Want to know how to make the best biltong of your life? Good. Then you're in for a treat. This is the ultimate way of making the famous South African cured meat, often confused with beef jerky. Truthfully, it beats jerky by a mile.
It makes an amazing summer snack platter when served with droëwors, marinated olives, Parmesan sables, spiced nuts, pea and mint dip and freshly baked sourdough bread.
Below is an in-depth explanation of everything surrounding the making of biltong. If you want to see how it's done, jump to the video in the recipe using the above button.
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What is biltong?
It's cured meat which has its origins in much the same way as many other famous cured types of meat.
It was invented or happily came about because Dutch settlers needed a way to preserve fresh meat for their long travels exploring the rugged South African terrain.
They were known as the "Voortrekkers" and the biltong story started with them.
With generation after generation using roughly the same method and ingredients to make it.
To this day it's enjoyed in excessive quantities as it's such an addictive snack.
Perfect for game days, high protein diets and anyone that enjoys great food.
Biltong vs jerky
Both are cured meats but with a difference in the method, texture and flavour.
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.
Biltong traditionally did not include sugar at all and the preservation is mainly achieved by the addition of vinegar.
Jerky does not usually contain vinegar.
Texture-wise biltong is more similar to bresaola when made correctly and beef jerky is more of a leathery sometimes wet and chewy consistency.
Either way, both are tasty meat snacks with a very loyal global following even though they differ a lot.
Curing process explained
The aim of curing food is to accomplish two things.
Avoid spoilage and make the food more delicious.
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.
Biltong curing consists of salting the meat and then giving it a dredge in a marinade or vinegar solution.
The meat is then air-dried in a dry environment with very good airflow.
Salt and vinegar both act as detergents against bad bacteria by displacing water and lowering the Ph level.
By drying the meat we get rid of excess water which in turn helps to preserve it and also give it amazing flavour.
Thus giving us a delicious product that is safeguarded against spoilage.
Equipment needed
Making biltong does not require a load of fancy equipment and many DIY methods are available online.
However, it's nice to have everything you need instead of having to buy stuff on the go.
Below are a few items that will make your life easier.
The best meat to use
Let's discuss beef as it's the most widely used meat for making biltong.
Top rump and Silverside are the two preferred cuts of beef, although I've had great results with other cuts including the following.
- Eye of round
- Striploin
- Chuck roll
- Rump cap
- Brisket
The most important thing to remember when choosing meat is the quality and fat marbling.
Look for meat that is ultra-fresh and has a bit of fat running through the meat. This will ensure a succulent top-notch result.
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.
The choice is yours but I fully recommend leaving the fat on. For texture and flavour.
Ingredients
We looked at how to pick the best meat so let's check out the rest of the ingredients.
- Biltong spices - Traditionally only coriander was used. Everyone adds their own little touches and with me being a professional chef having more knowledge on flavour pairings, things will hardly just stay at coriander. I love to add fennel seeds, chilli flakes and black pepper. It's what I've settled on and it's what I'm sticking with for the best spices.
- Wet cure - This also varies from recipe to recipe but I like using a mixture of red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and honey. Some recipes use brown sugar, brown vinegar and even soy sauce. Traditionally only vinegar was used.
- Bicarbonate of soda - This is not an absolute must but I like to add it right before I remove the meat from the wet cure. It neutralises the acidity a bit so the meat is not sour and it also helps prevent mould and acts as a tenderiser for tougher cuts. Again, it's optional and I've made many batches without it and had no problems.
How to make it
- If you want trim the fat a bit or leave it on. I recommend leaving it on.
- Cut the meat into thick pieces ALONG THE GRAIN of the meat. I rarely cut less than 3 cm or 1,1 inch thick slabs. The meat cures and eats a lot better when it's cut thick. Thinly cut meat can become a bit leathery and dry so, stick to thick. We cut along the grain of the meat because when you slice the ready biltong you need to cut ACROSS THE GRAIN.
- Salt the meat all over and let it sit for 3 hours flipping a few times to make sure it salts evenly.
- While that is happening mix together the wet cure.
- After 3 hours simply wipe off the salt but DO NOT wash it.
- 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. Do this in a clean plastic or non-reactive metal container where the meat fits snugly.
- While the meat is marinating make the spice mix.
