What are the Major Differences Between Biltong and Jerky?

Biltong Perth

As the demand for biltong is increasing even outside South Africa, several people ask the main difference between biltong and jerky. Both are different products, and different procedures manufacture them. The main similarity is that they both are dried meat snacks. You can easily identify both the items by the way they look, how they are made (including both the processes and ingredients), taste and texture. The nutritional value of jerky and Biltong in Perth are also different.

However, both are great as snacks in terms of nutritional value, and their origin dated back to the early expeditions for discovering several new territories. Apart from these, both can be made with meat items other than beef. These are also available with wild meat options like deer, impala, kudu, eland, ostrich, and so on.

Now, going further, it is very important to know the difference between these two food items. Here are some of the points that will describe how these two snacks are dissimilar-

  1. Appearance
    Biltong is generally made in larger pieces, and they are either sold in large pieces or first cut into smaller ones that are then sold in preserved packets. It can also be made in thinner sticks or strips that are dried easily than the larger ones.

    On the other hand, the jerky is thinner and flatter as compared to biltong. It is generally cut in a square or a rectangular shape. It is made from ground beef and squeezed into a rectangular strip shape. It is mainly called the meat “sticks.”

  2. The Preparation Technique
    For biltong, it has no added preservatives. Earlier, this dish was made in South Africa as there was a demand for dried preserved meat among the people who went for longer trips in the interior of South African forests. Vinegar, salt, and other spices are added in biltong and mixed, and the meat piece is dried and cured. In the processing of this meat, vinegar is used for curing, and it also helps in adding flavour to the item.

    The main difference between the procedure of making the biltong and jerky is that the former is made in the absence of heat. A cooler climate is preferable in making the biltong. So, if you are making this snack in a humid climate, you should be careful about the temperature. It is air-dried for a week by hanging the spiced and cured pieces of meat vertically from the hooks. The drying takes around 4-5 days for small or medium pieces, and for the larger pieces, they take about 14 days to dry up completely.

    On the other hand, jerky is also dried but without the addition of any vinegar and salt. The jerky is cooked in the dehydrator for about 6-12 hours or more. Jerky can also be dehydrated in the smoker, sun-dried, oven, or even air-dried. Jerky can be made from whole meat or minced meat.

  3. Nutritional Value
    The most common question is- how much protein content in Biltong in Perth or jerky? A 100 grams of beef biltong has 60 grams of protein, where 94% of protein is mainly digestible, which means the body will absorb almost all the protein content in Biltong.

    In the case of jerky, 100 grams of beef contains 33 grams of protein. An added benefit of jerky is that it is made in a lean cut which can be trimmed for excessive fat.

These are the major differences between jerky and biltong. If you want to order good quality beef biltong, you can place your order at Mufasa Biltong, one of the trusted platforms that provide Biltong, smoked sausages, and boerewors. – www.mufasabiltong.com.au

Everything You Need To Know About South African Biltong in Australia

South African biltong Australia

Biltong is one of the most popular and tasty dried and cured meat made and enjoyed by South Africans and other people worldwide. This dried and treated meat is in high demand due to its taste but is very healthy and nutritious compared to the available snacks in the market like chips, chocolates, and oily fast food. People can even eat South African biltong in Australia at the reputed restaurants, and several websites offer biltong and other dried food to the Aussies.

What does The Nutritional Value Biltong provide?

It is one of the best sources of protein. 100 grams of biltong contains 60 grams of protein, high among all the dried and cured meat available. It contains a very low amount of carbohydrates. Unlike the other snacks you get from the market, biltong does not contain any carcinogenic ingredients that might cause several health issues later.

Where Biltong Originate From?

Though biltong is a South African food made from dried beef and game meat, it is found in various parts of the globe. The word “biltong” is derived from two different words- “Bil”, which means buttock, and “tong”, which means strip. Hence, biltong means a long strip of dried and cured meat. This item is very popular in South Africa, and this delicacy is inherited from the ancestors who used dried meat during the expeditions. Biltong has a great interesting history, and it is also having a great future along with ‘droewors’ and caters for the requirement of both the local and international tourists.

Why Does Biltong Generally Not Rot?

Think that you are buying your favourite snack after knowing that it will never expire. Well, it is experienced by all the biltong lovers globally. This is cured and dried in such a manner that prevents contamination and so biltong can never become bad. The meat is mixed with various indigenous spices like salt, sugar, coriander seeds and vinegar. However, it does not mean that you will buy biltong now and think it will last for more than five years from now. Though the meat will not spoil, the longer you will leave, the faster the flavour and freshness will get hampered.

When Biltong Is Will Be Ready To Be Consumed?

If you are making your biltong or are drying the already cured biltong, you will not understand when it is ready to eat. The drying time of this item depends upon the style and type of biltong being prepared. For example, wet biltong gets ready to be consumed faster than the dried South African biltong in Australia. The standard biltong varieties are soft from the centre and dryer on the outer margin. You should dry biltong for 4-5 days before the day when you plan to consume.

How the Biltong Different From Jerky

Many tourists who travel across the globe think that biltong and jerky are similar items, but they are not. They are different in the way they are made and in the overall nutritional value. Biltong is cured and dried with spices and with the help of vinegar, but jerky is made by traditional drying.

Do you want to buy the best quality biltong in Australia? You can place orders from Mufasa Biltong, one of the trusted providers of dried and cured meat.