However, the best solution to prevent case hardening from occurring is to change your drying setup to reduce air flow. In general, biltong should last for at least 4-6 days before being at risk of developing mold. Authentic Biltong Recipe Ingredients 4 lbs. When it comes to slicing biltong remember that it is quite tough, and the knife can slip easily. It may not display this or other websites correctly. The vinegar tenderizes the meat, preserves the meat by killing off any microbes, and balances the salt. Now let the meat marinate. From costly handmade stuff that is not practical to my favourite 20 dollar knives with no branding. There is a reddit r/biltong for any questions and recipes you may have. Trim off silver skin, connective tissue or any unwanted fat but I suggest you leave the fat on for moisture and flavour. Remove the spices from the pan and let them cool down before blitzing in a spice grinder. You want to see the different spices. Place a tray underneath the meat while drying. I like a little fat because it helps carry flavour, but I tend to remove most of it before hanging. Use scales when weighing out ingredients. Best wishes. Best for hot smoking, head to do cold smoking at under 86F/30C! I double checked, but I am presuming you didnt use any nitrates/nitrites. Do you ever use pink curing salt when making Biltong? Humidity and Temperature Ranges for a Curing Chamber. Additional comment actions. My dad used to do that but I remain unconvinced that it actually does much of anything beyond raise the temp by a degree or two. JavaScript is disabled. What I suggest is that if you get a computer fan and have it mounted inside a curing chamber, it will then pulling the air out. As you start getting closer to the biltong being ready, you will probably begin to test pieces of the biltong to see how they are. Using a sharp knife, following the grain of the meat, cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) thick lengths and place in a non-metallic container. Do not point a fan directly at the meat (to avoid case hardening). You can blitz your peppercorns with the spices or grind them in with a pepper mill. Now, these are my dry curing conditions, although I have spoken to award-winning biltong makers internationally. Make sure none of the pieces are touching. Once the meat is ready remove the hooks. If I want to do a meat curing project later on. When you live in a city or a humid climate, you can use one of the following proven and tested methods. About 17 minutes to read this article. You need a coolish temperature (less than 86 F / 30 C), and sufficient airflow for the best quality biltong. Its tricky to get the salt quantity right. The method and spice mix hasnt changed much in hundreds of years, but a few variations have appeared recently, like piri piri biltong and the use of additional ingredients like worcestershire sauce and dried chillies. Fennel is the way forward. In desperation, Ive taken to resting a knife on top of some over-dried biltong and hitting it with a camping mallet (not recommended, and not only because I upset the neighbours and smashed the chopping board!). Drying times will vary with humidity, airflow and temperature. When slicing to serve or eat, cut across the grain. Biltong - Better Meat Preservation than Jerky - UrbanSurvivalShop.com For cutting after dried, may I suggest a $125 band saw, makes quick work, but only use it for your Biltong. Shelf life of Biltong : r/Biltong - Reddit I don't know anyone that likes dry or hard cured biltong but some do prefer it. What Ive seen with temperature control and different curing chambers is that the compressor or whatever form of cooling is used may create more or less moisture as well as impacting the humidifier or dehumidifier. I have a question on a 4.5 lb Pork shoulder that Im attempting to cure into Spalla. Many folks do love it and that's cool too. The easiest ways to achieve the high humidity and high level of temperature is to have a humidifier and a heater of some sort in the curing chamber. Might need that temp controller too Cheers T. Thank you for putting in so much effort in your site and sharing your experience. Another really easy way to make biltong sticks (thinner, dry pieces) is to put oven on lowest temp (170 F in USA) and leave the door open a crack to let warm air escape. Once cooled, blitz the spices in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar until nicely broken up but not too fine. I have made some cured hams in the past and used Prague curing salt in the wet cure. Biltong was originally created by Dutch pioneers in South Africa, Voortrekkers, who needed reliable food sources on their long treks across the continent. Throw the marinade out or use it to marinade other meats. Find it, it will be worth the effort. In the temperate environments that I've lived in, the moisture is always higher at night time and this is also useful since you can want the higher levels of humidity when you cold smoking. The length of the strips will depend on the height of your dryer as the meat must not touch the tray at the bottom. Also, I purchased this shoulder a few months ago at the farmers market (sold frozen) and its been in the back of the freezer ever since. Biltong traditionally did not include sugar at all and the preservation is mainly achieved by the addition of vinegar. . My answer? Biltong is a savoury snack, not a desert! Perfect for game days, high protein diets and anyone that enjoys great food. Optionally add baking soda to the meat along with the marinade and give it a good mix. . How To Make A Biltong Box | SA-Austin.com And is the long time in the freezer okay? Some people would never consider eating biltong without this fat; others prefer to cut off before the biltong is made. Step drill bit. You can loosely cover the meat with a muslin cloth to prevent any flies from getting to it. Perfect Biltong RecipeSouth African Beef Jerky A Wind Advisory has been issued through Sunday morning. Be careful when drying and storing your biltong so that it does not spoil. Dankie! These only have a short lifespan and disappear quite quickly. When you grind the spices, it releases