making biltong in humid climate

The humidity will also be very . Opinions vary on curing methods, spice mixes and drying conditions, and there is a lot of misinformation around, so trial and error has been my friend. The salt is an excellent flavour enhancer and should definitely be includedjust a little less to avoid the need for washing. I have one question this batch had lost a little bit of the Worcester sauce and vinegar flavour as I added bi-carb of soda to the mix. Toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan, then grind down in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. Make sure the meat is covered in the biltong spice. So youve looked into the temperature and humidity conditions you need. There are some methods I have come across, like having bowls of saltwater inside a small chamber to have some impact on humidity or using some form of disposable cigar environmental control products. If you need a recipe for biltong spice, click here: The best meat to use for biltong will always have a low amount of marbling and muscle sinew. Its important to note that, while your biltong will shrink by around half the size when dried, the fat doesnt shrink at the same rate as the muscle. Biltong is air cured, not cooked, not dehydrated. Brown vinegar is more traditional. My dad used to do that but I remain unconvinced that it actually does much of anything beyond raise the temp by a degree or two. In fact, if you have other members in your household, its not unusual to have half your biltong missing by the time its ready . Your strips need to hang freely, without contact. However living in South Africa most of my life, I have seen people dry it in garages with the meat hung on lines, and a fan going to keep any insects off and make sure the drying progresses evenly. After your biltong has dried to your preferred consistency, you can continue to store it hanging in a well aerated space indefinitely. Toast the spices, apart from the peppercorns, in a dry pan until fragrant and giving off a bit of smoke. Humidity comes back with temp but sometimes overshoots and crawls back down as dehumidifier comes on. Charcuterie is indeed a French word but I have to say the Italians are the masters in that matter. Hello I would like to try this recipe how does it work on elk or deer meat they might be to lean. When the weather is warm and humid, there is a chance that mould (white dots or furry dots) will appear on the meat. The author gave me a tongue lashing because I added fennel which was awesome just not to much as it is so strong and I used worcheshire sauce. Howdy, I prefer 11-13C all the time, since bacteria grows exponentially the hotter it gets. Adding sugar brown sugar, for example may sweeten the taste but it also brings you closer to beef jerky than to South African biltong. Contrary to popular belief, heat is not required to make biltongneither does it make for a better product. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, then wrap airtight. This is the ultimate way of making the famous South African cured meat, often confused with beef jerky. This should go some way towards fixing the problem. These only have a short lifespan and disappear quite quickly. Case hardening happens when the outside of the biltong dries very fast, but the inside of the biltong strip remains raw meat. This should take around a week but start monitoring it after 4 days. Ive added liquid smoke to my brine in the past. There are a lot of creative, almost ceremonial devices oncutting biltong, but I think nothing beats a good, sharp knife. Remove the meat from the vinegar/Worcestershire sauce mix, pat it, dry with a clean kitchen cloth, and then coat it evenly with spices. Only issue is it got so dry it wasn't that appealing to eat as is and I ended up making biltong stew with it. Got one of those cheap BiltongKing makers or some such from Game ages ago. What I see is my humidity collapses in conjunction with the temp dropping.appears the humidity collapse might precede temp drop but not certain, they follow very closely. Try to create these conditions in whatever way you see fit. The biltong can avoid case hardening by ensuring that the humidity is moderate to low and the air movement is not pointed directly at the biltong meat. I love this recipe. Using a sharp knife, following the grain of the meat, cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) thick lengths and place in a non-metallic container. I offsetting a lid to the compressor, which was just next to the fan in the compressor. Yes you could do that or you could grind the chilli flakes a bit and add more. Biltong from the land of the Gurkhas! You are using an out of date browser. beef silverside or topside 4 tablespoons salt 8 tablespoons coriander 4 tablespoons black peppercorns 1 tablespoon ground cumin optional 10 ounces balsamic vinegar Worcestershire sauce Instructions Cut the meat along the grain into strips roughly an inch thick and around 8 to 10 inches long. This site may earn commissions when you visit certain links. Since the saturation vapor pressure of water decreases with decreasing temperature, the water in the air condenses on the surface, separating