The meat hooks you want to use here should be food grade and have a plastic covering. One of the obstacles to making good biltong is mold. Trim off silver skin, connective tissue or any unwanted fat but I suggest you leave the fat on for moisture and flavour. I recommend leaving it on. There are other spices you can add, but these four make the foundation of the biltong spice mix. Then you can decide what you will do with the rest of your meat. It will froth as the acid reacts with the soda. Nine times out of ten, the answer will be its fine and to leave it and check on it tomorrow. But once you have this culture growing inside the curing chamber, the salt cured meat you put in there will be well protected (as long as you follow a good methodology of course). Remove the meat from the container and pat dry with kitchen towels, taking care not to remove too much of the spice. Two or three slabs will not last that long and will be eaten within a week or two. This is what my grandfather did, and I suspect the early pioneers too. It will last longer if it is vacuum sealed. Just remember that although biltong meat will dehydrate to about 50% of its original mass, the fat will pretty much stay the same. If there is any topic you want to suggest feel free. Hint and tips for making Biltong - Biltong Makers Click here for the recipe. I like to take 2 to 4 days to dry out biltong at around 28 to 35C, personal preference. 1) What is the ideal temperature and humidity range for making biltong? However, the exact process and recipe vary according to personal taste and the tools and . In most cases, flies arent a problem, but pepper has the added benefit of detering them. I thought it might be useful to stick in a quick overview of the different projects I am familiar with and the environments. It all depends on the type of dryer and thickness of the meat as to how soon your meat is ready. A combination of good airflow and relatively cool temperatures are the key to successful biltong making. The biltong can avoid case hardening by ensuring that the humidity is moderate to low and the air movement is not pointed directly at the biltong meat. Learning and consuming in a circular fashion, I am always interested in what is happening around the curing and smoking world. Biltong is a dry beef product that is manufactured without a heat lethality step, raising concerns of whether effective microbial pathogen reduction can occur during biltong processing. 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. The brown vinegar in South Africa typically has a bit of brown sugar in it. 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. With generation after generation using roughly the same method and ingredients to make it. I Hunt, Fish, Forage, Buy, Butcher (Wannabe Norcini), Make, Savor (Im not a Saviour), and love curing and smoking meat. The point of using the vinegar is to make sure any bacteria are neutralized. The yellow color comes from beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A thats healthier for you than the white fat produced from grain-fed cattle. Check your biltong every day for mould. Is it too humid? It will happily stay high quality in the fridge for two weeks loosely wrapped or a few months vacuum sealed. The author gave me a tongue lashing because I added fennel which was awesome just not to much as it is so strong and I used worcheshire sauce. Below are a few items that will make your life easier. Lie the meat down in a flat glass container (you don't want to use metal because the vinegar might react with it), then place this glass container in the refrigerator. Let it sit for 2 hours in the salt flipping a few times to ensure even salting. Biltong - Better Meat Preservation than Jerky - UrbanSurvivalShop.com If there is any give in the meat, theres still moisture in the middle. Now I am going to expand to Biltonghad my first taste and loved it. Don't store in craft bags as the meat will keep drying out. If you want to change the flavors up a little, create a mixture of 60% vinegar 40% Worcestershire sauce and use this for the marinade in the biltong recipe. beef silverside or topside 4 tablespoons salt 8 tablespoons coriander 4 tablespoons black peppercorns 1 tablespoon ground cumin optional 10 ounces balsamic vinegar Worcestershire sauce Instructions Cut the meat along the grain into strips roughly an inch thick and around 8 to 10 inches long. Rub a little salt on the cut ends to protect them. You can also do this in a fridge, but make sure the fridge is spotlessly clean and the meat does not touch anything. Nothing dehumidifies like an aircon. As with jerky, biltong making arose out of necessity. The point of using vinegar is to neutralize any bacteria that may affect the meat. I really enjoy the percentages used to calculate almost everything. 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! Apr 1, 2023 by ASK SOUTH AFRICA. Thank you very much. Dry in a well ventilated low humidity environment to ensure proper curing. You got me addicted to making my own biltong. As a perfect example of this, the Italians make a beautiful beef product called Bresaola, which is very slowly air dried at cold temperatures, so as to achieve an even dryness and texture. First, know your weather. 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). The Worcestershire sauce just adds depth of flavor to the biltong. Thank you! Sure thing. We will add the peppercorns unroasted. In fact, rub it into every nook and cranny you can find. Having said that, dont be tempted to try and make it in the ovenbiltong takes several days to dry, and most ovens wont go low enough to dry the meat slowly enough to avoid cooking it. These involve the cuts of beef from the top of the leg to the mid back or short loin. Do not point a fan directly at the meat (to avoid case hardening). My curing chamber does operate a little bit drier, its a big double door to bar fridge that I converted. This should go some way towards fixing the problem. Biltong curing consists of salting the meat and then giving it a dredge in a marinade or vinegar solution. Contrary to popular belief, heat is not required to make biltongneither does it make for a better product. Make sure your meat is fresh and blood-free. For biltong making it is not worth buying super expensive meat as you should rather grill your top quality cuts, like fillet steak. In general, FSIS recommends achieving a minimum internal meat temperature of 145F (~63C) held for 4 minutes, and a 1 hour hold at RH90% to ensure sufficient delivery of thermal energy to the surface. I know this is probably because of oxidation but I wasnt sure if this would negatively affect the curing process? Adding sugar brown sugar, for example may sweeten the taste but it also brings you closer to beef jerky than to South African biltong. 