How To Make The Perfect Biltong
The perfect biltong recipe
With the increased meat prices, biltong has become more of a delicacy than just a delicious snack these days. More and more biltong lovers have decided to try their hand at making their own at home. It may look really easy, but there is still an art to perfecting the biltong recipe. Follow these instructions and you will easily be able to master this art.
One of the mistakes most people make when attempting their first biltong recipe, is not using the correct quantity required of each ingredient. Make sure that you mix the right amount of spice for the amount of meat you have.
The 'Gerald Secret' biltong recipe
INGREDIENTS
2 kg lean roasting beef (Silverside, Topside or London Broil)
125 g rock salt (Any coarse salt will do. The coarser the better)
25 ml brown sugar
5 ml bicarbonate of soda
2.5 ml coarse ground black pepper
12.5 g coarsely ground coriander seeds
200 ml vinegar (preferably Apple-cider vinegar)
50 ml Worcestershire sauce
1 litre warm water
METHOD
Cut meat into strips of approximately 4 cm thick. Make sure you cut with and not against the grain of the meat.
Mix the salt, brown sugar, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, black pepper and coriander seeds together.
Rub the dry spice mixture into the meat and let it stand for about an hour. The longer it stands the saltier it will become.
Starting with the thicker pieces at the bottom, layer the strips of meat in a large bowel. Mix the Worcestershire sauce and vinegar together and sprinkle the mixture over each layer. (Do not dip the meat in the mixture)
Leave it in a cool place for 24 hours. It's important to cover the bowel to prevent flies from getting to it.
Remove meat, strain the vinegar mix and add a litre of warm water to the mix.
Dip the meat into the vinegar/water mix and rub off any salt and spices that still cling.
Squeeze the meat dry with hands or dry it with paper towel.
Roll the meat in the remaining dry spice mixture.
Skewer meat and hang it in a warm, but dry place, making sure they don't touch anything on the side or bottom. When the air is humid, the meat is at higher risk of spoiling.
Have a fan in the room so that it can blow the hot air onto the meat. Be sure that all the windows are closed so that no flies can get in.
It can take 3 - 20 days for the meat to dry, it depends on various factors, the weather being one them.
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