the water from the air. Then, one day when marking about the 256th essay during exam time I decided enough Ill do my own writing instead and have never looked back. After 3 hours simply wipe off the salt but. Biltong made from beef or venison is the most popular. Biltong is a dry beef product that is manufactured without a heat lethality step, raising concerns of whether effective microbial pathogen reduction can occur during biltong processing. When the fan was blowing, that moisture got pushed into the chamber. White spirit vinegar is traditional (made from grape must). I like a little fat because it helps carry flavour, but I tend to remove most of it before hanging. About 17 minutes to read this article. One question I would like to ask is how do you make chutney biltong flavour. My recipe uses the smallest amount of salt required to make a safe cure, based on the weight of the meat. Use Kosher or natural untreated coarse salt. Are there any issues you have to pay special attention to when making biltong in a humid climate? Whole muscle meat maybe, salami no thank you! Was it tasty or did you run into any problems with your biltong recipe, let me know in the comments below how yours turned out? As far as I am concerned the light bulb is used to draw air upwards and out of the There are other spices you can add, but these four make the foundation of the biltong spice mix. You want to see the different spices. When I started off and built my first meat a curing chamber over 15 years ago, I did a lot of research and read quite a lot of books to make sure I was on the right track. Check your biltong daily; you want to know how fast its drying. Why wash off and waste all that good flavour? Make sure to work clean to minimise the risk of contamination or bad bacteria. As I dont yet have a dehumidifier I have been controlling the humidity through having the fridge plugged into the humidity controller to try and maintain an average of 75% RH. Leave the meat to dry for between 24 hours to 4 days in the biltong maker, and close to a day if using a dehydrator. Just make sure you have a little air flow, or the meat can gather mouldIm sorry to say this has happened to me in the past! I really enjoy the percentages used to calculate almost everything. - pat meat dry and season with biltong spices - coriander (mandatory), chilli (optional) and salt and pepper. Now with the current climate and setup I have this has the chamber averaging around 7deg C. My thinking is that this is preferable to when I had the fridge controlled by the temp controller to maintain ~12deg C, but RH was averaging 85%. The fan was drawing in the oxygen and therefore pumping some more additional fresh air. Many DIY biltong makers will construct a 'biltong box' with a fan and a lightbulb to create good air circulation and warm temperatures. Please dont rely on heat. Step #4: cut out the insect netting. As soon as the spices are nicely toasted, slightly smoky and fragrant, remove them from the pan and let them cool down completely. Place the thicker biltong strips at the bottom of an enamel container, cover with a layer of salt and then a layer of the spice mixture. Best wishes. Other cuts can be used, but are not as high in quality. After youve cut the biltong slabs, dry all the moisture off with towels. Apr 1, 2023 by ASK SOUTH AFRICA. Yeah me neither. Biltong curing consists of salting the meat and then giving it a dredge in a marinade or vinegar solution. The word biltong comes from the combination of the Dutch words bil which means buttock and tong which means tongue or strip. It should be mostly powder, with a few pieces of seed shells left in. Keeping relative humidity in the box below 50% ensures consistent, quality results. You must log in or register to reply here. I use the same recipe also and my wife loves it and unfortunately, the dog is now addicted. Sounds like you are on the right track! But have never seen anyone in south africa use this. And perhaps this contributed to the greyish tinge/oxidation? This yellow fat is apparent in cattle that have been grass-fed rather than grain-fed. You should aim for 40% - 50% moisture loss for a wet or medium cure biltong and up to 70% for a hard cure dryer biltong. Just wanted to say, THANK YOU so kindly for sharing this amazing recipe! She actually liked it and that was fantastic! Thats why I decided to try curing meat at home. You want roughly 1/4 pepper to 3/4 coriander seed for a good balance. I have used it with great success with beef, kangaroo, fallow and red deer meat. There's a lengthy thread on biltong making. In the temperate environments that I've lived in, the moisture is always higher at night time and this is also useful since you can want the higher levels of humidity when you cold smoking. Salt is essential to let the meat dry and cure properly. Hopefully, theyre dry enough to handle the hotter setting. Use scales when weighing out ingredients. I work on a yacht and make it in the engine room, so perfect. In New Zealand's humid climate a biltong maker (a box containing a light bulb and fan) is usually necessary, whereas in South Africa's dry climate the meat is commonly dried outside in the