Biltong

[Beesrib]

I like to use my light for the first day or two and then remove and only use the fan.

 

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[Grebel]

I was actually about to ask that very question. I was wondering what peoples experience was re using or not using a light

 

The light is great for situations where the humidity is high and you need to dry the air in the cabinet. Too much moisture can lead to mould growth. You can also vary the wattage to adjust the temperature inside the cabinet which will speed up the drying process but from experience you only gain a day or so depending on how dry you like it. I was using a 100watt bulb but found that it dried the outside out too quick and left the inside wet. I like mine in between dry and wet. Leaving it on longer dried the outside out too much to the extent that it was almost crumbly. 

 

Will be swapping out the 100 watt for a 40 watt and see what happens. Actually, come to think of it, a dimmer switch could also work which would save swapping globes.....

[AlanD]

I don't use the light at all. I find the fan is more than enough to dry the meat to my liking and a reasonable time period (about 4 days).

 

This gets the outside really nice but still keeps the inside a little wet. I like it when it's just a little bit wet but not too much.

[Cois]

I removed the light fixture when I replaced the fan with a 12V fan

 

Never used the fan in my unit.  My cousin used a 40 watt globe, but something went wrong with the heat or whatever and burned a hole in the lid

[Letum911]

I rather make smaller pieces, cut my biltong into either chili-byte size or thin flat pieces (about 10mm thick) and whatever width and length I feel like. When doing this I find that with the bulb (think it's a 60watt) my biltong dries in about 24-36 hours. So basically the "crust" that dries quick is makes up about 50% of the biltong with the remaining 50% inside being nice and pink.

[Plentipotential]

I have found that hanging the meat in the morning sun for about an hour before putting in the dryer, fan only, works for me.

[Blokman]

 

 

Had a 48% loss on weight with my batch.

So now I know why they ask R180 + per KG of Biltong

 

 

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A quick calculation if you paid (as an example) R80/kg for the meat.

R 80 divided by 52 % = R 154.00 cost price (rounded).

[Letum911]

A quick calculation if you paid (as an example) R80/kg for the meat.

R 80 divided by 52 % = R 154.00 cost price (rounded).

 

Shhhhhh  . Working out the cost on biltong is more unholy than working out the cost of beer!! Just sit back and enjoy.

 

PS. If you really want to take the fun out of it and speak finances biltong at Toit's in centurion is going for around R230.00 p/kg and at Fleisherei (or whatever the spelling is) at about R280.00 p/kg last I checked, 

[jimmycool]

My fan packed up and I couldn't find a suitable replacement and also the bulb kept on fusing so I just went and removed the front panel of the drier box and stuck a small box-type heater fan in front of the drier and put it on the fan only function. 

It works like a bomb. (and if you feel the meat needs a bit of heat for a kick start I put the heat setting on low for a few hours and it gets it going quite nicely.)

On the fan only setting it dries in around 3 days and the dryness is consistent throughout the thickness of the meat. 

I have also found that with this much bigger fan it is hard to overload the box! With the original small fan and the box all closed up, if you put too much meat in there it can't get rid of the moisture fast enough and everything goes mouldy (don't ask me how I know this...  )

 

Here is a very rudimentary video of the process I use. 

Sorry for the crummy sound quality.

 

[Cois]

Just hanged the first batch of Kings Meat Deli chili bites.

 

 

Did not take a weight on the batch. Will check the 2nd batch.

 

The new fan is causing a little turbulence in the box. But think it will dry the biltong quicker.

 

The Rooibok chili bites are eaten. The crown spice was okay, but was okayish. Might be the rooibok meat taste

 

 

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[Kranswurm]

Just hanged the first batch of Kings Meat Deli chili bites.

 

 

Did not take a weight on the batch. Will check the 2nd batch.

 

The new fan is causing a little turbulence in the box. But think it will dry the biltong quicker.

 

The Rooibok chili bites are eaten. The crown spice was okay, but was okayish. Might be the rooibok meat taste

 

 

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The slower the better mate

[Stretch]

So my first batch was spectacular. 40W globe and fan and it was dried in 3 days (a little wet on the inside which is how i like it)

 

Now to make my own spices

[Cois]

Will never again buy Crown Spices Chili bite mix. Tried the mix from King Meat deli and there is no comparison at all to be made.

The crown spice has a base smell of Curry and it does not work for me at all.

The king Meat Deli spice came out to about the same price.

 

Have one batch that I will hang in the morning, then will give the biltong mix from Kings Meat a go.

 

 

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[AlanD]

I dont mind the chili mix as a base to start with. Add a few extra spices to it and some peri peri and it comes out pretty lekker.

[Cois]

Got another 5kg silverside to start a new batch of Biltong today.

Most of the 5kg will be chili bytes and the rest pure biltong.

 

 

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[AlanD]

I found the biltong maker and promptly went out to get required spices and meat. Firat batch in the UK now hanging. Hope it turns out good.