About Beef Biltong

Beef Biltong are strips of salted, dried beef (game and ostrich meat are also used to make biltong) and are considered a traditional South African delicacy.

The most popular cuts of meat used to make biltong are the muscle running along the backbone, and any muscles taken from the region of the buttock, including the silverside, topside and thick flank. Whichever cut is used, it must always be fresh, lean meat from a young animal. In warmer climates with a high humidity the strips of meat are usually of a thinner cut than those where the temperatures are cooler and the humidity low.

Making Biltong 

In the biltong preparation process, the main ingredient in the spice mix is salt, which helps to preserve the meat. All the other ingredients are optional but also serve various purposes. The bicarbonate of soda prevents mould forming on biltong made in humid areas, the saltpetre gives an attractive red colour to beef biltong, the sugar counteracts the loss of meat juices, and the pepper and coriander add flavour.

All the ingredients which make-up the biltong mix are added together and rubbed into the meat strips. All the strips of beef are then put into large enamel bowls or containers with the thicker strips at the bottom and the thinner ones at the top. Vinegar is then sprinkled over each layer of biltong strips and left overnight in a cool place. The strips are then hung to dry for 14 to 21 days, or until the biltong is dark brown on the outside and a moist red colour on the inside. Beef biltong can be successfully frozen to keep it nice and moist until needed.

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