Which comes from areas that are pretty much untouched. Coat the meat in the spice mix making sure to get it into every nook and cranny. I keep mine forever in a freezer vacuum sealed. So I end up starting most dry curring at around 75 to 80% humidity for the first two or three days and then take it down to about 70% for most of the dry-cured projects I do like pancetta, braesola, Lonza or dry-cured and then cold smoked bacon. This is so we can hang it up and track the moisture loss by weighing it. Might need that temp controller too Cheers T. Thank you for putting in so much effort in your site and sharing your experience. Use Kosher or natural untreated coarse salt. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. If you pick the right meat, you wont need to use bicarb at all. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Since there was always a little bit of pressure going through the chamber, it was always coming out the hole. This comes down to personal preference. Contact13 Chester Terrace Westville, South Africa, Choosing the best beef to use for biltong, Optional: Additions of Bicarbonate of Soda, Grilled Biltong Steak You Can Make Tonight [Full Recipe], Biltong Slicers How To Cut Your Biltong, Tips for Drying Biltong in a Biltong Box: Ideal Conditions and Testing for Dryness, How Long Does Charcoal Last Estimating What You Need, Best Charcoal Chimney Starter: The Only 3 You Should Consider, 4 Insanely Easy Ways To Use Wood Pellets On a Charcoal Grill, Venison Biltong Recipe: Make Delicious Wild Game Biltong, The Right Biltong Box Temperature For Drying, 77 of the Best Recipes to Try with Biltong, Biltong Vinegar: 7 Delicious Vinegar Options for Biltong. And everywhere I go my camera goes too so many of the articles are illustrated with my own photos. For the finest cuts, fillet, sirloin, or steaks cut from the hip, such as topside or silverside, are used. Texture-wise biltong is more similar to bresaola when made correctly and beef jerky is more of a leathery sometimes wet and chewy consistency. I have used it with great success with beef, kangaroo, fallow and red deer meat. Repeat the layers until the thin strips are on top, and add a final dressing of salt. Would a box with heat source be the best way to go to make biltong for us up here or can it be done with this colder temp? Better to try smaller pieces in a fridge, I wrote about this here. Brown malt vinegar is traditional. Step #3: cut the holes for the dowel sticks. in the right zone of 10-20C, thats fine/ humidity not dry over 60%. Im still on the learning curve with biltong but this recipe is giving me the best results. And that is saltpeter. It it too high ? Firstly, you will always cut the meat strip with the grain. Trial and error is the way! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Black pepper and beef are a pair made in heaven. Don't use more than 1% Prague/pink salt to the weight of the meat. As far as I am concerned the light bulb is used to draw air upwards and out of the Hi John, Thanks for your kind words, really encouraging for me. Rhymes too. For me the best biltong has got to have a nice layer of fat on it, but if you want you can trim the fat as much as you like or choose a lean cut like eye of round. Thanks for dropping by, Ive been passionate about meat curing for decades. What I suggest is that if you get a computer fan and have it mounted inside a curing chamber, it will then pulling the air out. Vinegar does a perfectly good job of sterilising the meat without mountains of salt. When slicing to serve or eat, cut across the grain. If you are hanging the meat in a room with a fan it may take up to 10 days to dry. Someone much more electrically minded than myself, a friend who is an electrical engineer pointed out that it could be moisture attaching to the condenses. I then sealed it and placed a HEPA filter over it. Limited Time 50% OFF. Its perfectly fine and very common to dry out jerky which has been in a dehydrator. If youve ever tried cutting over-dried biltong, youll know how tough it can betough as old boots! Its really hard to guess whats going on without seeing it. The main aim of all of these is to create dry warm circulating air so that the biltong dries correctly and efficiently. If there is too much air flow around your biltong, the outside can firm up really quickly, leaving the middle soft. The easiest way to measure dryness is with your fingers. The airflow is just enough to draw away moisture, but not too fast so as to avoid over drying the outside of the meat. Ive been making my own for a few years, gradually tweaking the recipe and feeding it to people with a how is it, honestly?, and plenty of willing feedback. 