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! As far as I am concerned the light bulb is used to draw air upwards and out of the Great instructions and simple well balanced ingredients. Are there any issues you have to pay special attention to when making biltong in a humid climate? When you grind the spices, it releases the compounds that give them the flavor. Biltong is a traditional South African cured meat. When I started off and built my first meat a curing chamber over 15 years ago, I did a lot of research and read quite a lot of books to make sure I was on the right track. You can go up to 6 hours before adding the baking soda if you're using it. If your thinking longer term dry curing. Biltong Mould, Everything You Need to Know in 10 Points Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hi Tom, thanks for your very informative blog! Step #5: glue the fan. Increase the airflow and decrease the humidity to prevent another bout of mould. 4 1/2kg now drying. . 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. BTW Charlie, have you ever used a pre-mix call Crown Mills now Crown National? It really has a recognisable flavour. Firstly, you will always cut the meat strip with the grain. 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. Adding heat nullifies the process, because then you are making jerky, not biltong. I had another wine cellar that was too small to hang the meat, I had to lay it so the pieces preciously mentioned have been curing in there at 13C for 2-3 weeks and I just transferred them to the 17C wine cellar to be hang. While that is happening mix together the wet cure. Keeping below 24C in the initial phases stops the fats from going rancid. And that is saltpeter. The length of the strips will depend on the height of your dryer as the meat must not touch the tray at the bottom. I use the same recipe also and my wife loves it and unfortunately, the dog is now addicted. My local butcher goes way overboard with salt on their biltong. biltong in humid weather - Smoking Meat Forums BILTONG MAKING INSTRUCTIONS - Biltong Makers How to build the DIY homemade Biltong Box. 4 Pounds of beef - cut into 1-inch-thick strips that can be of any length. I got contacted by a man in East Africa, he was keen on dry-curing meat he definitely needs to build something suitable. Do a speed test on our app and win R5,000, https://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/613014-The-Official-Biltong-Enthusiasts-Thread. With an acidity of at least 10%. 1 Cup of vinegar. I have a question this time : I just bought a wine cellar (18 bottles). (Photo by V. Edgar). This can be challenging in Africa, where the temperature can get up to 40C in summer. You want roughly 1/4 pepper to 3/4 coriander seed for a good balance. It slows the contraction of the proteins, leaving the final product still dry, but less tough. What humidity should biltong be? Right now it averages 30 to 40 degrees Celsius with humidity around 80% plus. In the era of Parma where Parma Ham comes from, its next two areas of water which allows the generally higher level of moisture and humidity in the air to stop the outside drying (I just googled Parma, Italy whether. I had a friend diffuse the airflow with a metal plate and another commercial fridge, which actually also had an impact on stabilising humidity. Shelf life of Biltong : r/Biltong - Reddit Sprinkle the vinegar on and rub everything in thoroughly whilst turning the meat with your hands. Cut with the grain of the meat and aim for thick slaps. Aim for 50% weight loss. https://asktheexpert.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/109/~/what-causes-grayish-color-on-cured-pork%3F. I've made biltong without trouble in the UK without issue. Might need that temp controller too Cheers T. Thank you for putting in so much effort in your site and sharing your experience. 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. I ended up doing this without the pink salt and it is a great recipe. Good airflow will help to avoid such catastrophes in future. Keep up the great work! About to start my first batch, will let you know how it turns out. I use a 275 w Infra red lamp for heat connected to a inkbird temperature controller and a computer fan controlled by a light dimmer to give me the perfect environment. Absolutely brilliant!!! This step is often skipped, but it can make a big difference to the flavor that is absorbed by the biltong slab. However, it's nice to have everything you need instead of having to buy stuff on the go. Repeat the layers until the thin strips are on top, and add a final dressing of salt. The right amount of fat to keep on your meat for biltong is contentious, and quite honestly, it comes down to personal taste. Try to make biltong in the dry and cooler seasons of the year, as humid conditions can lead to meat spoilage. When asked about the best way to store biltong, Maxine says, "I recommend to not store it in the fridge if the biltong is in any form of packaging. Here is a quick synopsis on how to make biltong. Its tricky to get the salt quantity right. Traditional favorites are brown vinegar, white vinegar, and apple cider vinegar. When it's ready, slice with a sharp knife or biltong slicer. 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. With a Home Biltong Maker is as easy as 1-2-3! Use less salt! Some people like their biltong lean without any fat and some prefer the added flavor of a bit of fat on the biltong its up to you but you have to be more careful to ensure that the fat is properly dried. Choose a box with dimensions of about 60.7 60.7 91.4 cm (1.99 1.99 3.00 ft). So is the the greyish tinge/oxidation okay? I however eat it like Biltong This is my version: Cut topside or silverside into 2 cm wide strips and marinade in salt, curry powder and lemon juice for 24 hrs. Thanks for dropping by, Ive been passionate about meat curing for decades. It's best to look at weight or moisture loss rather than time to judge when it's done. Hi Tom, I recently discovered your website and its a real treasure trove of information. After your biltong has dried to your preferred consistency, you can continue to store it hanging in a well aerated space indefinitely. Have tried others but always come back to this recipe by Charle. You can use curing salt. Hang in your biltong box, or in a well aired, ventilated space with a fan blowing gently to increase air flow. Ill be getting something like this soon, temp & humidity sensor/logger prob get most consistent in basement? your thoughts? Case hardening happens when the outside of the biltong dries very fast, but the inside of the biltong strip remains raw meat. For this, you will need a spray bottle for food. Like a lot of biltong lovers, I was introduced to this culinary treasure as a child, and the addiction has stuck. Leave the meat to dry for between 24 hours to 4 days in the biltong maker, and close to a day if using a dehydrator. Making biltong - South Africans - Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand These methods rely on drawing air across a cold surface. Making Biltong for the first time - Milkwood: permaculture - stories

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