Biltong

[forkie]

Biltong maker arrived this week with all our other stuff... Not sure where I am going to put it... But guess what I will be doing this weekend.

 

This will be the first time I am doing my own spicing. I bought a spice pack before I left and that's in with the maker.. But what's the consensus with vinegar. A mix between white and black or balsamic.. Or just white? What's the best time to leave it soaking...2 hours 6 hours 12 hours?

equal parts, brown, balsamic and worcester sauce. 

[Stretch]

So we just used brown vinegar as a first test. Soaked in vinegar for about 4 hours. Then removed from vinegar and spiced and left in fridge for about 15 -20 hrs and hung last night. Starting to look good this morning already. There is a tiny vinegar smell.. So I hope I didn't leave them in the vinegar for too long.. Time will tell and it being my first spicing..I am expecting some taste challenges.

Edited January 29, 2018 by Stretch

[Stretch]

On another point. I used silverside for this. ¢10.50/kg. Other option is housewives cut (shoulder) for ¢7/kg. Anyone successfully used shoulder cut?

[DJR]

On another point. I used silverside for this. ¢10.50/kg. Other option is housewives cut (shoulder) for ¢7/kg. Anyone successfully used shoulder cut?

Yes, you just have to take more care to remove the sinews in the meat. Try to separate the muscles individually to end up with pieces that have no sinews in them. The individual shoulder muscles are a lot smaller than leg muscles. Then cut into strips. I find it time consuming and a bit wasteful. Also, you end up with thinner smaller pieces, but that is not necessarily a bad thing, because they dry more quickly and work well if you like dry biltong. If you like thick moist biltong, then shoulder doesn't work in my hands.

 

Edit: Topside, silverside and rump works best for me. Topside I think gives the best balance between cost, quality and ease to work with, but that can be debated. 

Edited January 29, 2018 by DJR

[Stretch]

First batch done. Ended up a bit too vinegary. I let it sit in it for about 6 hours.. But didn't wipe them down after. Was that the problem? What is the actual purpose of the vinegar? Maybe some Worcester sauce would have counteracted it a bit?

[Tuxstir]

First batch done. Ended up a bit too vinegary. I let it sit in it for about 6 hours.. But didn't wipe them down after. Was that the problem? What is the actual purpose of the vinegar? Maybe some Worcester sauce would have counteracted it a bit?

Don't Soak and let it sit in Vinegar, rather use a basting brush and brush it on. you only need to seal the outside with vinegar,

[Rata-tat-tat]

First batch done. Ended up a bit too vinegary. I let it sit in it for about 6 hours.. But didn't wipe them down after. Was that the problem? What is the actual purpose of the vinegar? Maybe some Worcester sauce would have counteracted it a bit?

I use a 50ml brown vinegar/ 50ml Worcestershire mix per 2kg in a Pirex dish. Let it stand for 6-8hrs. Works a treat.

 

Ps, no rinse or wipe down.

[Stretch]

Don't Soak and let it sit in Vinegar, rather use a basting brush and brush it on. you only need to seal the outside with vinegar,

Yeah..I submerged it in vinegar... Lessons learnt... Been a good learning exercise for the first batch. Still tastes damn good!

[GrahamS2]

Yeah..I submerged it in vinegar... Lessons learnt... Been a good learning exercise for the first batch. Still tastes damn good!

Try use a small spray bottle to just wet the meat with vinegar and leave in a non-reactive dish overnight for 8-12 hours (I use a Worcestershire/vinegar mix). I prefer to rinse it off in warm water before spicing and hanging, otherwise the vinegar flavour is a bit much.

Edited February 1, 2018 by GrahamS2

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Mine soaks for an hour in vinegar, then drain in and let it stand for an hour covered in coarse salt and brown sugar mix.

I then use the drained vinegar and wipe clean with a brush.

Season with crushed black pepper and coriander and then hang.

I like mine fairly basic. These biltong spice mixed are full of crap!!!

[Stretch]

Third batch now... I'm getting better each time... Sorry for the blur on the top pic

[AlanD]

The local butcher told us that skirt meat would make good biltong so we bought some to try. Still got to spice and hand it.

 

Braaied a small piece and it's definatly not a Braai meat as it's tough. It would be good for a slow cook stew.

[Stretch]

The local butcher told us that skirt meat would make good biltong so we bought some to try. Still got to spice and hand it.

 

Braaied a small piece and it's definatly not a Braai meat as it's tough. It would be good for a slow cook stew.

I used housewives cut last time. It was fine for biltong but I lost about 150g after cutting the sinew out.. And it was a real bitch... Would rather pay the extra for good ol' silverside Edited August 13, 2018 by Stretch

[AlanD]

I used housewives cut last time. It was fine for biltong but I lost about 150g after cutting the sinew out.. And it was a real bitch... Would rather pay the extra for good ol' silverside

The butcher said this skirt is a good cut of meat and about the same price of silverside. Ill see howbit goes but silverside as ways been my first choice.

[Ed-Zulu]

Third batch now... I'm getting better each time... Sorry for the blur on the top pic

That looks tasty as hell!

[Ed-Zulu]

The butcher said this skirt is a good cut of meat and about the same price of silverside. Ill see howbit goes but silverside as ways been my first choice.

Alan, skirt is way too stringy to make a good biltong. I won't follow that butchers advise.

 

Edit: unless you want a very chewy biltong

Edited August 14, 2018 by Ed-Zulu