Then you can decide what you will do with the rest of your meat. I never like the pre-mix because they add some flavouring too, but that's just me. Never come across biltong done with balsamic vinegar before. Step #3: cut the holes for the dowel sticks. 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. Trouble is, it's getting more difficult to find incandescent bulbs. Although with airflow, the biltong dries in higher humidity than this. I thought it just generated heat. Drying times will vary with humidity, airflow and temperature. Ill wait for the cooler months to try salami. You can always just test the environment like out the back, in the garage or some other place protected from pests with a bit of airflow. Don't blitz it too fine. Learning and consuming in a circular fashion, I am always interested in what is happening around the curing and smoking world. Sugar on our meat is not popular among biltong fans. If youve read any forums on biltong recipes, you will find people talking about yellow fat biltong being the best. The meat is then air-dried in a dry environment with very good airflow. Ive added liquid smoke to my brine in the past. Everyone's happy. This step is often skipped, but it can make a big difference to the flavor that is absorbed by the biltong slab. Thank you so very much. While that is happening mix together the wet cure. Brown sugar has a caramel and molasses flavour that adds complexity to the meat, without masking it. I programmed it at 11C/52F. 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. The ideal climate is warm (not hot), dry, with steady reliable balanced airflow. Test the readiness of your biltong every couple of days by squeezing the sides together with clean fingers. If yo u live in a naturally humid place, or if it has been raining a lot, you need to be extra careful - especially if it's also hot! There are some methods I have come across, like having bowls of saltwater inside a small chamber to have some impact on humidity or using some form of disposable cigar environmental control products. However, it's nice to have everything you need instead of having to buy stuff on the go. Im lucky enough to harvest quality meat from the wild. Hey mate, thanks! I have an Anova Precision Oven which can dehydrate meat at that exact temperature and humidity. Cant wait ! Many folks do love it and that's cool too. Cover the meat completely in spices making sure to get it into every nook and cranny. This affects the quality of the biltong and also increases the risk of mould growth. Add the meat to the wet cure and let it sit for another 2 hours flipping twice to make sure it's evenly covered in the liquid. What I see is my humidity collapses in conjunction with the temp dropping.appears the humidity collapse might precede temp drop but not certain, they follow very closely. Back in the days when refrigerators werent a thing, the pioneers needed a way to preserve their meat. Oh the joy of the craft and balancing the gear! Use less salt! This batch of for Saturdays rugby. Your tutorial is very good and your recipe looks amazing. You are using an out of date browser. Biltong spice is a mixture of toasted, crushed coriander seed, cracked black pepper, flaked or coarse salt, and brown sugar. This might apply to some venison meat or beef cuts not on the prescribed biltong recipe list. The main seasonings are coriander, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar. Salt is essential to let the meat dry and cure properly. 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. The easiest way to measure dryness is with your fingers. Vacuum seal tight and store in the fridge or freezer. Look for meat that is ultra-fresh and has a bit of fat running through the meat. There is a reddit r/biltong for any questions and recipes you may have. Biltong from the land of the Gurkhas! As long as I handle the meat in a hygienic way, avoiding any cross-contamination and refrigerated it then I use it either fresh or frozen. Cool, is, of course by South African standards, anything around 18 to 25C. Right now it averages 30 to 40 degrees Celsius with humidity around 80% plus. You need to find the balance between quality and cost because in the drying process, youre going to lose some of the weight, and then per pound biltong can work out quite expensive but it is so worth it! Its all about the unique spice mix and salt and enjoying this snack with a cold lager. You can loosely cover the meat with a muslin cloth to prevent any flies from getting to it. It can also occur while making your own biltong. I believe eating and cooking well attributes majorly to a happy life. Trial and error is the way! When you trim the biltong, you need to choose for yourself. My South African friends say Biltong is superior to Jerky in every way and if that is true, I can't wait to try this. This biltong recipe will teach you how to make biltong the traditional South African way. Ive made it about a dozen times, and it always turns out good. Then you're in for a treat. Place some newspaper below the meat to catch any liquid. If conditions are particulary humid or hot, theres