Meats and Sausages
Biltong
Biltong is South African dried meat. In 1652 the Dutch settlers came to the Cape of Good Hope and established a new colony. The name biltong originates from the Dutch word bil for buttock and tong meaning strip. Biltong is not "beef jerky"; it is made by salting, spicing, and marinating selected cuts of beef, venison, kudu, springbok, or ostrich.
| Procedure | Jerky | Biltong |
|---|---|---|
| Heat applied | Yes | No |
| Vinegar | No | Yes |
| Smoked | Optional | No |
| Air dried | Yes | Yes |
| Note: biltong cuts are usually bigger and thicker than jerky. If you live in a warm, moist climate cut your strips of meat thin. The thicker the meat, the longer it will take to dry out, and the higher the risk of spoilage. | ||
A homemade biltong will usually be made from the beef buttock. Great cuts are sirloin and steaks cut from the hip such as topside or silverside. The best biltong is made from the eye of the round muscles that run down both sides of the backbone. Ideally, the meat is marinated in a vinegar solution (cider vinegar is traditional, but balsamic also works well) for a few hours, then poured off. Coriander is the dominant spice.
Drying Biltong
Drying biltong presents less of a problem than drying salami as the strips are much smaller and can be dried fast. Controlling humidity is not an issue. Quality salami is dried slowly at a low temperature to give flavor-forming bacteria sufficient time to react with proteins and fats. The biltong flavor is set by meat quality and the marinade. Biltong strips can be dried in a dehydrator, kitchen oven, in the open air or in boxes and improvised containers. When drying biltong outside, cover openings with screening fabric that comes in a roll and can be easily cut. This will keep insects away. Remember to make holes at the bottom and the top of the box to create a natural draft. The bigger the height difference between the bottom and top holes, the stronger the draft.
You can build the wooden frame with supports for drying racks and hanging sticks and cover the sides and top with screening fabric. For starters. even a cardboard box will do. If electricity is available, a 60-100W light bulb can be placed inside to supply heat. Make a little shield over the light as the dripping grease might burst into flames. A little computer power supply fan (described in the chapter on fermented sausages) will provide ample ventilation.
