Biltong

History of Biltong

Biltong is a 400 year old traditional  mildly spiced, salted and air  dried meat product from South Africa. The word comes from Dutch with ‘BIL’ meaning buttock and ‘TONG’ meaning strip. It has been produced and eaten for hundreds of years yet it is still enjoyed by many South Africans and remains very much a part of the countries heritage.

 Biltong is a meat product that has been cured to make it last for long periods without it going ransid. There are typically two main types, beef and Game. Beef is the most commonly used meat for making biltong, and therefore, the most readily available.

It is a popular snack option enjoyed by many South Africans around the world. It also has many culinary uses too. It can be eaten plain, or shredded as a filling for pancakes, crepes, quiches, salads, and sandwiches, and added to a variety of recipes such as muffins and pasta dishes.

No Rugby, Cricket, Tennis, Boxing or other sporting occasion in South Africa - whether it be watched live or on television - is quite complete without a few beers and a good supply of Biltong. It also makes a great traveling companion as it can last for long periods of time without requiring refrigeration or special storage.

In the past farmers used a whole beef carcass to make biltong, but today the beef buttock, consisting of the silverside, topside and thick flank is normally used. The most tender is biltong, which is made from the fillet.

There are a multitude of recipes and methods used today to make biltong. Many of these are passed down from generation to generation. One thing is sure, like many other recipes, the best is made using the finest ingredients.  Biltong is made by first cutting the meat into strips. The strips of meat are then dipped into undiluted red, white, or apple cider vinegar. The vinegar ‘bath’ dissolves some of the sinew and binding tissue making the meat a little more tender. It also opens up the pores of the raw meat, so that the spices are able to penetrate deeper into the meat.

The meat is then seasoned, and this is the step that typically distinguishes one type from another. Most people develop their own recipes for the seasoning they use. But, typically the following ingredients are used in a seasoning: salt, pepper, sugar, and coarsely ground dry or roasted coriander. Once the meat has been seasoned it is hung out to dry.

Cruga was set-up in 1998 with the aim of making the best Biltong in the UK. The meat is marinated to a traditional South African recipe using the finest herbs and spices available, then air-drying, hand-trimming and cutting to produce conveniently-sized slices.