Thread: Making Biltong

So after watching @The Hunters Club a couple of weeks ago when old mate Tim was making tahr biltong I got a bit inspired to make some.

First thing to sort out was a biltong box or dryer. A while ago I was given a few short bits of T&G. Apparently it is indonesian kauri (Agathis) no doubt not very sustainable so good to make something useful out of it

Laminated a few bits together...



Built a box and gave it a good coat of some quality wood oil



A shelf to catch the drips and a piece of perspex for the front and its done



Now for the biltong. Turns out there is plenty of recipes on youtube. I ended up with a hybrid of a few of them.



Found a venison sirloin in the freezer.
Made a mix of vinegar and worcester sauce and soaked the slices in it for a couple of hours in the fridge.

Then removed them from the liquid. Patted them dry and covered them with the salt and spices. Back into the fridge for the night.



Took them out of the fridge this morning and hung them in the box.



So now all that remains is to wait a few days to see how it turns out. I will let you know how it goes

As this is my first time making some I am certainly no expert so if you are experienced and can offer any advice, tips tricks or recipes then I'm keen on hearing them.

Cheers



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Originally Posted by mimms2

I'll see if I can't find my recipe. Though there is an old thread here which was pretty much same. Some username beginning with H

Hein

Originally Posted by mimms2

That'd be the one.
Not sure if this is his recipe, but it's the one by my fridge.

overnight soak is 3:1 vinegar: worchestshire, and i cover the tray with foil in the fridge.

Then rub in spice and hang.

pink salt (himalayan rocksalt)
brown sugar
black and white peppercorns
coriander
chilli flakes

some people add baking soda (a pinch), i think the theory is that it tenderises it?

other recipe is same (no bakin soda) but you toast and grind the coriander, rub the spice into meat, rub with vinegar, fridge 12H, hang.

Awesome cheers mimms

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Will watch with interest, done plenty of jerky but no true "biltong"
Could be the motivation I need to build a cold smoker/biltong box.

I use the spice from the SA shop. Just soak with vinegar and dry in std dehydrator.

Personal preference = Brown sugar Yup. Cardomon nah.

Salt, Vinegar and any aromatics YOU like. Personally would have left the original brew over night in fridge then the pat down/dry mix another (next) night.

Literally thousands of biltong recipes online, find what you like. Best part of the trial and error is the tasting.

Also NO fat/ sinew or it's either rancid or chewbacca

Beauty looking cabinet by the way. Puts my huckery plastic tub to shame. To shame.....

Originally Posted by mimms2

Damned brain fart.

****Corriander*** (not cardomon)
... is *the* spice. you could do it only with that and salt. It's what makes biltong, biltong. It is anti-microbial, killing any the nasties vinegar doesn't get rid of..

Little bit of fat is ideal and nummy nummy (and fuel for the body) if prepared right shouldn't go rank.

Hahaha....all good mimms I got plenty of coriander in there

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Originally Posted by Preacher

Beauty looking cabinet by the way. Puts my huckery plastic tub to shame. To shame.....

Its all part of the fun mate. I have two young boys who love a good building project in the shed.

I'm sure those plastic boxes work just fine

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I use "Safari Biltong Mix" by Crown National. I get it at the local South African shop. I've tried quite a few different ones but this is the best in my opinion, and most of my mates agree.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/home-livin...3cf9d168ca-001

Just soak in brown vinegar and Worschester Sauce overnight in the fridge, then role in spice in the morning and hang. I put the left over vinegar/Worschester Sauce in the freezer for the next batch I make, otherwise you go through heaps of it as it needs to be covered.

I find getting the cut thickness and drying time just right to be the challenge, not hard though.

I've seen a very effective biltong dryer made out of a large sistema storage container and a computer fan. Simple and cheap.

Thanks for the link to the spice mix, that looks good

Originally Posted by Savage1

I find getting the cut thickness and drying time just right to be the challenge.

What would you say the ideal cut thickness is? I did notice in the few videos i watched that the cut thickness seemed to vary a lot !



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correct toasted coriander seeds is the classic spice for Biltong not Cardamon but some may like that also. While a biltong box may help you do not need one to make biltong. The process of soaking the meat in a salt and vinegar solution draws out a lot of moisture and hanging it on a line in the shade (garage) or shaded area when there is a bit of air movement will dry it out in a week.
If you see a bit of mold for you need to dip in a baking soda solution. Best to do this as you hang the strips up to dry.

Originally Posted by mimms2

Just to turn a fuckup around.
cardomon goes good in black coffee with egg yolk. Good anti inflamatory, antioxidant and anti-bacterial.
Probay would go alright on biltong.

What kind of madman puts anything but more coffee in a black coffee 😲

Originally Posted by kukuwai

Thanks for the link to the spice mix, that looks good


What would you say the ideal cut thickness is? I did notice in the few videos i watched that the cut thickness seemed to vary a lot !



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I think I do mine at about 20-25mm and dry for 2.5-3.5 days, I like mine quite soft.

I slice mine all up straight away after drying and put it in ziplock bags in the freezer.

If you like it drier then just slice it thinner.