greyhat
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Post by greyhat on Nov 17, 2019 10:33:22 GMT 10
As someone who prefers savory over sweet, biltong has got to be at the top of my list of favorite snacks.
I've been making it for some years but have always used a commercial spice mix (Freddy Hirsch, Crown National etc.), these usually come in 1kg bags so they do take some time to go through when only using ~50g a time. So with the bag finally being finished up and having recently saved a good amount of coriander seeds from the garden I thought I'd have a crack at making my own spice mix from scratch.
The website below contains a good collection of information on biltong including the recipe I used:
And this is a video showing the rough process I follow:
The ingredients: Salt, Pepper, Coriander, Brown Sugar, Brown Vinegar
Lightly toasting the coriander seeds I saved from the garden. Two plants produced hundreds of seeds which I winnowed and saved for biltong and future plantings.
Mortar and pestle was used to separately grind the salt, pepper and coriander seeds then the brown sugar mixed in to form the spice mix.
Below shows the strips (I used corned silverside in this instance as it was on special, but historically have use rump). I reduced the amount of salt in the spice mix due to the meat already having been salted. I've only ever used beef but would like to try kangaroo and venison in the future, I think hunting for the meat then getting to this stage would be a very satisfying experience.
Once at this stage I leave it in the fridge for 24hours turning a couple times.
Biltong Machine my wife bought me as a present some time ago, goes well but pretty expensive for what it is - many people opt to build their own DIY biltong box. I typically do 1-2Kgs a time depending on how the meat is cut.
Some of the finished product. I usually cut some thinner strips and add some dried chilli flakes to the mix - these usually take 3-4 days and the larger "original" ones up to a week.
Was very happy with the results and will continue to save coriander seeds for future spice mixes. My young kids have all grown up on biltong starting as teething sticks as babies and now just a nice healthy snack. It's great for road trips or adding to a trail mix or just enjoying with a cold beer - a batch never lasts too long.
- Greyhat
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Beno
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Post by Beno on Nov 17, 2019 10:50:24 GMT 10
i just started salivating! i love biltong.Thanks for posting and welcome.
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Nov 17, 2019 10:54:32 GMT 10
Biltong for twenty plus years has been my absolute favorite hobby! How can I help?
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Post by SA Hunter on Nov 17, 2019 11:06:36 GMT 10
Biltong for twenty plus years has been my absolute favorite hobby! How can I help? Send about 1-2 kg of samples for testing  |
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Nov 17, 2019 11:16:11 GMT 10
Biltong for twenty plus years has been my absolute favorite hobby! How can I help? Send about 1-2 kg of samples for testing Left myself wide open there didn't I !!  |
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Tim Horton
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Post by Tim Horton on Nov 18, 2019 10:30:12 GMT 10
Send about 1-2 kg of samples for testing Left myself wide open there didn't I !! >>>>>>>>>> Don't forget your fellow posters in the Great White North... eh.... I'm not greedy, maybe a kilo...... say.... once a month.... chuckle... Somewhere in our library we have a sausages of the world book. There is biltong in that, but have not tried it. Of all the things you might not expect... In town there is a store called "The African Store".... You can get spices, a lot of grocery items, biltong at times. You can even get the big 50 gallon, cast iron, missionary cooker kettles.... |
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Nov 18, 2019 12:12:21 GMT 10
What I've learned about Biltong:-
1) Hang your biltong to cure outside! Traditionally they say the Boer would hang their Biltong on wire fences or thorn bushes to dry in the hot wind.
2) Forget about "force drying" in boxes, ovens or so called "Biltong Makers". Mosquito netting hung over your clothes line will do an awesome job!
3) The traditional recipe is basic, easy and tastes awesome, naturally enough every bloke has his pet variation and swears it's God's gift to the World!
More to follow!
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frostbite
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Post by frostbite on Nov 18, 2019 18:15:06 GMT 10
Can I book you in for biltong making lesson at next years Ft Frostbite meet?
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Post by SA Hunter on Nov 18, 2019 18:58:45 GMT 10
Send about 1-2 kg of samples for testing Left myself wide open there didn't I !! Yes you did! |
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Nov 19, 2019 6:33:03 GMT 10
Can I book you in for biltong making lesson at next years Ft Frostbite meet? We can do that, no worries. |
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Nov 19, 2019 6:52:49 GMT 10
4) There is a lot of BS out there regarding meat selection, it's not rocket science, do your research and let your wallet be your guide, I'm never using prime Scotch Fillet for "Tong" ever!
5) Beginners can start with cheap, boneless Blade Steaks, lean and with zero fat marbling. Lean Silverside (not corned) etc is also good.
6) Trim off the fat around the edges, crusty old Afrikaners like to leave a bit of fat on their meat for Biltong (it's an acquired taste).
7) Supermarket meat can be laid flat on a plate in the fridge for a few days to dry out the excess moisture. Have the plate tilted slightly and flip the meat next day.