shade. I dont think a modern dehydrator cuts it. Repeat the layers until the thin strips are on top, and add a final dressing of salt. WHAT AN AMAZING TREAT!!! Increase the airflow and decrease the humidity to prevent another bout of mould. Once youve got the coriander seeds ground, coarsely grind your black peppercorns and add them to the mix. Step #2: cut the holes for the fan and the dehumidifier. If youve not checked for a while and found your biltong totally covered, sadly the best place for it is the bin. If you dont have access to a vacuum sealer, stick your biltong in a paper bag and place it in the fridge for a few days. For the finest cuts, fillet, sirloin, or steaks cut from the hip, such as topside or silverside, are used. The fennel and chilli is very much an inspiration that came from Italian cured sausage I had. You can buy ready made biltong boxes, or make your own. Try to make biltong in the dry and cooler seasons of the year, as humid conditions can lead to meat spoilage. Place the meat and the cure in a fitting non-reactive food-safe plastic or ceramic container. I like my biltong a little tough, but still wet in the middle. I however eat it like Biltong This is my version: Cut topside or silverside into 2 cm wide strips and marinade in salt, curry powder and lemon juice for 24 hrs. Bicarb has a pretty unpleasant taste, so its important to keep the quantity low. First time making the biltong. Always use a sharp knife. Mix it with your salt and add as instructed. Most South Africans have a biltong slicer, which makes the job easier. Texture-wise biltong is more similar to bresaola when made correctly and beef jerky is more of a leathery sometimes wet and chewy consistency. Since there was always a little bit of pressure going through the chamber, it was always coming out the hole. The best materials for humid climates are engineered hardwood, spray foam insulation, clay or lime plasters, proper windows and ventilation, waterproof paint, and sealants. For cutting after dried, may I suggest a $125 band saw, makes quick work, but only use it for your Biltong. Some dry biltong in a dehydratorand some people use a DIY biltong dehydrator or "biltong box" as it's often called. Is it drying too fast or too slow? Traditional biltong is made by slicing large strips of beef and coating them with a mixture of crushed coriander seeds, cracked pepper, salt, and brown sugar. Ultimately, I feel like what I need to do is get daily readings of min/max temp and humidity over the course of a year or so to determine whether it stays in the curing temp and humidity ranges. Happy you like! I keep mine forever in a freezer vacuum sealed. It will continue to dry slowly, but it will also keep for a long time this way. Here is a quick synopsis on how to make biltong. Everybodys preferences with biltong tend to be different. Vacuum seal tight and store in the fridge or freezer. As a babe in the woods when It comes to curing (iv only made hams, bacons, and pancetta) having someone share the lessons they have learnt is much appreciated. If you use old spices mixed weeks ago, youre compromising the taste of your biltong. As a 28 yo French woman it was about time ! Weigh the meat and write it on the label. This case hardening can happen if the humidity is way too low or if theres a gale force blowing onto the biltong. Top rump and Silverside are the two preferred cuts of beef, although I've had great results with other cuts including the following. Sadly the extremely high temps and humidity in my country for all but a few weeks of the year make it hard to make biltong. Once you have the art of making biltong honed, then maybe you want to start using some of the meat from hunting expeditions. If youve cut your biltong and want to store it, wrap it in a few paper bags and store it in the fridge. The following are the most common causes of mould and include some tips on how to prevent it: Mould is more likely to occur during hot and humid summer periods, especially at coastal areas unless you put the Biltong Maker in an air-conditioned room. From costly handmade stuff that is not practical to my favourite 20 dollar knives with no branding. As you start getting closer to the biltong being ready, you will probably begin to test pieces of the biltong to see how they are. Do this in a clean plastic or non-reactive metal container where the meat fits snugly. This will ensure a succulent top-notch result. A combination of good airflow, moderate temperature and low humidity are the key to successful biltong making. This is by far the best recipe I have ever used the salt content is perfect. This is the most well explained and straight forward blog post I have found. Test the readiness of your biltong every couple of days by squeezing the sides together with clean fingers. This will be grain-fed beef. Whats going on and is it anything to worry about? Don't use more than 1% Prague/pink salt to the weight of the meat. When it's ready, slice with a sharp knife or biltong slicer. He said it never got below 77F/25C at any time of the year, day or night! My wife cant stand biltong, never has, UNTIL NOW! This is what my grandfather did, and I suspect the early