a chance you might experience this problem. As you can see from the previous paragraph, the best biltong is made in mild conditions. So some rewiring was done, which only turned on the fan when the compressor was on. In most cases, flies arent a problem, but pepper has the added benefit of detering them. If youve got a really raw centre and thick, tough outer surface, give it a try and see if you like the texture. Certainly would disqualify it as authentic . This is why it is important to check on the progress of the biltong every single day. If youve ever tried cutting over-dried biltong, youll know how tough it can betough as old boots! Hopefully Ill be able to find that in some store. Do you have any recommendations on gear that would collect those readings (ideally, digitally) and record them so that I can do a trend analysis? I can't wait to try your process in that device. Always use salt and vinegar. Roughly 20cm in length, and 1cm thickness is ideal. Might need that temp controller too Cheers T. Thank you for putting in so much effort in your site and sharing your experience. When slicing to serve or eat, cut across the grain. This yellow fat is apparent in cattle that have been grass-fed rather than grain-fed. I ended up unplugging the humidifier as it appears I dont need it in such a small space. Try to make biltong in the dry and cooler seasons of the year, as humid conditions can lead to meat spoilage. If I want to do a meat curing project later on. Texture-wise biltong is more similar to bresaola when made correctly and beef jerky is more of a leathery sometimes wet and chewy consistency. My local butcher goes way overboard with salt on their biltong. Its just too delicious! Since curing meat in a curing chamber is a craft, temperature and humidity do not have to be exact, but more so within a range. It kills bacteria on the outside of the meat, and helps to draw moisture out. Once you have tasted biltong, youll be a fan of this spiced dried meat that South Africans have made famous around the world. Nice Sophia, thanks for the kind words. 01 May 2023 01:09:48 So make sure you meet slabs are dry before rubbing them with the spice mix. Although you can buy a pre-cut steak and hang that as a biltong slab, your best option is to buy a whole roast and cut the meat yourself into slabs. I've made biltong without trouble in the UK without issue. Ive since upgraded to an old fridge with the mechanics removed, holes in the bottom, and a fan drawing air past the meat. It all depends on the type of dryer and thickness of the meat as to how soon your meat is ready. 4) Whats your biltong chamber look like? Biltong pronounced bill-tong is air dried, and although you can use a dehydrator, most South Africans use a biltong box, as it makes drying the meat easier and more hygienic. To easily make a biltong box at home, use a cardboard box, such as a computer monitor box. This is usually the secret to how to make biltong . The key is to draw air around the meat without the airflow being too strong, to avoid case hardening, whereby the outside becomes overly tough, and the texture gradient falls off too quickly. 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. Getting it right is down to trial and error. They did this either by curing or dehydrating their meat. https://asktheexpert.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/109/~/what-causes-grayish-color-on-cured-pork%3F. Make sure none of the pieces are touching. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Whole muscle meat maybe, salami no thank you! Choose a box with dimensions of about 60.7 60.7 91.4 cm (1.99 1.99 3.00 ft). The vinegar tenderizes the meat, preserves the meat by killing off any microbes, and balances the salt. Instructions. It should be mostly powder, with a few pieces of seed shells left in. Thanks Chris! We looked at how to pick the best meat so let's check out the rest of the ingredients. I like to take 2 to 4 days to dry out biltong at around 28 to 35C, personal preference. If you want to have complete control over drying conditions, either making or buying a biltong box might be the best option for you. Seeking the passionate behind the passion. Salt is a brilliant flavour enhancer and preservative. My dad used to do that but I remain unconvinced that it actually does much of anything beyond raise the temp by a degree or two. Rain will end tonight making way for a dry and sunny Sunday If youre using a good cut like silverside or toprump, you wont need it at all. Trim off silver skin, connective tissue or any unwanted fat but I suggest you leave the fat on for moisture and flavour. When you have mastered the art of making biltong you will have plenty of friends flocking around to enjoy big games with a couple of drinks and the platter of biltong being passed around. My answer? Just wondering what the downside would be to having the temp a few degrees cooler, but the humidity in the desired range? What youre looking for is a slow drying process with gentle airflow. Be careful when drying and storing your biltong so that it does not spoil. This is so that you can track the moisture loss and know when the meat is ready. Also, remove any gristle or sinew which once it is dried is pretty much inedible and you dont want that ruining your biltong snack. but it was very good. 