean plastic or non-reactive metal container where the meat fits snugly.
7. While the meat is marinating make the spice mix.
8. Toast the spices (apart from the peppercorns) in a dry pan until fragrant and starting to gently smoke. We will add the peppercorns unroasted. Remove the spices from the pan and let them cool down before blitzing in a spice grinder. Don't blitz it too fine. You want to see the different spices. Blitz your peppercorns before adding the other spices or grind them with a pepper mill.
9. 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.
10. Coat the meat in the spice mix making sure to get it into every nook and cranny.
11. Weigh the meat individually and place a label onto a stainless steel paper clip or small plastic meat hook, and then the paper clip or meat hook through the meat. This is so we can hang it up and track the moisture loss by weighing it.
12. Hang your meat in a biltong box or other dry-air well-ventilated area away from pests, insects or animals. For most people, a balcony with a fan blowing over the meat would be the easiest. You can loosely cover the meat with a muslin cloth to prevent any flies from getting to it. You can also do this in a fridge, but make sure the fridge is spotlessly clean and the meat does not touch anything. This is to minimise the chances of spoilage and mould.
13. Your biltong will be ready once it's lost 40% - 50% of its weight. Start weighing after about 3 days to monitor the weight loss.
14. When it's ready, slice across the grain with a sharp knife or biltong slicer. You can store it in the fridge for weeks or freeze for many months closed airtight or vacuum-sealed.

Drying the meat

Over the years, many ways have become available for people to make cured meats at home or in tight spaces.

Some dry biltong in a dehydratorand some people use a DIY biltong dehydrator or "biltong box" as it's often called.

The aim is to create dry circulating air so that the biltong cures correctly and efficiently.

The simplest, if you have space and live in a dry, breezy climate, is to build a simple wooden frame and close the walls with fine mesh wire.

When you live in a city or a humid climate, you can use one of the following, proven and tested methods.

• A fridge - Make sure it's spotlessly clean and not overcrowded with foods. Fridges are pretty efficient at drying out food that's left uncovered, and likewise with curing meat. Don't let the meat touch any other meat or the sides of the fridge. Every part of the meat should be able to breathe and dry.
• 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.
• 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.
• Closed balcony - Make sure the balcony is closed but well ventilated. Use a fan and heater if needed. Ensure that open windows have a fine mesh cover to avoid flies from getting in.
• Dehydrator - You can use a regular dehydrator for making biltong. Many kitchen I consult for has no space so a dehydrator is often the only way and in my experience it works perfect. Not all dehydrators will be suitable for big pieces though. Set your dehydrator to it's minimum heat setting or off if possible. Monitor every day to check on the progress.

How long does it take to dry

Depends on the method used but, you should have ready to eat biltong in 4-7 days.

It's best to look at weight or moisture loss to decide when it's done.

Aim for 40% - 50% moisture loss for a wet or medium cure biltong and up to 70% for dryer biltong.

Things that affect drying time:

• Heat - It's better to dry in low heat than too high. The perfect temperature is 30 degrees Celsius or 86 degrees Fahrenheit. This mimics the conditions biltong dried in, when it was first invented. Biltong dried at this temperature takes about 4 to 5 days to be ready.
• 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 70% 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.
• Airflow - The more airflow, the quicker it dries, but it comes at a cost. If the air blows too heavily, it can cause case-hardening. It's best to keep the airflow at a constant gentle breeze.

Tips for success

• Pick good quality meat with a nice layer of fat and if possible fat marbling. This will mostly be grain-fed beef.
• Make sure to work clean to minimise the risk of contamination or bad bacteria.
• Cut with the grain of the meat and aim for thick slaps. 3 cm or 1.1 inch thick.
• Use scales when weighing out ingredients. It's the most accurate way of measuring.
• Use a non-reactive storage container when soaking the meat in vinegar. Vinegar is acidic and reacts with certain metals.
• Weigh each piece of meat individually before drying, so you can keep track of the weight loss. It should lose at least 40% - 50% moisture before it's ready.
• Place a tray underneath the meat while drying. This is to catch the spices that fall off as the meat shrink and dries.
• Slice across the grain of the meat to serve.
• Don't store in craft bags as the meat will keep drying out. Store vacuum sealed or wrapped airtight in the fridge or freezer.

Possible variations

• Meat - In South Africa, biltong is made from pretty much all types of meat. Venison, game, chicken, pork, and lamb. The method stays exactly the same.
• Spices - For bland meats like chicken and pork, smoked paprika works great. For venison and game, juniper and cloves. Lamb pairs well with traditional coriander but, with the addition of some chopped rosemary and rubbed with fresh garlic just before spicing.
• Wet cure - I've tried many ways, but the wet cure is the part that actually gives the least flavour. However, if you start adding fermented fish sauce, naturally brewed soy sauce, curry paste or adjika and up the sugar content to balance the saltiness, you will get amazing results.

Frequently asked questions

Useful equipment

Making biltong does not require a load of fancy equipment and many DIY methods are available online.

However, it's nice to have everything you need instead of having to buy stuff on the go.

Here are a few items that will make your life easier.

• Beef Bresaola - Video
• Droëwors Recipe - Video
• Thai Beef And Pork Jerky - Video
• Cured Salmon Gravlax - Video
• How to make koji - Videos

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