9. Do not be light here; make sure that all the meat is covered in vinegar. Always use a sharp knife. If youre impatient and cant wait for your biltong to dry, plan ahead and cut some thinner pieces to hang with the restthese will keep you going while you wait for the thicker stuff to be ready. Add a hook to the thickest end of each length. The ideal temperature and drying time for biltong is 22C to 24C for the first 24 hours and thereafter at 30C to 33C for two days. Do not point a fan directly at the meat (to avoid case hardening). Sounds like you are on the right track! There is a recipe for making biltong spice below here. There are two essential things to note here. You can read it here. Hi Tom, I recently discovered your website and its a real treasure trove of information. The Worcestershire sauce just adds depth of flavor to the biltong. The point of using vinegar is to neutralize any bacteria that may affect the meat. Just wondering what the downside would be to having the temp a few degrees cooler, but the humidity in the desired range? Keeping below 24C in the initial phases stops the fats from going rancid. Don't blitz it too fine. Can u give me tips on using an airfryer, I have one that goes down to 90F on dehydrate mode and got some in there now as a tester but open to any tips. Could you use a freeze dryer to make this? I like to take 2 to 4 days to dry out biltong at around 28 to 35C, personal preference. To this day it's enjoyed in excessive quantities as it's such an addictive snack. Nine times out of ten, the answer will be its fine and to leave it and check on it tomorrow. So glad I found your post!! You should aim for 40% - 50% moisture loss for a wet or medium cure biltong and up to 70% for a hard cure dryer biltong. Biltong is such a delicious snack you may not be able to keep it away from the family and visitors long enough to have to worry about preserving it alter all you can always make more! This recipe looks fantastic, very new at all of this. Have tried others but always come back to this recipe by Charle. By far the best biltong I have ever tried! Biltong traditionally did not include sugar at all and the preservation is mainly achieved by the addition of vinegar. You need a coolish temperature (less than 86 F / 30 C), and sufficient airflow for the best quality biltong. This doesn't need to be very strong, as that also runs the risk of drying the outer layers before the inside of the meat. Place a tray underneath the meat while drying. As soon as the froth has settled, remove the meat from the marinade and pat it dry with a paper towel. Hot cutting tool. Can you please advise. The idea is to retain the flavor of the beef by removing the majority of the moisture evenly. It's cured meat which has its origins in much the same way as many other famous cured types of meat. And everyone I know who knows how to make biltong live, and has always lived, in bone dry climates. Then you disappeared and I cried. I use the same recipe also and my wife loves it and unfortunately, the dog is now addicted. Hanging and curing naturally in 10-14 days is best, this is why the snack is typically made in the winter where the air is cool and the humidity low. The recipe for the biltong spice can be found below and this can be made at the same time. The point of using the vinegar is to make sure any bacteria are neutralized. I dont like to throw away good spices, so I coat once, leave to cure in the fridge, pat dry, then hang with no additional stages. The whole concept of using a lightbulb seems fundamentally fuc.ked, Health, Wealth, Leisure and Relationships. There is a reddit r/biltong for any questions and recipes you may have. Best wishes. Coriander seed is the signature spice that makes biltong instantly recognisable. Nice basic recipe as used by my family for many years. There are many curing methods used for a variety of cured foods and the method used depends on the raw product and the desired final result. Ive used cider vinegar a lot, purely because I have a large batch I made at home. 2 Tablespoons of coarse salt. Making biltong does not require a load of fancy equipment and many DIY methods are available online. Its easy to over-salt biltong, making it almost unbearable to eat in bigger quantities (lets face it, whos going to only eat a little biltong? ), and too much salt can leave a burning sensation, so many recipes call for the salt to be washed off with a water/vinegar solution. Now I am going to expand to Biltonghad my first taste and loved it. (freezers can deteriorate smell/flavor so it depends how its frozen too (with air or without like with vacpac (which we do for harvest wild game generally), i friend had a wild young goat in the freezer for 2 yearswe roasted it up, it was amazing! Later that night, he was vomiting, and had diarrhea so badly he collapsed his wife had to call the ambulance and he was rushed to hospital and placed in intensive care, only to be released from the hospital ten days later. This depends on the size of the meat and your method of drying. I added a UV light to prevent mould forming (because I live in a very humid part of the world! What youre looking for is a slow drying process with gentle airflow. In fact, rub it into every nook and cranny you can find. Make