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. You are right. Brown malt vinegar is traditional. We will add the peppercorns unroasted. If youre interested in a simple guide and recipe, please check out the page I wrote on jerky & biltong here. 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. Wet stones and ceramic steels. Think it should be fine with a fan to keep the air moving? Bicarb has a pretty unpleasant taste, so its important to keep the quantity low. Dankie! I then drilled through the side and opened up an exit hole of about 3 x 3. Can you please advise. I would at least vacuum seal it. Biltong dries best when it is cool, not humid, and theres plenty of airflow. When starting off, I had the right temperature and humidity, but I learned unless I inoculated the curing chamber it may take a little while to build up some good bacteria a.k.a. Keep up the great work! Jerky is a much sweeter, chewier meat snack and the method of making it has changed from air drying to high-temperature drying which basically cooks the meat. Nowadays with the plug-and-play controllers for fridges, it makes it super simple, if you use a standard old frost free fridge. Don't worry too much if you leave it longer in the wet cure. If you are happy waiting a few weeks then the low temp is good and you'll get a very good product. Check out the courses link at the top if you want a booklet on DIY curing chamber, my charcuterie course will be out later this year too! After a couple of university degrees, a teaching career in Art Education and English at secondary and tertiary level, a few years in journalism, the modelling and fashion industry, and a family followed. There are other spices you can add, but these four make the foundation of the biltong spice mix. Been making and munching the stuff for years. The bicarb neutralises the acid in the vinegar, but also acts as a meat tenderiser. Two or three slabs will not last that long and will be eaten within a week or two. By far the best biltong I have ever tried! Fill the bottle with the vinegar of your choice. This is the most common type of dry curing people do at home apart from jerky. There are a couple of ways to apply this vinegar, such as dribbling it through the hand. As each piece is covered inspice, set it aside in a dish until you are ready to hang it up to dry. Throw the marinade out or use it to marinade other meats. Biltong is not sweet or rubbery like jerky. 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. The other option if youre new to the whole idea of dry curing meat, is to just use your normal kitchen fridge. Its the bomb!! Tanja, I live in Colorado (low humidity) and just hang my biltong in the garage with a fan blowing it. Biltong curing consists of salting the meat and then giving it a dredge in a marinade or vinegar solution. The easiest ways to achieve the high humidity and high level of temperature is to have a humidifier and a heater of some sort in the curing chamber. Vinegar does a perfectly good job of sterilising the meat without mountains of salt. One can get extremely creative with this so here are a few ideas. For me, 2 hours is good for maximum beefiness while the cure does its job. 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. Large chunks of fat can be a little unpleasant to deal with when eating biltong. Toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan, then grind down in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. This will ensure a succulent top-notch result. Biltong traditionally did not include sugar at all and the preservation is mainly achieved by the addition of vinegar. People who visit South Africa and are introduced to biltong always want to take some back to their home countries whether it is Scandinavia, France, Italy, or the UK just as long as they can get meat products through customs. Biltong Mould, Everything You Need to Know in 10 Points Concrete can be used in humid climates, but excellent humidity control needs to be established as well. I have a question this time : I just bought a wine cellar (18 bottles). Chill the beef in the fridge. When cutting the meat to prepare, cut along the grain of the meat. penicillin a.k.a. Sounds like you are on the right track! The air should preferably dry with good airflow. What you want is a good steady stream of air running past the meat, but not too strong. He said it never got below 77F/25C at any time of the year, day or night! Another really easy way to make biltong sticks (thinner, dry pieces) is to put oven on lowest temp (170 F in USA) and leave the door open a crack to let warm air escape. 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. What were trying to achieve when drying biltong is to concentrate the flavour of the beef by removing a lot of the moisture, similar to dry aging. Sure thing. 