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Nov 20, 2019 4:44:18 GMT 10
Below shows the strips (I used corned silverside in this instance as it was on special, but historically have use rump). I reduced the amount of salt in the spice mix due to the meat already having been salted. I've only ever used beef but would like to try kangaroo and venison in the future, I think hunting for the meat then getting to this stage would be a very satisfying experience.
greyhat doesn't the drying process concentrate the salts / additives in the corned silverside? Is there noticeable variation in taste between corned meat and the rump you use? I've heard Americans using corned beef for jerky etc because they cut it small and thin but was steered away from using Corned Silverside for Biltong.
Your ingredients are the traditional basic set I also use. |
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greyhat
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Post by greyhat on Nov 20, 2019 5:26:20 GMT 10
Thanks for your additional tips Norseman. To be honest I couldn't tell much of a difference with the corned silver-side. Maybe I got lucky or got the salt mix just right, but it turned out just fine and no comments from the family. I was worried when I brought it home though. I just saw the special sticker and was like yep, let's get some 'tong on and completely disregarded the corned factor. I usually wait till rump goes on special for around $12/kg. Have heard cuts like normal silverside and top side are good too but don't see them on special much.
I too usually trim most of the fat off but left a few strips on this time to experiment. I think for fatty bits having it cut up in small and thin bite size pieces as shown in the bottom picture is the go. Trying to chew on a big ol stick with fat on would be a different story.
I'm in a sub tropical climate (SEQ)so need to watch out for mold developing as it is starting to warm up now. I had a few white spots showing up here and there but rubbed it off with some vinegar and hasn't been an issue. From my understanding the slight bit of heat from the light globe helps to remove moisture from there air to combat this. The globe blew about half way through but the wife brought a LED one back from the supermarket which is no good. Will have to add the more traditional type to the bunnings list.
Have you made biltong with different types of meat before Norseman or stick with beef?
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Nov 20, 2019 5:57:39 GMT 10
Thanks for your additional tips Norseman. To be honest I couldn't tell much of a difference with the corned silver-side. Maybe I got lucky or got the salt mix just right, but it turned out just fine and no comments from the family. I was worried when I brought it home though. I just saw the special sticker and was like yep, let's get some 'tong on and completely disregarded the corned factor. I usually wait till rump goes on special for around $12/kg. Have heard cuts like normal silverside and top side are good too but don't see them on special much. I too usually trim most of the fat off but left a few strips on this time to experiment. I think for fatty bits having it cut up in small and thin bite size pieces as shown in the bottom picture is the go. Trying to chew on a big ol stick with fat on would be a different story. I'm in a sub tropical climate (SEQ)so need to watch out for mold developing as it is starting to warm up now. I had a few white spots showing up here and there but rubbed it off with some vinegar and hasn't been an issue. From my understanding the slight bit of heat from the light globe helps to remove moisture from there air to combat this. The globe blew about half way through but the wife brought a LED one back from the supermarket which is no good. Will have to add the more traditional type to the bunnings list. Have you made biltong with different types of meat before Norseman or stick with beef? Humidity is the enemy! I've only ever had to vinegar wash a batch once, when I hung one day and then it rained for four days after that! I figure in areas of high humidity a Biltong Box or maker would be mandatory. I've only ever used beef for Biltong. |
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Post by Peter on Nov 20, 2019 20:18:31 GMT 10
Thanks for sharing.
I've always used topside for biltong (and jerky), but I'll be getting some rump to make some - hopefully this weekend.
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frostbite
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Post by frostbite on Nov 21, 2019 4:20:12 GMT 10
Nothing screams 'real man' more than biltong, a fine cuban cigar, and straight single malt whisky.
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Nov 21, 2019 6:14:33 GMT 10
Nothing screams 'real man' more than biltong, a fine cuban cigar, and straight single malt whisky. Wow I don't drink whisky and I absolutely can't handle cigars so does that mean I am potentially a closet home o sectual??? |
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frostbite
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Post by frostbite on Nov 21, 2019 15:14:12 GMT 10
Nothing screams 'real man' more than biltong, a fine cuban cigar, and straight single malt whisky. Wow I don't drink whisky and I absolutely can't handle cigars so does that mean I am potentially a closet home o sectual??? Well that depends, mummy. |
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Post by Peter on Nov 23, 2019 22:22:02 GMT 10
Nothing screams 'real man' more than biltong, a fine cuban cigar, and straight single malt whisky. "Real man" doesn't need to be screamed. But one day, my friend, I hope we can meet and share the three luxuries you've noted here. A tip I received from a member here many years ago: www.cigars-of-cuba.com/I've bought from there many times in the past, and I'll be ordering again in the coming days. Great quality, genuine Cuban cigars. |
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Nov 24, 2019 6:05:28 GMT 10
8) Basic additives:- Whole Coriander Seed, Coarse Salt, Black Pepper, Brown Sugar, Brown Vinegar
9) Optional Extras:- Worcestershire Sauce, Chili Flakes / Powder, Paprika (plus a dozen others!)
10) Pound three or four tablespoons Whole Coriander Seed to dust, a stick blender in a tall jar will do it perfectly in seconds or use mortar and pestle etc.
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