sure to work very clean to avoid any bad bacteria creeping it. Some recipes call for several stages of curing and washing off spices, reapplying them, etcthis is not necessary. Fill the bottle with the vinegar of your choice. go old school.look up south African biltong. Below are a few items that will make your life easier. Thoroughly wash and dry your hands, and squeeze the flattest sides of the meat in with your fingers. I live in Denmark and have decided to build my own box. Its best to toast the seeds to release the oils for flavour, but also because the oil suppresses bacterial growth. Is it drying too fast or too slow? But its good to just go over the basics, first off the quality of the meat. Use scales when weighing out ingredients. Cheers Tom. When it's ready, slice with a sharp knife or biltong slicer. The process of making this traditional, deliciously meaty South African snack is simple, though getting it just right can be tricky. So, many omit the salt soak and add the salt to the spice mix instead. Biltong was originally created by Dutch pioneers in South Africa, Voortrekkers, who needed reliable food sources on their long treks across the continent. About to start my first batch, will let you know how it turns out. Also, I purchased this shoulder a few months ago at the farmers market (sold frozen) and its been in the back of the freezer ever since. Controller is working correctly and switching when it should. The salt is an excellent flavour enhancer and should definitely be includedjust a little less to avoid the need for washing. Below is an in-depth explanation of everything surrounding the making of biltong. Hang the meat in a well-ventilated, dry-air, warm environment(close to 30C or 86F) protected from insects and animals. Thank you! I cant give accurate advice on how long to store it this way, but I think its safe to say that no sane person is going to leave biltong uneaten for more than a few days. I did a fair bit of experimentation around this, so I wrote a guide about how to cure meat in your kitchen fridge I got consistent results. Making biltong Next Biltong (spiced dried meat) is a South African delicacy. If you like very smokey then go for longer but you will lose some of that pure meatiness a bit if you smoke it a lot. I recommend brown vinegar for the best flavour, with cider vinegar coming in a close second. These only have a short lifespan and disappear quite quickly. Recipe was easy and the result was tasty. If your approx. You should assume any link is an affiliate link. Right now it averages 30 to 40 degrees Celsius with humidity around 80% plus. If you are hanging the meat in a room with afanit may take up to 10 days to dry. I know this is probably because of oxidation but I wasnt sure if this would negatively affect the curing process? Place the thicker biltong strips at the bottom of an enamel container, cover with a layer of salt and then a layer of the spice mixture. Always use salt and vinegar. Weigh each piece of meat individually before drying, so you can keep track of the weight loss. Thank you very much. And if it's on the wet side, it'll go rancid faster. Mold is the biggest killer of biltong, especially in humid climates. I have one question this batch had lost a little bit of the Worcester sauce and vinegar flavour as I added bi-carb of soda to the mix. Im lucky enough to harvest quality meat from the wild. Travel writing, recipe development as well as writing about homesteading matters, camping, health, children, medical matters, press releases and copywriting keep me busy. Especially biltong that can in most cases do without it. Once you have the art of making biltong honed, then maybe you want to start using some of the meat from hunting expeditions. I'd love it if you could post a photo. Using a sharp knife, following the grain of the meat, cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) thick lengths and place in a non-metallic container. Plastic-covered paper clips make for a cheap solution. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Not dehydrated. Biltong is air cured, not cooked, not dehydrated. Some recipes call for the addition of bicarbonate of soda. His wife refused to have any. Can i exclude the sugar from the the recipe or replace with a sugar alternative? Trim off silver skin, connective tissue or any unwanted fat but I suggest you leave the fat on for moisture and flavour. Too much sugar is really unpleasant thoughyoure walking dangerously close to beef jerky territory and Id really recommend against it. Nice Sophia, thanks for the kind words. This will be the first curing recipe I will try, but I will be using a refrigerator dedicated to this and I will keep it around 12 Celsius, with a fan inside and a device to monitor humidity. Hopefully Ill be able to find that in some store. The main seasonings are coriander, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar. This is so that you can track the moisture loss and know when the meat is