Biltong making

Shifty

Shifty

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Age
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About a month ago I received a food dehydrator from a colleague as a gift. I then started by buying boerwors from pick and pay and joey's to see if i have the patience to make my own droëwors. Today I bought pre-cut beef with spices included and boerewors at fruit & veg. A friendly gentleman on youtube then taught me how to make my own biltong ( i use youtube for almost everything even for learning how to build coils). I am very much looking forward to this new hobby as i found the droewors making very easy and will start experimenting as i go along.

Are there any other vapers out here that has some secrets or advice that i could use in future ? I would really appreciate

Hopefully by saturday i will be posting some pictures of the end product
6038a36b8b6f0567d9db63318dbbadbe.jpg
d95d936f4c7394910438c388a65ac925.jpg
109de979f4c1bb6d43e4dde746b7bd46.jpg


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Shifty said:
About a month ago I received a food dehydrator from a colleague as a gift. I then started by buying boerwors from pick and pay and joey's to see if i have the patience to make my own droëwors. Today I bought pre-cut beef with spices included and boerewors at fruit & veg. A friendly gentleman on youtube then taught me how to make my own biltong ( i use youtube for almost everything even for learning how to build coils). I am very much looking forward to this new hobby as i found the droewors making very easy and will start experimenting as i go along.

Are there any other vapers out here that has some secrets or advice that i could use in future ? I would really appreciate

Hopefully by saturday i will be posting some pictures of the end product
6038a36b8b6f0567d9db63318dbbadbe.jpg
d95d936f4c7394910438c388a65ac925.jpg
109de979f4c1bb6d43e4dde746b7bd46.jpg


Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I tried my hand at this a while ago but it never really took off. The biggest problem I had was sourcing the right spices to do this. I tried asking some butchers but their recipes (understandably) are not something they like to part with, and were reluctant to sell on it's own as well. So if you've got a way to source that while you're learning and playing with your own recipes then that is a win!

I'm always available to taste test and return constructive feedback! :rolleyes:
 
Stosta said:
I tried my hand at this a while ago but it never really took off. The biggest problem I had was sourcing the right spices to do this. I tried asking some butchers but their recipes (understandably) are not something they like to part with, and were reluctant to sell on it's own as well. So if you've got a way to source that while you're learning and playing with your own recipes then that is a win!

I'm always available to taste test and return constructive feedback! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
If you can cover shipping i will send you a piece of next batch. As for this one it seems i have already got enough tasters. I heard from a friend that i can get spices from crown national and freddy hirsch but will have to check them out before i can confirm. Watch this space...
 
Shifty said:
If you can cover shipping i will send you a piece of next batch. As for this one it seems i have already got enough tasters. I heard from a friend that i can get spices from crown national and freddy hirsch but will have to check them out before i can confirm. Watch this space...
Click to expand...
I would take you up on that but I know how fast homemade biltong disappears!!!

I think I got my drier from Hirsch's and it came with some of their spice, if it's the same stuff that is a serious win!
 
Stosta said:
I would take you up on that but I know how fast homemade biltong disappears!!!

I think I got my drier from Hirsch's and it came with some of their spice, if it's the same stuff that is a serious win!
Click to expand...
We can communicate via pm in the next week when i will be doing my next batch
 
Shifty said:
About a month ago I received a food dehydrator from a colleague as a gift. I then started by buying boerwors from pick and pay and joey's to see if i have the patience to make my own droëwors. Today I bought pre-cut beef with spices included and boerewors at fruit & veg. A friendly gentleman on youtube then taught me how to make my own biltong ( i use youtube for almost everything even for learning how to build coils). I am very much looking forward to this new hobby as i found the droewors making very easy and will start experimenting as i go along.

Are there any other vapers out here that has some secrets or advice that i could use in future ? I would really appreciate

Hopefully by saturday i will be posting some pictures of the end product
6038a36b8b6f0567d9db63318dbbadbe.jpg
d95d936f4c7394910438c388a65ac925.jpg
109de979f4c1bb6d43e4dde746b7bd46.jpg


Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

What a great hobby! I know nothing about biltong-making, but I'm wondering if there's a reason why one should buy spice mixes. Can't just add spices that YOU like? e.g. my favourite spice, is Ina Paarman's Garlic Pepper. I add it to almost everything - in fact, I'm surprised that I haven't added it to my coffee ... yet. And if you want a bit of a kick, I guess you could add Cayenne Pepper. Just wondering ....
 