pioneers too. Add a pinch of pink salt if you want. If you suspect that case hardening is your problem, I recommend cutting through the end of the meat and checking it. I recommend leaving it on. MAC is good if you're looking for good price/quality. Any mould left on will grow back. Sugar on our meat is not popular among biltong fans. I have a home made biltong cabinet with he fan and 40watt light bulb. Could you use a freeze dryer to make this? This is to minimise the chances of spoilage and mould. Do this in a well-ventilated kitchen. Seeking the passionate behind the passion. Use a non-reactive storage container when soaking the meat in vinegar. (Other ingredients you can play around with when making biltong are chilli flakes, garlic powder, and fruit chutney). Thanks Chris! Use less salt! As a perfect example of this, the Italians make a beautiful beef product called Bresaola, which is very slowly air dried at cold temperatures, so as to achieve an even dryness and texture. Many folks do love it and that's cool too. Hi Andew looks lekker my last batch using another recipe (my first) was too salty 1.4 tbsp per kilo for 24 hrs. This time-temperature lethality process targets a 5-log reduction in the most thermally resistant pathogen, Salmonella spp. This is the most common type of dry curing people do at home apart from jerky. It all depends on the type of dryer and thickness of the meat as to how soon your meat is ready. Large chunks of fat can be a little unpleasant to deal with when eating biltong. Warning this recipe may lead to the purchase of a biltong slicer. Good. It really has a recognisable flavour. It's 3 hours salting and 2 hours marinating. I do not mind waiting 2 or 3 weeks. Once youve given it a try, please let me know how you like it, and if there are any variations to the traditional ingredients you swear by, no matter how strange! Once you have tasted biltong, youll be a fan of this spiced dried meat that South Africans have made famous around the world. Ive since upgraded to an old fridge with the mechanics removed, holes in the bottom, and a fan drawing air past the meat. Be careful when drying and storing your biltong so that it does not spoil. Skies will clear making way for a sunny and dry day. Biltong is best done at around 21C .Air dried Mongolian beef use a higher temp to dry with heat . Don't blitz it too fine. Its tricky to get the salt quantity right. In fact, rub it into every nook and cranny you can find. This biltong recipe is easy and all it takes is a little patience as the biltong dries. A combination of good airflow and relatively cool temperatures are the key to successful biltong making. However, the best solution to prevent case hardening from occurring is to change your drying setup to reduce air flow. Mold can look like its only on the surface but often the threads in the mold may have penetrated the food to a deeper level. You can use curing salt. When you grind the spices, it releases the compounds that give them the flavor. Although the actual meat of biltong will have little marbling and close to no fat, you will quite often see a ridge of fat that runs along the top of a biltong slab. Avoid spoilage and make the food more delicious. Buddy a bit of input would be appreciated.I will start tomorrow. Keeping below 24C in the initial phases stops the fats from going rancid. Getting it right is down to trial and error. If you want a little more control, you can upgrade to a biltong box or other drying box. While the meat is marinating make the spice mix. If you pick the right meat, you wont need to use bicarb at all. Your tutorial is very good and your recipe looks amazing. Cover the container and let your biltong cure for 24 hours in the fridge, turning and rubbing through the meat occasionally. Which comes from areas that are pretty much untouched. Step #1: draw templates for cutting. Recipe was easy and the result was tasty. Then you're in for a treat. The ideal temperature and drying time for biltong is 22C to 24C for the first 24 hours and thereafter at 30C to 33C for two days. Here are the ingredients and equipment you will need to make biltong. You can do your own research on pink curing salt otherwise known as sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate mixes with regular salt, I still use it as a form of protection just to make sure the meat is safe. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The easiest way to measure dryness is with your fingers. Plastic-covered paper clips make for a cheap solution. Although biltong is often made with a pure vinegar marinade, the addition of Worcestershire sauce is often used as well. Some people soak their meat in salt first, then rinse off the salt before placing it in vinegar, but it can make the meat very salty. Below is an in-depth explanation of everything surrounding the making of biltong. Once cooled, blitz the spices in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar until nicely broken up but not too fine. