Snack
Biltong
SnackOrigin: South Africa
Southern African air-dried cured meat: lean beef strips seasoned with salt, vinegar, coriander and pepper, then hung until chewy-tender rather than brittle like many jerky styles. Flavour is savoury, spiced and beefy; finished biltong stays slightly pliable when well made.
Prep
40 min
Cook
—
Total time
40 min
Portions
8
Total weight
1138 g
Per portion
142.3 g
Ingredients
- Silverside1000 g
- Salt25 g
- Coriander15 g
- Pepper8 g
- Vinegar80 ml
- Cane Sugar10 g
Method
Prepare the meat
- Choose lean silverside, topside or similar; trim thick surface fat and silver skin.
- Cut into long strips about 2–3 cm thick along the grain (or slightly across for easier chewing).
Mix the spice cure
- Lightly toast and roughly crush the coriander seeds.
- Mix salt, coriander, black pepper and brown sugar.
Cure
- Toss the meat with vinegar so every surface is moist, then coat thoroughly with the spice mix.
- Pack into a non-reactive dish, cover and refrigerate 12–24 hours, turning once if the stack is deep.
Hang and dry
- Shake off excess liquid.
- Hang the strips with space between them in a cool (ideally under 25°C), dry, well-ventilated place out of direct sun—or use a dehydrator / biltong box on a low setting.
- Dry until the outside is firm and the interior is still slightly springy (often 3–7 days depending on thickness, humidity and airflow).
- Taste a thin slice; continue drying if too wet in the centre.
Store
- Bag whole pieces once dry enough; slice only what you will eat soon.
Serving
Slice thinly against the grain for snacking boards, chop into stews or scrambled eggs, or pack as trail food. Serve at cool room temperature; very wet slabs can rest briefly unwrapped to firm the surface.
Storage
Hang whole sticks in a cool, dry, airy place until fully dried to your liking, then refrigerate in sealed bags up to 2 weeks or freeze longer. Once sliced, keep cold and use within a few days.