A Step-By-Step Guide To Preparing The Biltong: A South African Delicacy

Publish date : August 2, 2021

Categories: Biltong

Tags: South African Biltong

If you ever had the pleasure of trying Biltong (dried meat), you will know how tasty this South African delicacy is.

South African Biltong is traditionally made from lean beef with salt, spices and vinegar. The name of the recipe comes from the Dutch word Bil, which means buttock of an animal, and Tong, which means the tongue.

If you are looking forward to making this South African delicacy in your kitchen, this guide is here to help.

Choosing the Meat

Traditionally, in South Africa, wild game is used to make Biltong. This can be Kudu, Springbok, or Ostrich. The main factors to consider when choosing the meat are its quality and the right piece.

It would be best if you can hang rump steak. The meat is tender and tastes excellent as steak.

In fact, selecting the right Biltong meat is simple. The meat should be lean, tender and easy to hang. You do not necessarily have to use high-quality rump steak to prepare this dish. The faux-filet or topside of a beef joint will also taste exceptionally good, depending on the quality of the meat.

Ingredients: Basic recipe for original South African Biltong

• 3 kg lean easy to hang beef
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Coriander seeds
• Fresh garlic
• Sugar
• Sausage string
• Vinegar (malt vinegar or white wine vinegar)

Step 1

First, rinse the rump steak in cold water and trim away any fat from the meat. (leave the fat on if you want fatty biltong.

Step 2

Cut the meat lengthwise across the fibre in 2 cm thick slices using a sharp knife. The width of the beef pieces should be at least 5 cm.

Step 3

Lightly toast some coriander seeds in a pan. This will enhance the flavour of the meat. Then roughly crush them in a mortar.

Step 4

The spice mix should include 30-gram salt, one tablespoon coriander seeds, 1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, one crushed garlic clove, along with 50 ml vinegar.

You may add a little bit of chilli, which is optional. You can also use pepperoncino flakes to add flavour to the dish.

Step 5

Pour some vinegar over the meat and mix them well using your hands. Then sprinkle the spice mix over it and give it a mix again.

You can place the bowl covered with foil directly into the fridge, or you can shrink-wrap it. The benefit of shrink-wrapping is that you can knead the meat in the bag as many times as you need. This will ensure the spice mix penetrates deep inside the meat.

Step 6

After 24 hours, hang the marinated meat, evenly distributed, in a Biltong box. Close the box and turn on the lamp.

After around three days, the thinner pieces will be ready. The thicker slices will take up to 4 days to be ready.

It would be best to keep the Biltong hanging up in a cold room. It is not advised to keep the Biltong in the refrigerator. If it is kept hanging in a dry and well-ventilated place, you can store it for a couple of months.

Mufasa Biltong is your one-stop destination for all sorts of dried meat that you can buy at an affordable price. Please pay a visit to the website to learn more. www.mufasabiltong.com.au or visit any of Mufasa Biltong outlets around Perth.