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Check out the courses link at the top if you want a booklet on DIY curing chamber, my charcuterie course will be out later this year too! Im still on the learning curve with biltong but this recipe is giving me the best results. Rely on airflow. Thank you so very much. 4 Pounds of beef - cut into 1-inch-thick strips that can be of any length. Learning and consuming in a circular fashion, I am always interested in what is happening around the curing and smoking world. I programmed it at 11C/52F. The packing date was mid February, so I also wasnt sure if the long time in the freezer would negatively affect the curing process? Traditionally, brown vinegar has been used to make biltong. Biltong traditionally did not include sugar at all and the preservation is mainly achieved by the addition of vinegar. In this guide, Im going to show you how to make it for yourself. When slicing to serve or eat, cut across the grain. Even putting it in a biltong box is not traditional, as the flavor wont have time to develop. I need to buy a portable cooler. Add the meat to the wet cure and let it sit for another 2 hours flipping twice to make sure it's evenly covered in the liquid. I've used it in the past but try and use as little curing salt in my food as possible. We will add the peppercorns unroasted. I recommend brown vinegar for the best flavour, with cider vinegar coming in a close second. But its good to just go over the basics, first off the quality of the meat. If there is any give in the meat, theres still moisture in the middle. The choice is yours but I fully recommend leaving the fat on. Tom, gem of a site and already great help as I begin my own dry-cured meat hobby. Note that biltong treated (in humid areas) with saltpeter and baking soda for mold will have a much redder final color but should not be moist inside. I wanted to thank you for all the knowledge Im getting from your blog. This affects the quality of the biltong and also increases the risk of mould growth. Find it, it will be worth the effort. Thank you for the time you have put into the presentation!!! I prefer brown, but white, balsamic, or even cider will also work. South Africans can get fussy about the way it is sliced too so bringing out the slicer and cutting according to guest preferences also makes something of a talking point at a gathering! As soon as you spot mould wipe it off with vinegar making sure to get all of it. And that is saltpeter. Store wrapped airtight or in vacuum bags in the fridge or freeze for longer storage. But I havent tried it and I cant say Ive heard any great outcomes if youre looking at longer-term dry curing for months. Cold Cold smoke it for a short time like 30 minutes just to get a hint on it. Similar to Biltong Sukuthi is cut into thin strips, spices and salt are rubbed on and then it is either air dried, or smoked until it is totally dried out. Its called Sukuthi and is normally made out of water buffalo or goat. The Worcestershire sauce just adds depth of flavor to the biltong. Everyone's happy. The main aim of all of these is to create dry warm circulating air so that the biltong dries correctly and efficiently. Biltong dries best when it is cool, not humid, and theres plenty of airflow. For me, 2 hours is good for maximum beefiness while the cure does its job. So I end up starting most dry curring at around 75 to 80% humidity for the first two or three days and then take it down to about 70% for most of the dry-cured projects I do like pancetta, braesola, Lonza or dry-cured and then cold smoked bacon. So dont leave a whack on expecting it to disappear as the meat does. This moisture gets in the way of your biltong absorbing the biltong spice and marinade. Its perfectly fine and very common to dry out jerky which has been in a dehydrator. Later that night, he was vomiting, and had diarrhea so badly he collapsed his wife had to call the ambulance and he was rushed to hospital and placed in intensive care, only to be released from the hospital ten days later. There are many curing methods used for a variety of cured foods and the method used depends on the raw product and the desired final result. Hi Charle Brown malt vinegar is traditional. Once the meat is ready remove the hooks. If you are drying your biltong in a biltong box, make sure that the biltong slabs are not longer than the hanging length you have in the biltong box. Salt and vinegar both act as detergents against bad bacteria by displacing water and lowering the Ph level. Making biltong does not require a load of fancy equipment and many DIY methods are available online. Sure thing. Rub a little salt on the cut ends to protect them. If youve got a really raw centre and thick, tough outer surface, give it a try and see if you like the texture. As you can see from the previous paragraph, the best biltong is made in mild conditions. Brown sugar has a caramel and molasses flavour that adds complexity to the meat, without masking it. With generation after generation using roughly the same method and ingredients to make it. Total cycle during the swing it about the same time as when its stable in-range. I'd love it if you could post a photo. Step #6: attach the dehumidifier. Cut the meat along the grain into strips roughly an inch thick and around 8 to 10 inches long.

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