marks biltong recipe

muntjac · marks biltong recipe

some vinegar

less than a table spoon of course salt ,sea salt is my preference
1/4 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of coriander (whole)(get it at a bulk food store)

1/2 teaspoon pepper

string

Wash the meat.

Cut the meat at an angle against the grain into about one inch strips.

Sprinkle vinegar over the meat

Place the coriander in a bag and lightly crush the whole coriander so that the effect of the coriander will be greater.

Make the "biltong mix" by combining the course salt, brown sugar, coriander, black pepper.

Dip the meat into the "biltong mix" until all the mix is used up.

Place the meat in a tray for a few hours, or over night, in the fridge.

After a few hours dump any blood that has seeped out of the meat.

Dip the biltong quickly into a water/vinegar mixture to remove surface salt.

Hang the biltong by making a very small incission through the slice of meat with a knife about an inch from the end of the meat.

Cut the string into about 10 inch strips which are placed through the meat and tied to form a loop.

Hang the biltong in a place not to far from an electrical outlet by taking the loop of string and place it on the hook or nail or hangar or whatever device you have created to suspend the meat.

To dry the meat turn on the light(regular light bulb) and the fan and leave for about 4-7 days depending on humidity, temperature and taste.

you can freeze it if you have any surplus and grate it .put on baking tray in the oven for 10 mins on low heat then jar with a resealable lid and use in cheese omelletes and pasties

Leonie2

that's very similar to how I make it, will post photos later when I've finished making it.

Leonie2

Here are some photos. A lot of people say biltong is similar to Jerky but I think there's very little comparison, they are both dried meats but in my opinion that is where the similarity ends. Biltong is traditionally a South African air dried meat. It is made from fillets of meat (usually beef but often made from game and ostrich) which are cut into strips along the grain, they are then salted, rinsed in vinegar, spiced and left to dry.

Ingredients:
A lump of beef. You can get away with using any cheap beef, but the better quality cuts will naturally result in better biltong.
Coarse sea or rock salt
Apple cider vinegar
Whole coriander seeds (don't use ground coriander)
Ground black pepper
Meat hooks or butchers string
In cooler damper climates like the UK you'll need a box for drying the meat (see end for a picture)

If you're using meat hooks I recommend you sterilise them. I place them in a pan of water and allow to simmer whilst I'm preparing the meat.

Cut the meat, along the grain, into strips about half to one inch thick. The thicker you cut the longer it takes to dry. The lump of meat pictured above has firstly been cut in half. I plan to make the biltong in two batches because my drying box isn't big enough. Also, you don't want the slices too long otherwise they'll hang too close to the lamp in the drying box and cook rather than dry.

Place the slices of meat into a tray or dish, layering generously with the coarse salt. Leave for 1 hour. The longer you leave the meat, the saltier it will taste.

After the hour, scrape the salt off the meat. Do not wash it off. Put the corriander seed into a mortar and pestle and grind roughly. Pour the vinegar into a bowl.

Take the strips of meat and dip them into the vinegar for a second or so, just to coat the meat in vinegar. Grind over some black pepper, sprinkle both sides with the ground corriander seeds. Using a knife make an incision at one end of the meat and thread a meat hook through the strip of meat.

For the drying box we use a wooden chest. It was one of those cheap ones from B&Q made from untreated pine. It stands on end so that the lid is now a door (see photo below). A light bulb is fitted at the bottom, air holes are drilled through for ventilation (top and bottom), and dowell rails are fitted at the top for the meat to hang from.

Hang the meat in the box for approximately one week. Depending on the thickness of the meat and external conditions it may take more or less time. When you hang the meat make sure the pieces are nicely spaced to allow good air movement around the meat. Check the box daily to make sure the light bulb hasn't popped.

Cabbagepatch

That looks great and I can imagine its very tasty. Suspect lloyd will be suitably inspired. However, going to show my ignorance now Embarassed

, I'm not sure how you eat it........ Embarassed

Leonie2

you cut it into thin slices and eat. we usually eat it as a snack, as you would do peanuts and other nibbles.

Cabbagepatch

Oh I see, thanks for that. i really should get out more!!

Leonie2

muntjac

and it is fantastic grated up in egg ommelete .and cut in chunks sat in chicken stock n cooked slowly with veggies ,makes a fantastic backwoods stew

Leonie2

Following on from the post I made about making biltong here is a photo of the finished biltong. It has been hanging in the drying box for a week. It’s ready when the meat feels fairly hard but has a little give when squeezed quite firmly and the outside is darkened to almost black. When you slice the biltong it will be ever so slightly pink in the centre, if it’s very pink and wet then it needs drying for longer. We eat it sliced thinly as a snack.

Cabbagepatch

oh yum, has lloyd told you what his christmas pressie was? Wink

Leonie2

no...come on tell us Very Happy

Cabbagepatch

A week old piglet from Hidden Valley Pigs.

His Lloydiness is rather thrilled and has spent the last few days pouring over recipes...

And, we go to Devon to visit aforementioned piggie at regular intervals (he thinks pork, I think relaxing weekend away Wink

By next autumn we should have a freezer full.

Leonie2

oh what a fab present Very Happy

can we see piccies please, debbie where are you?

Cabbagepatch

We have photos, sorry I don't know how to post them Embarassed

, but lloyd will later.

Cute little piggie, looks just like a gremlin. Debbie says they are all now free ranging in the wood.

My family are horrified, they think it's dreadful and barbaric that we could have a pig and then eat it.

I ended up having a heated discussion......."so, when you buy your pork chops wrapped in clingfilm, do you know where they come from and how well they were looked after?" etc etc etc

Am once again the Black Sheep of the Family. Talking of which, I hear Alison's girls are about to lamb.....

mrutty

She has lamb available it's true. Ali is away with the inlaws this week but I can do a delievery someone between the 5th Jan and the 8th Jan as I'm passing that way. It'll now be frozen lamb as it came back the same day as the turkeys.

Otherwise I have seen a big boy sheep with a crayon on his tummy Very Happy

Cabbagepatch

mrutty, do behave!!!

mrutty

You can always serve a nice leg of lamb and then turn round and say 'I think this one is Larry' tends to have a good impact.

Ali and my kids compare notes on who they have eaten. Thankfully only one or two pigs out of each litter are named and it's normally the runt.

Anyway got to pimp somewhere you know, I need Ali and Debs to have a massive increase in turnover if they can afford to keep me as full time employee Laughing

Cabbagepatch

mrutty

I have a fridge full of Ali's eggs at the moment. But I might be in the market for a loan of a chicken or two once we move as I have cockeral I have free 'use' of for meat chickens. Will repay in a whole chicken once it's hatched and grown.

Becki

Shut up do!!!

Cabbagepatch

Becki

Well, I keep missing these posts because I tend not to go into sections I know nothing about. But I suppose thats why they are here so we can learn...........

Pilsbury

Just put some biltong into my newly got dryer, I wil post a pic of it late but Suffice to say it probably started out as the most expensive Dehydrator in the country, but it didny cost me anything.

Leonie2

looking forward to seeing pictures Pilsbury, been munching on some venison biltong this afternoon Very Happy