- Toast the spices, apart from the peppercorns, in a dry pan until fragrant and giving off a bit of smoke. We will add the peppercorns unroasted. Remove the spices from the pan and let them cool down before blitzing in a spice grinder. Don't blitz it too fine. You want to see the different spices. You can blitz your peppercorns with the spices or grind them in with a pepper mill.
- Optionally add the bicarbonate of soda and give it a good mix through. As soon as the froth disappears remove the meat from the wet cure and pat it dry with a paper towel.
- Coat the meat in the spice mix making sure to get it into every nook and cranny.
- Weigh the meat individually and place a label onto a stainless steel or paper clip or meat hook and then the paper clip or meat hook through the meat. This is so we can hang it up and track the moisture loss by weighing it.
- Hang your meat in a biltong box or other dry-air well-ventilated area away from pests, insects or animals. For most people, a balcony with a fan blowing over the meat would be the easiest. You can loosely cover the meat with a muslin cloth to prevent any flies from getting to it. You can also do this in a fridge, but make sure the fridge is spotlessly clean and the meat does not touch anything. This is to minimise the chances of spoilage and mould.
- Your biltong will be ready once it's lost 50% of its weight. Start weighing after about 4 days to monitor the weight loss.
- When it's ready, slice with a sharp knife or biltong slicer. You can store it in the fridge for weeks or freeze for many months closed airtight or vacuum-sealed.
Best options for drying
Over the years, many ways have become available for people to make cured meats at home or in tight spaces.
Some dry biltong in a dehydrator and some people use a DIY biltong dehydrator or "biltong box" as it's often called.
The main aim of all of these is to create dry warm circulating air so that the biltong dries correctly and efficiently.
The simplest, if you have space and live in a dry, breezy climate, is to build a simple wooden frame and close the walls with fine mesh wire. This is what my grandfather did, and I suspect the early pioneers too.
When you live in a city or a humid climate, you can use one of the following proven and tested methods
- A fridge - Make sure it's spotless and not overcrowded with stuff. Fridges are pretty efficient at drying out food that's left uncovered, and likewise with curing meat. Don't let the meat touch any other meat or the sides of the fridge. Every part of the meat should be able to breathe and dry.
- Fan and heater - Hang your meat on a clothing rail and place a fan close by so that it creates good airflow. Place a heater close by if you live in a very cold or slightly humid climate. This will help dry the air and make the biltong cure a bit faster.
- Custom-built box - Basically a fan and a heating source in a wooden box. Simply do it yourself or buy it online. Many tutorials exist, but it's just a computer fan and a light bulb attached to the inside of a wooden box. Simple and very effective
- Closed balcony - Biltong smells of biltong when it dries. So you might want to do this on a balcony, not in your living room or kitchen. Just make sure the balcony is closed so not creatures get to it and follow the same heater and fan advice.
- Dehydrator - You can use a regular dehydrator for this but make sure to flip the meat often, so it dries evenly. Also, not all dehydrators will be suitable for big pieces. Set your dehydrator to 30 degrees Celsius or 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Monitor every day to check on the progress.
How long does it take to dry
This depends on the size of the meat and your method of drying.
It's best to look at weight or moisture loss rather than time to judge when it's done.
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.
I don't know anyone that likes dry or hard cured biltong but some do prefer it.
The golden standard for perfectly cured biltong is medium wet with lots of fat. Rhymes too. Everyone's happy.
Things that affect drying time.
- Heat - It's better to dry in low heat than too high. The perfect temperature is 30 degrees Celsius or 86 degrees Fahrenheit. This mimics the average temperature it would have been outside in South Africa way back and also to this day. Biltong dried at this temperature takes about 5 days to be ready.
- Humidity - It's best to keep the humidity low if possible, but not cork dry. Otherwise, the outside will suffer from case-hardening which results in biltong that's soft in the middle but bone dry on the outside. I've successfully cured biltong in as high as 80% humidity, but with a fan blowing full steam to keep airflow very good. The higher the humidity, the longer it takes to be ready, and there is also a higher chance of mould growing on the meat.
- Airflow - The more airflow, the quicker it dries, but it comes at a cost. If the air blows too heavily, it can cause case-hardening. It's best to keep the airflow at a gentle breeze.
Pro tips for success
- Pick good quality meat with a nice layer of fat and if possible fat marbling. This will be grain-fed beef.
