Make your own biltong

[Crispin]

While not exactly campfire cooking this can and is, eaten around a fire. Often.

While living in the USA there was no biltong supply so we had to make our own or eat beef jerky which is ....

Sadly, this is all from memory so there are none of my pics available - the ones I post are borrowed from the web.


What you need:

• Beef. Lots and lots of beef. We used London Broil, rump or ribeye. Cut in inch thick cuts.
• Rocksalt. Enough rocksalt to thoroughly cover the meat.
• Apple cider vinegar. 2L was always enough.
• Ground Coriander.
• Ground pepper, peri-peri etc.
• Large box. This could be a cupboard, large cardboard box, large plastic container. Anything which is much taller than the beef strips.
• Dowel sticks
• 60W lightbulb.

There are many different ways to make it. Each option is rubbished by the next guy's option

Making the box:

1. Cut the dowel rods to be just longer than the box. Press them through the box so as to for hangers.
2. Pop some other holes every inch or so into the top of box to form air holes. About as thick as your thumb.
3. Do the same air holes along the bottom of the box.
4. Place the lamp into the middle of the box. If it's very wide two 60W lamps would be better.

Preparing the meat:

1. Cover beef with rocksalt, pressing it into the beef. Leave it for a couple of hours while it dries it out.
2. Put the vinegar in a large bowl.
3. Wiping the excess salt off the meat, leave the pieces in the vinegar to soak for 5 minutes. This rinses the salt off.
4. Press the coriander into the meat.
5. Press the ground pepper or other spice into the meat if you wanted other flavour.
6. Hang the meat from the hangers using paperclips.
7. Turn the lamp on and wait

We made this in New York in winter and with the lamps on we made a batch of biltong in 3-4 days. The thinner, dryer pieces would be 2-3 days so start checking early.
Dryness is a matter of taste but the best is when it's still quite pink inside - much like a rare - medium-rare steak.


Contents of box:




Another nice option is to add chutney to the meat before drying - quite a nice taste.

Look forward to other ideas and seeing if people have made their own.


CP

 

[Chris]

I have a proper smoker with racks in. I can run it without smoke but have the heat on. It can make biltong OR jerky which are very different things before you try to teach me to suck eggs. For Christmas, I hot smoked two whole salmon. Man they were good. Covered in salt and brown sugar overnight drew all the moisture out. Rinse then air dry for two hours to form a pelical (skin) then smoked for two hours. Dang.

Might try this with venison seeing as I have a freezer full.

Now as to the salt. All the recipes for curing say use Kosher salt, which I did. I have used normal salt before and it's not good. Kosher salt is pure NaCL. Normal shop salt has anti caking agents and all sorts in there which spoil the finish. You can buy it on Tinterweb.

 

[Chas]

Should the box be covered while curing and will the meat drip at all i:e; should the lamp be protected from drips?

 

[Crispin]

Interesting Chris. When I made it I just used "rock salt" - whatever that is. Can't say it was either way. Will double-check next time.


Chas - Yes, they box should be covered. There should be enough thumb-sized holes to allow air to flow.

I don't recall the meat dripping but we did make sure the meat was not directly above the light. You want warm air - not heat. The first batch we mad had a slightly cooked slice of meat above the bulb which is not nice.

 

[Shayne]

You should get some of what the supermarkets laughingly call kippers Chris , wash all the flavouring and dyes off them , soak for 20 mins in strong salt water and smoke for 4 hours that's how real Manx kippers are made and there is nothing better .