Those biltong makers are so simple and yet effective. I can recommend that you look for the spices at Freddie Hirsch - they have quite a variety. I know all of this not because I'm such an expert, but my wife is - she is the biltong master in the house.


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Hooked said:
What a great hobby! I know nothing about biltong-making, but I'm wondering if there's a reason why one should buy spice mixes. Can't just add spices that YOU like? e.g. my favourite spice, is Ina Paarman's Garlic Pepper. I add it to almost everything - in fact, I'm surprised that I haven't added it to my coffee ... yet. And if you want a bit of a kick, I guess you could add Cayenne Pepper. Just wondering ....
Click to expand...
Consider it along the same vein as DIY juices.

In essence you can just add whatever you like to create your ideal flavour, but it is pretty easy to overpower one aspect with another, and there's ALWAYS something missing to your mix that someone else has.
 
RenaldoRheeder said:
Those biltong makers are so simple and yet effective. I can recommend that you look for the spices at Freddie Hirsch - they have quite a variety. I know all of this not because I'm such an expert, but my wife is - she is the biltong master in the house.


Sent by iDad's iPhone
Click to expand...
Thank you @RenaldoRheeder i will definitely check them out.



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Ok this is what she said @Shifty:

Biltong spice from Freddy Hirsch
Brown Sugar
Balsamic vinegar - you can use normal brown vinegar

Quantities are difficult - it depends on the quantity of meat. She suggested that you Google for recipes


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RenaldoRheeder said:
Ok this is what she said @Shifty:

Biltong spice from Freddy Hirsch
Brown Sugar
Balsamic vinegar - you can use normal brown vinegar

Quantities are difficult - it depends on the quantity of meat. She suggested that you Google for recipes


Sent by iDad's iPhone
Click to expand...
Thank you @RenaldoRheeder you and your wife have been a great help. I found some beef jerky recipes when i did a quick search before work. If the night is quiet i will do a more propper search

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RenaldoRheeder said:
Those biltong makers are so simple and yet effective. I can recommend that you look for the spices at Freddie Hirsch - they have quite a variety. I know all of this not because I'm such an expert, but my wife is - she is the biltong master in the house.


Sent by iDad's iPhone
Click to expand...

Busted
You better bring some down on your next trip buddy ;)
 
Just my 2c from a Namibian guy who loves Biltong and makes it regularly...

For droewors always remember this ratio : 22kg lean meat, 4kg Fat, 2 kg spice and sauce

For Biltong- Family Recipe (not the secret one though)
Below is roughly(depending on taste) for the dry spice mix 2kg:
Crushed Black Pepper 5-10%
Brown Sugar 25-30%
Corriander (lightly toasted in the oven until you can smell it in the kitchen) 20-30%
Medium course salt 20%
"Flippen Lekker" Worcestershire Spice( the one that looks almost wet) 10%

Vinegar Mix For 15kg meat approx 1.5L
Brown Vinegar 60%
Lazenby Worcestershire sauce 35%
5% Lemon Juice

Sprinkle Meat cuts with vinegar mix until wet.
Sprinkle dry mix on cutting board, place meat, sprinkle with dry mix. Massage into meat.

Tips:
Layer the thicker pieces at the bottom. Between Layers add a bit of Vinegar mix(you shouldn't have much left anyway.) and a bit of spice mix.

Thinner and smaller pieces on top.
Cover and keep in a cool not cold place (10-14 deg)


Massage the mix every 6-8hrs for 24hrs
After Day One mix it up by picking up the bottom ones and letting the top ones fall down(like a tumble dryer...if that makes sense)

Leave for 12 hrs.

hangup and dry.

Many people will say that the Biltong must be dried first by wiping excess liquid or dipping into water first. Not with this one....
My Dad has been making it this way for years now. No other biltong tastes quite up to par after we had this. (proudly Namibian recipe)

Anyway, ALWAYS experiment with recipes to make it your own. If you taste the spice dry, and it needs something then add it. if it is a BIT too salty that is fine. If you pull faces it is too MUCH. I added ginger powder and garlic flakes to my personal mix. It worked for me, not so much the wife. If you can find a dry chutney flavouring for Popcorn - It adds a sweet and sour taste.

Good luck.
 
Phillip868 said:
Just my 2c from a Namibian guy who loves Biltong and makes it regularly...