- Make sure to work clean to minimise the risk of contamination or bad bacteria.
- Cut with the grain of the meat and aim for thick slaps. 3 cm or 1.1 inch thick.
- Always use salt and vinegar. It is vital to make safe to eat biltong.
- Use scales when weighing out ingredients. It's the most accurate way of measuring.
- Use a non-reactive storage container when soaking the meat in vinegar. Vinegar is acidic and reacts with certain metals.
- Weigh each piece of meat individually before drying, so you can keep track of the weight loss. It should lose at least 40% - 50% moisture before it's ready.
- Place a tray underneath the meat while drying. This is to catch the spices that fall off as the meat shrink and dries.
- Use a sharp knife or biltong slicer to slice it. Always slice across the grain of the meat when eating it.
- Don't store in craft bags as the meat will keep drying out. Store vacuum sealed or wrapped airtight in the fridge or freezer.
Possible variations
Like most other cured meats it's easy to adjust the flavourings and ingredients used. One can get extremely creative with this so here are a few ideas.
- Meat - In South Africa, biltong is made from pretty much all types of meat. Venison, game, chicken, pork, lamb, you name it. I highly advise you to try venison and lamb. The rest is a bit unnecessary in most cases unless you really push the boat out with flavouring it. The method stays exactly the same.
- Spices - Just like I've added fennel seeds, chilli and black pepper, you can use other spices to give it an interesting flavour or to go with the type of meat used. For bland meats like chicken and pork, smoked paprika works great. For venison and game, juniper and cloves. Lamb likes the traditional coriander but, with the addition of some chopped rosemary and rubbed with fresh garlic just before spicing.
- Wet cure - I've tried many ways, but the wet cure is the part that actually gives the least flavour. However, if you start adding fermented fish sauce, naturally brewed soy sauce, curry paste or adjika and up the sugar content to balance the saltiness, you are on in for a treat.
Frequently asked questions
30 degrees Celcius or 86 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature to dry biltong at. The air should preferably dry with good airflow.
When cutting the meat to prepare, cut along the grain of the meat. When slicing to serve or eat, cut across the grain. Always use a sharp knife.
Vacuum seal tight and store in the fridge or freezer. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, then wrap airtight.
It will happily stay high quality in the fridge for two weeks loosely wrapped or a few months vacuum sealed. Can be stored in the freezer for many months.
The best way is to vacuum seal it tight and let it sit in the fridge for 2 to 3 days to make sure the moisture evens out.
Mould sometimes happen if the airflow is not good enough and the humidity is high.
As soon as you spot mould wipe it off with vinegar making sure to get all of it. Any mould left on will grow back. Increase the airflow and decrease the humidity to prevent another bout of mould.
If it smells or looks rotten then throw it out as some other bad bacteria took hold and you can't save spoiled meat.
Other recipes you might like
Below are some other South African classics and dishes I love to prepare as well as a few other forms of curing and fermentation.
- Pork belly braai
- Perfect rib eye steak
- Properly cooked chicken breast
- Grilled angelfish
- Roasted leg of lamb
- Cured salmon gravlax
- How to make koji
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Recipe
Ultimate Biltong Recipe - South African Beef Jerky
Ingredients
For the meat
- 2,5 kilograms (5 ½ lb) top rump - or topside
- 120 grams (⅖ cups) course sea salt - non iodised
Wet cure
- 120 grams (½ cups) red wine vinegar
- 120 grams (½ cups) Worcestershire sauce
- 60 grams (¼ cups) honey
Spice mix
- 40 grams (½ cups) coriander seeds
- 20 grams (⅕ cups) fennel seeds
- 4 grams (1 tablespoon) chilli flakes
- 10 grams (1 tablespoon) black peppercorns
Optional
- 6 grams (1 teaspoon) baking soda - optional
Instructions
Prepping and salting the meat
- Cut the meat into 3cm or 1,1-inch strips along the grain of the meat. Trim off silver skin, connective tissue or any unwanted fat but I suggest you leave the fat on for moisture and flavour.
- Sprinkle the salt all over the meat including the sides.
- Let it sit for 2 hours in the salt flipping a few times to ensure even salting.
Wet curing
- While the meat is salting mix together all the wet cure ingredients.
- Once the meat has salted for 3 hours, rub off the salt but don't wash it.