ready. If youve got a really raw centre and thick, tough outer surface, give it a try and see if you like the texture. Avoid spoilage and make the food more delicious. If the case hardening is severe, the tough outer layer can prevent moisture from leaving the middle. This is the most common type of dry curing people do at home apart from jerky. It can also occur while making your own biltong. Warning this recipe may lead to the purchase of a biltong slicer. Do you need to increase the ventilation in your biltong box? I can now start my first batch of biltong with confidence. Drying times will vary with humidity, airflow and temperature. Charcuterie is indeed a French word but I have to say the Italians are the masters in that matter. Click here for the recipe. By bookmarking these links you help support the upkeep of this site. The sugar helps with drying through osmosis, latching onto the water molecules and wicking them away. Combine all the spices and sprinkle into the meat. Spray every part of the meat liberally. You can use red wine vinegar rather than balsamic vinegar if you prefer. Keeps it from spoiling a bit longer than simply salt and vinegar. If you dont, the first option is to vacuum pack the biltong and store it in the fridge for one week to one month, depending on severity. When it comes to slicing biltong remember that it is quite tough, and the knife can slip easily. A Link to this webpage was sent to me by a friend in South Africa and it looks delicious. This is definitely one style and very popular. Tom, gem of a site and already great help as I begin my own dry-cured meat hobby. If you see the first signs of mould appearingwhite dots or furry moulduse a clean cloth with some vinegar and dab/wipe it off. Can be stored in the freezer for many months. Try a small batch first and keep an eye on it :) 4 Reply ethnastydizasty 4 yr. ago I'm also in the PNW (Vancouver, Canada) and I just finished building a new box. Copyright 2023 NewLifeOnAHomestead.com - All rights reserved. The top of this article goes through all the best beef cuts for making biltong. I actually tried growing some gray oyster mushrooms in the chamber and it didnt work because they need such a significant amount of oxygen and airflow. Please dont rely on heat. Seeking the passionate behind the passion. If youre interested in a simple guide and recipe, please check out the page I wrote on jerky & biltong here. Biltong spice is a mixture of toasted, crushed coriander seed, cracked black pepper, flaked or coarse salt, and brown sugar. Thank you Charlie I have sourced 5kg of topside for the next batch and I agree fennel is awesome just got to be careful about my salt intake as I now make a lot of billtong cold smoked salmon and kimchi. The best methods to extend that time are to vacuum seal it or keep in a fridge. I Hunt, Fish, Forage, Buy, Butcher (Wannabe Norcini), Make, Savor (Im not a Saviour), and love curing and smoking meat. This batch of for Saturdays rugby. Good airflow will help to avoid such catastrophes in future. Once all your meat slab pieces are hooked up, hang them in the drying area. This will balance out the gradient. Below are some other South African classics and dishes I love to prepare as well as a few other forms of curing and fermentation. If you suspect that case hardening is your problem, I recommend cutting through the end of the meat and checking it. For texture and flavour. Let's discuss beef as it's the most widely used meat for making biltong. Some visitors even buy the biltong box kits when they visit, which they can assemble at home. By their operation, dehumidifiers extract water from the conditioned air. I do not mind waiting 2 or 3 weeks. Ive been using this recipe for the past 4 years. Thank you so very much. The word biltong comes from the combination of the Dutch words bil which means buttock and tong which means tongue or strip. Nowadays with the plug-and-play controllers for fridges, it makes it super simple, if you use a standard old frost free fridge. Charl, the resident South African who was wwoofing at Milkwood at the time, was in charge of the recipe: - Cut meat along the natural grain, into strips about 1 cm wide. Let it marinate for 2 hours turning the meat a few times to ensure even marination. Its 90% humidity there now thats 11 AM in the morning with a sunny day with some cloud intervals). In the early days, when there were no fridges to store fresh meat, and once a steer had been slaughtered or an antelope had been shot, people had to preserve the meat by air drying it. Step #1: draw templates for cutting. So youve looked into the temperature and humidity conditions you need. Certainly would disqualify it as authentic . It all depends on the type of dryer and thickness of the meat as to how soon your meat is ready. Oh, I also added an extra function to the recipe that allows you to change quantities based on meat weight dont say I dont spoil you!
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