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Biltong

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Method

In Southern Africa the biltong sticks are hung up by the dozen in the butchery windows, it is becoming more popular in the UK now due to migration, although it still regarded as a delicacy and sold in small quantities and packets, often labelled as ‘beef jerky'. It can only really be made here in the dry summer periods, unless you own a dedicated biltong maker. The beef is never actually cooked, it is cured, but I have never had, or known of one instance of biltong food poisoning.

Raw beef is sterile unless badly handled before or after preparation, cooking, or curing.

Method;

Take any number of good quality boneless raw beef steaks (e.g. rump, rib-eye, sirloin) but avoid stewing cuts, rub plenty of coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper into both sides of each steak. Hang each steak separately on galvanised hooks outside in the shade away from interference by flies and wasps (this can be achieved with old net curtains) but the steaks MUST be allowed the free movement of warm or tepid air. After 4-5 days the meat should have turned jet-black, be dry, slightly pliable (but not leathery) and any fat should have turned yellow, the biltong is now ready, remove from hooks.

It can be kept in brown or greaseproof paper for a few days but is best eaten within a week, take each steak and cut into thin strips down the grain leaving a small piece of fat at the ends.

Serve with bottles of cold lager (by the neck).

Comments Add your comment

That's a very good idea to hang the biltong in the conservatory, I assume that none of your visitors were vegetarians.

by Martin on Mon Oct 27 2008 reply to this comment
We hung our biltong in the conservatory last year. Very dry in there and a great talking point if you have visitors ;o)

We used coriander seed and some vinegar on one batch, a little more spice on the other. I am a fan of the coriander seed - it really tasted delicious.

by couteaux on Fri Jun 27 2008 reply to this comment