Homemade Biltong: A Culinary Journey to South Africa
In our step-by-step guide, we'll walk you through the entire process of making Biltong from scratch. From selecting the right cuts of meat to the art of seasoning and curing, we cover it all. You'll learn about the importance of each ingredient and get insider tips on how to achieve that perfect balance of savory and spicy flavors that Biltong is renowned for. We also delve into the history of Biltong, exploring how this jerky has evolved from a simple preservation method to a beloved snack and culinary icon in South African culture.
Equipment
- 1 Dehydrator
- 1 Spice grinder
Ingredients
- 3.55 kg meat
Marinade
- 68.64 g salt
- 45.82 g coriander seeds
- 22.88 g pepper
- 15.28 g chili flakes
- 80.75 ml red wine vinegar
- 40.37 ml W sauce
Instructions
- take the bullet muscle, cut it into stakes of about 2 cm thick
- cut with the grain because when you finish then you will be cutting them in thin strips against the grain, the individual muscles from the beef knuckle they are quite thin so you don't have to cut them just make sure they have about the same thickness
- in a pan add the coriander seeds to roast them until they get darker and releases flavor
- once ready grind them up in your spice grinder and transfer it in a bowl
- add pepper, chili flakes and combined all
- in a jar add the w sauce and the vinegar
- pour the jar with the sauce over the meat
- flip the meat around so it's covered on all sides
- add the the salt and make sure it's covered on all sides
- take out about ¼ of the spice mix to use it later
- with the rest of the mix spread it on the meat on all sides
- leave it in the fridge for 24 to 36 hours
- place one by one the pieces of meat on a scale and measure it
- add some of your spice mix on all sides to get a nice spice crust
- place the meat into the dehydrator running at 35℃-95℉ and set it for 44 hours
- after 24 hours take them out and check the weight, you are looking for something between 55 to 58% weight loss
- cut it in thin pieces and enjoy