For droewors always remember this ratio : 22kg lean meat, 4kg Fat, 2 kg spice and sauce

For Biltong- Family Recipe (not the secret one though)
Below is roughly(depending on taste) for the dry spice mix 2kg:
Crushed Black Pepper 5-10%
Brown Sugar 25-30%
Corriander (lightly toasted in the oven until you can smell it in the kitchen) 20-30%
Medium course salt 20%
"Flippen Lekker" Worcestershire Spice( the one that looks almost wet) 10%

Vinegar Mix For 15kg meat approx 1.5L
Brown Vinegar 60%
Lazenby Worcestershire sauce 35%
5% Lemon Juice

Sprinkle Meat cuts with vinegar mix until wet.
Sprinkle dry mix on cutting board, place meat, sprinkle with dry mix. Massage into meat.

Tips:
Layer the thicker pieces at the bottom. Between Layers add a bit of Vinegar mix(you shouldn't have much left anyway.) and a bit of spice mix.

Thinner and smaller pieces on top.
Cover and keep in a cool not cold place (10-14 deg)


Massage the mix every 6-8hrs for 24hrs
After Day One mix it up by picking up the bottom ones and letting the top ones fall down(like a tumble dryer...if that makes sense)

Leave for 12 hrs.

hangup and dry.

Many people will say that the Biltong must be dried first by wiping excess liquid or dipping into water first. Not with this one....
My Dad has been making it this way for years now. No other biltong tastes quite up to par after we had this. (proudly Namibian recipe)

Anyway, ALWAYS experiment with recipes to make it your own. If you taste the spice dry, and it needs something then add it. if it is a BIT too salty that is fine. If you pull faces it is too MUCH. I added ginger powder and garlic flakes to my personal mix. It worked for me, not so much the wife. If you can find a dry chutney flavouring for Popcorn - It adds a sweet and sour taste.

Good luck.
Click to expand...
What an epic share!!!! Thanks so much @Phillip868 , I'm going to have to go and claim back my dryer!
 
@Shifty
I have been making my own biltong for a number of years now

Hope this helps
1. Spices I buy from Spar (see photo and our butcher)
2. Worcester sauce, Brown spirit vinegar and Large zip pick bags from Pick and Pay

1. Weigh meat on scale (if u haven’t got scale ask butcher to weigh it for you)
I get butcher to cut me strips about 30cm long and about 2.5cm thick
2. Put meat in ziplock bag
3. Add ingredients as follows :
A. Spice multiply weight of meat by 0,04 to get grams of spice
E.g 1,340kg * 0.04 = 53,6g so round up to 54g
B. Vinegar multiply weight of meat by 0,025 to get ml
E.g 1340kg * 0,025 =34 ml
C. Lastly Worcester sauce @ 0,012 to get ml
1340 * 0,012 = 17ml

4. Add all into zip bag close and seal
Let stand for 4 hours, turn bag over every hour and when turning just massage the meat lightly for a couple of seconds by pressing with fingers

5. I then hang it in my biltong dryer for 4 days with a 100 watt globe
VOLLA PERFECT BILTONG
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Last edited:
Shatter said:
you have some pictures of the finished product?
@Blends Of Distinction @Phillip868
Click to expand...

Sorry man, it usually doesn't last longer than 3-4 days. unfortunately I did not take pics.
I do however buy 1 Beef hind 1/4 or beef butt(Not sure which term is more correct).... Then I cut biltongs myself and hang in a large wooden box with wires and a small pc fan for circulation with 6 x 100w bulbs at the bottom to dry the air out. The whole thing is about 1.8m by 1.2m by 1.5m. Enough for about 30KG meat at a time..... so in hindsight as @Blends Of Distinction suggested to let them stand for a shorter time- about 6-8hrs. I doubt you will make large quantities at a time, so shorter rest time might be better for smaller quantity.
I also don't really measure my spice and vinegar so accurately, it is more of a feeling kind of thing. ( wet meat - good. Covered in spice-good) Nothing more nothing less.
 
This biltong machine I bought from the Spar for R799 it uses a PC Fan on top and a standard bayonet fitted light bulb at the bottom
I can make a combined 6 strips approx 30cm long, 3 cm thick and 12cm wide in 4/5 days depending on how dry I want it

And once made I can devour this dam stuff in like 3 days. I think I need help for
Biltong addiction

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