- Place the meat and the cure in a fitting non-reactive food-safe plastic or ceramic container.
- Let it marinate for 2 hours turning the meat a few times to ensure even marination.
Spicing
- While the meat is marinating, toast the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and chilli flakes in a dry pan on medium heat. Do this in a well-ventilated kitchen.
- As soon as the spices are nicely toasted, slightly smoky and fragrant, remove them from the pan and let them cool down completely.
- Once cooled, blitz the spices in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar until nicely broken up but not too fine. You want to be able to identify the different spices.
Optional addition of soda
- Optionally add baking soda to the meat along with the marinade and give it a good mix.
- It will froth as the acid reacts with the soda.
- As soon as the froth has settled, remove the meat from the marinade and pat it dry with a paper towel. Throw the marinade out or use it to marinade other meats. Just remember the acid has been slightly neutralised in the mix so you need to add more vinegar if you want to make another batch of biltong.
Hanging and drying
- Cover the meat completely in spices making sure to get it into every nook and cranny.
- Put a small meat hook or paperclip through the meat with a label attached to it.
- Weigh the meat and write it on the label. This is so that you can track the moisture loss and know when the meat is ready. Aim for 50% weight loss. This should take around a week but start monitoring it after 4 days.
- Hang the meat in a well-ventilated, dry-air, warm environment(close to 30°C or 86°F) protected from insects and animals.
Removing and storing
- Once the meat is ready remove the hooks. It's now ready to slice thinly with a sharp knife.
- Store wrapped airtight or in vacuum bags in the fridge or freeze for longer storage.
Video
Notes
- Buy good quality beef. a Bad initial product won't turn out nice.
- Use Kosher or natural untreated coarse salt. Iodized salt has a chemical aftertaste.
- Make sure to work very clean to avoid any bad bacteria creeping it.
- Dry in a well ventilated low humidity environment to ensure proper curing.
- If you spot mould, wipe it off with vinegar and move the biltong to a dryer better-ventilated area.
- See the post for an in-depth explanation of the processes involved.
Andrew
First time making the biltong. Recipe was easy and the result was tasty. Warning this recipe may lead to the purchase of a biltong slicer.
Brad B
Hello I would like to try this recipe how does it work on elk or deer meat they might be to lean
Charlé Visser
Sure can. Game biltong is delicious.
Tanja
I live in Alaska and our house and garage stay about 66°F. 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?
Charlé Visser
If you want it quick and don't want to wait too long put it in a box. If you are happy waiting a few weeks then the low temp is good and you'll get a very good product.
Mitch
Tanja, I live in Colorado (low humidity) and just hang my biltong in the garage with a fan blowing it. If I cut it thin (1/4”) it can be ready within 36 hours.
john swinkels
Hi Andew looks lekker my last batch using another recipe (my first) was too salty 1.4 tbsp per kilo for 24 hrs. but it was very good. 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. So before I try your recipe I have a question, in the recipe for salting you say 2 hrs yet the video says 3 hrs and for curing recipe 2 hrs video 1 hrs. Can you please advise.
Charlé Visser
Fennel is the way forward. Fixed that for you. It's 3 hours salting and 2 hours marinating. Don't worry too much if you leave it longer in the wet cure. You can go up to 6 hours before adding the baking soda if you're using it. The longer you leave it in the wet cure the more the wet cure flavour will be there in the end product. For me, 2 hours is good for maximum beefiness while the cure does its job.
john swinkels
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. Anyway I reckon your recipe is the best I have come across.
Charlé Visser
Your house seems like the place to be) Thanks!
Anonymous
Have just bought 6.4 kg of topside and am ready to go again this time I will not hand it out maybe a little bit because it had a 100% approval which I thank charlie but it cost me 100 dollars to buy. and our Government go in and kill deer yet we cant. This is a great recipe but being the experimental person that I am I am considering two-hour smoke I do bacon and Pancetta for 8 hrs and its great. Buddy a bit of input would be appreciated.I will start tomorrow.
cheers
john
Charlé Visser
Sounds like a good time is coming. Cold Cold smoke it for a short time like 30 minutes just to get a hint on it. 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’ve added liquid smoke to my brine in the past. Worked well…
john swinkels
Well just an update since this is my third attempt which I followed to a Tee. As I did 6.4 kg of topside and at the last minute decided to not introduce any smoke on the grounds it should be kept original. 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. I use an ex- wine barrel which doubles as a cold smoker and biltong maker. 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. This is by far the best recipe I have ever used the salt content is perfect.