the compounds that give them the flavor. Use a high wattage bulb so it's nice a hot, it helps dry the air out. Rain will end tonight making way for a dry and sunny Sunday My curing chamber does operate a little bit drier, its a big double door to bar fridge that I converted. Tom, gem of a site and already great help as I begin my own dry-cured meat hobby. There are two essential things to note here. Be sure to get it all or its likely to spread again. Your tutorial is very good and your recipe looks amazing. Malt vinegar is what is used in foreign countries perhaps where they cannot find Spirit vinegar. Since curing meat in a curing chamber is a craft, temperature and humidity do not have to be exact, but more so within a range. I have a home made biltong cabinet with he fan and 40watt light bulb. Once all your meat slab pieces are hooked up, hang them in the drying area. Even putting it in a biltong box is not traditional, as the flavor wont have time to develop. I would at least vacuum seal it. Biltong curing consists of salting the meat and then giving it a dredge in a marinade or vinegar solution. Jerky is a much sweeter, chewier meat snack and the method of making it has changed from air drying to high-temperature drying which basically cooks the meat. Have tried others but always come back to this recipe by Charle. I had a friend diffuse the airflow with a metal plate and another commercial fridge, which actually also had an impact on stabilising humidity. Like a lot of biltong lovers, I was introduced to this culinary treasure as a child, and the addiction has stuck. So, my plan is to use the standard dehydrator. plugged into a temperature controller? Step #3: cut the holes for the dowel sticks. Too much sugar is really unpleasant thoughyoure walking dangerously close to beef jerky territory and Id really recommend against it. Anyway I reckon your recipe is the best I have come across. Im confident that this fool-hardy recipe sticks with the traditional roots of the dried meat, whilst adding a little refined finesseit does not disappoint. That said, its fairly forgiving and a day or two over wont do too much harm. If youve made two or three slabs with this biltong recipe, storing them in a brown paper bag in the fridge should be fine. Biltong made from beef or venison is the most popular. So I go for longer slower biltong which takes 2-4 days. Temp stays right in range. Below are some other South African classics and dishes I love to prepare as well as a few other forms of curing and fermentation. beef silverside or topside 4 tablespoons salt 8 tablespoons coriander 4 tablespoons black peppercorns 1 tablespoon ground cumin optional 10 ounces balsamic vinegar Worcestershire sauce Instructions Cut the meat along the grain into strips roughly an inch thick and around 8 to 10 inches long. This is more often found in cows that are a little more aged than the prime cuts of beef. There are many curing methods used for a variety of cured foods and the method used depends on the raw product and the desired final result. You can use curing salt. Thanks for your time. If youve made a lot more than that, then consider vacuum-sealing the slabs to keep them for longer. Not dehydrated. Step #6: attach the dehumidifier. Just make sure you have a little air flow, or the meat can gather mouldIm sorry to say this has happened to me in the past! I offsetting a lid to the compressor, which was just next to the fan in the compressor. There are a couple of ways to apply this vinegar, such as dribbling it through the hand. Although the actual meat of biltong will have little marbling and close to no fat, you will quite often see a ridge of fat that runs along the top of a biltong slab. So here is a table summarizing the temperature and humidity ranges and then Ill go over a few tips relevant to the curing chamber and its environment. Really awesome recipe!! Now I am going to expand to Biltonghad my first taste and loved it. This was specific to my curing chamber since it was designed to have a fan continuously operating even when the compressor wasnt on (it was a drinks fridge). Temperature and Humidity for Meat Curing Chamber, Want to Make Charcuterie at Home? Some people like their biltong lean without any fat and some prefer the added flavor of a bit of fat on the biltong its up to you but you have to be more careful to ensure that the fat is properly dried. I can't wait to try your process in that device. So glad I found your post!! I've made biltong without trouble in the UK without issue. If there is too much air flow around your biltong, the outside can firm up really quickly, leaving the middle soft. Bicarbonate of soda is only used when the meat you choose will be tough to chew on. After a couple of university degrees, a teaching career in Art Education and English at secondary and tertiary level, a few years in journalism, the modelling and fashion industry, and a family followed. The meat is then air-dried in a dry environment with very good airflow. Best recipe, and love the weight tool you added. She actually liked it and that was fantastic! Thanks Sebastian. Right now it averages 30 to 40 degrees Celsius with humidity around 80% plus. Airflow and how consistent the moisture is in the environment is key to any dry curing project, but it can work in many scenarios. Mix it with your salt and add as instructed. This case hardening can happen if the humidity is way too low or if theres a gale force blowing onto the biltong. Place some newspaper below the meat to catch any liquid. So is the the greyish tinge/oxidation okay? We, South Africans, save the sweetness for desserts and we do have some super-sweet ones like koeksisters something like a doughnut thats plaited, deep fried, then dunked in a cold lemony syrup; or malva pudding a soft pudding thats given a sauce that soaks through made from cream, butter, and sugar. People who visit South Africa and are introduced to biltong always want to take some back to their home countries whether it is Scandinavia, France, Italy, or the UK just as long as they can get meat products through customs.

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