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. Let it marinate for 2 hours turning the meat a few times to ensure even marination. I'm really big on prep, usually going from the end forward then back from beginning to end. plugged into a temperature controller? Just dont overdo itbiting into a lump of peppercorn is not a pleasant experience! Hopefully, theyre dry enough to handle the hotter setting. The whole concept of using a lightbulb seems fundamentally fuc.ked, Health, Wealth, Leisure and Relationships. (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! Store vacuum sealed or wrapped airtight in the fridge or freezer. Although the actual meat of biltong will have little marbling and close to no fat, you will quite often see a ridge of fat that runs along the top of a biltong slab. Vinegar is acidic and reacts with certain metals. The fennel and chilli is very much an inspiration that came from Italian cured sausage I had. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Dr Biltong says you're doing it wrong! This PhD shares some - Food24 Keeps it from spoiling a bit longer than simply salt and vinegar. It basically just follows the procedure but since it is common to have a fermentation stage having that higher temperature and higher humidity allows that pH and acidity to increase to create a hostile environment for bad bacteria. BILTONG MAKING INSTRUCTIONS - Biltong Makers If you pick the right meat, you wont need to use bicarb at all. Should I scrap this shoulder and Star with a fresh one? Some recipes call for several stages of curing and washing off spices, reapplying them, etcthis is not necessary. I salted for roughly 3 days in a ziplock bar in the refrigerator with a pan and 8 lb weight on top (as per Ruhlman and Polcyns Salumi). Once the meat has salted for 3 hours, rub off the salt but don't wash it. Brown vinegar is more traditional. 4 Pounds of beef - cut into 1-inch-thick strips that can be of any length. Step #5: glue the fan. My wife cant stand biltong, never has, UNTIL NOW! If you are hanging the meat in a room with a fan it may take up to 10 days to dry. . As a babe in the woods when It comes to curing (iv only made hams, bacons, and pancetta) having someone share the lessons they have learnt is much appreciated. When it's ready, slice with a sharp knife or biltong slicer. Making Biltong for the first time - Milkwood: permaculture - stories it needs much thinner cuts, no more than 1cm. Don't cut the slices too thick or they will take too long to dry. Its important to note that, while your biltong will shrink by around half the size when dried, the fat doesnt shrink at the same rate as the muscle. Then just lay the cured and spiced thin pieces out on a wire rack in the oven. This moisture gets in the way of your biltong absorbing the biltong spice and marinade. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Hi Tom, I recently discovered your website and its a real treasure trove of information. Well just an update since this is my third attempt which I followed to a Tee. I recommend brown vinegar for the best flavour, with cider vinegar coming in a close second. Since the saturation vapor pressure of water decreases with decreasing temperature, the water in the air condenses on the surface, separating the water from the air. The meat is then air-dried in a dry environment with very good airflow. Humidity and Temperature Ranges for a Curing Chamber. How to build the DIY homemade Biltong Box. Thanks again. The Worcestershire sauce just adds depth of flavor to the biltong. For the most basic type of jerky, you can use your kitchen oven with the door ajar open, and it will take a lot faster since jerky is only a thin cut of meat. 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. Do a speed test on our app and win R5,000, https://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/613014-The-Official-Biltong-Enthusiasts-Thread. I live in Alaska and our house and garage stay about 66F. I Hunt, Fish, Forage, Buy, Butcher (Wannabe Norcini), Make, Savor (Im not a Saviour), and love curing and smoking meat. Use a high wattage bulb so it's nice a hot, it helps dry the air out. Thats really all you need to make it. If you see the first signs of mould appearingwhite dots or furry moulduse a clean cloth with some vinegar and dab/wipe it off. I've just made my first batch and it's fantastic! Mold proliferates at a humidity above 55%; it also increases with poor ventilation. The biltong in these pictures was made by an ex-South African / Zimbabwean couple living in Phoenix, Arizona, who missed their favorite snack in the US, and have perfected their way of doing it which I am going to share with you. For biltong strips, cut tenderized steak into 2cm strips and follow the recipe. This is so we can hang it up and track the moisture loss by weighing it. It slows the contraction of the proteins, leaving the final product still dry, but less tough. You can substitute the cumin in this recipe for paprika, and add in some dried chili if you prefer a spicier biltong, but the spices used here are the more traditional ones. For texture and flavour. 1) What is the ideal temperature and humidity range for making biltong?

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