Johann Botha
Used your recipe with some wildebeest, and the only change was adding some allspice berries to the dry herb mix. I'm used to seeing brown sugar instead of honey in most recipes, but its a good change and something I will use going forward. Dankie!
Gareth
I have looked at many different recipes and I think this sounds like the best. Thank you very much for sharing it. I have made some cured hams in the past and used Prague curing salt in the wet cure. Do you ever use pink curing salt when making Biltong? If not why not and if you do how much and how would you put it into the process.
Charlé Visser
You can use curing salt. Don't use more than 1% Prague/pink salt to the weight of the meat. Mix it with your salt and add as instructed. I've used it in the past but try and use as little curing salt in my food as possible. Especially biltong that can in most cases do without it. With that said if you want an extra guarantee for safe meat then use it by all means.
Anonymous
Thank you very much. I ended up doing this without the pink salt and it is a great recipe. Thanks again
Zane Laurent
It was my 1st time ever making biltong. I followed all your instructions, to the tea!
The result was... AWESOME!!! WHAT AN AMAZING TREAT!!! By far the best biltong I have ever tried! My wife cant stand biltong, never has, UNTIL NOW! She actually liked it and that was fantastic! I was able to share it with my friends and everyone really loved it. I will do it again for sure!!
Just wanted to say, THANK YOU so kindly for sharing this amazing recipe! Its the bomb!!
john swinkels
I use the same recipe also and my wife loves it and unfortunately, the dog is now addicted.
Bill
I live in the United States and I want to try curing some different meats. A Link to this webpage was sent to me by a friend in South Africa and it looks delicious. 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. I do not mind waiting 2 or 3 weeks. Your tutorial is very good and your recipe looks amazing. 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. Thank you!
Stephan Pekridis
Absolutely brilliant!!! Really awesome recipe!! Thank you for the time you have put into the presentation!!!
Sebastian
I love this recipe. Have tried others but always come back to this recipe by Charle.
You got me addicted to making my own biltong. One question I would like to ask is how do you make chutney biltong flavour.
Thanks Sebastian.
Trevor Choram
Hi can I make biltong with Bush pig
Charlé Visser
Sure thing
Ryan Hemphill
Hi Charle, what do you use to sharpen your knives and what knoves to you use?
Charlé Visser
Wet stones and ceramic steels. I got a bunch of knives. From costly handmade stuff that is not practical to my favourite 20 dollar knives with no branding. MAC is good if you're looking for good price/quality.
Andy
I've just made my first batch and it's fantastic! Any advice on how to infuse a bit more chili flavour into the meat for a bit of extra kick. Would a little chili powder in the wet marinade be OK or would it ruin it?
Charlé Visser
Happy you like! Yes you could do that or you could grind the chilli flakes a bit and add more. Another way is to rub the biltong with very hot cut chilli then add the rub.
Mark Hubbard
About to start my first batch, will let you know how it turns out. I'm really big on prep, usually going from the end forward then back from beginning to end. For cutting after dried, may I suggest a $125 band saw, makes quick work, but only use it for your Biltong.
Mark Hubbard
BTW Charlie, have you ever used a pre-mix call Crown Mills now Crown National? My dads buddy from South Africa used to make it using this pre-mix spice and it was unbelievable. He did use 3/4 tablespoon of pink salt in his wet marinate.I'm going to try and add fennel. your thoughts?
Charlé Visser
Sure thing. Add a pinch of pink salt if you want. Used it before when I had to go on a long hike. Keeps it from spoiling a bit longer than simply salt and vinegar. I never like the pre-mix because they add some flavouring too, but that's just me. Many folks do love it and that's cool too. The fennel and chilli is very much an inspiration that came from Italian cured sausage I had. Works as well as any classic flavour combination.
Cheryl
Hi Charle
This recipe looks fantastic, very new at all of this.
Would love to try this.
Was wondering if you could give me ingredient amounts for a 2kg silverside.
Best wishes
Charlé Visser
This recipe will still work for that but make sure to use 6% salt still.
Shags
I have an Anova Precision Oven which can dehydrate meat at that exact temperature and humidity. I can't wait to try your process in that device. So glad I found your post!!