Biltong - homemade

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Ollerton57

Original Poster:

566 posts

188 months

Thursday 10th September 2020
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Anyone else like some biltong?

I was spoilt working in London as it was easy to get hold of, then lockdown happened. Now all I can get my hands on is the supermarket stuff which isn't great..

So, decided to make my own biltong box with nothing more than a plastic crate, wooden dowels, PC fan and some fly screen. Here it is:





Minutes after hanging the 1st test batch:



After the first 35 hours:



And sliced the next morning. I'll leave the rest in there until tomorrow, but it's very good!



Recommend this for anyone who enjoys Biltong. Very easy to do. I've bought a bigger joint of SIlverside (1.7kg) and a couple of duck breasts to experiment with.

Anyone else do this and have any photos to share?

chopper602

2,260 posts

233 months

Thursday 10th September 2020
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I've made jerky a few times and have some beef skirt in the freezer to make some more when I have time. I used a grill tray and the fan oven on as low as I could get it with the door wedged open slightly

If you're going to keep yours for any length of time, remove the fat as it'll go rancid in no time.

Ollerton57

Original Poster:

566 posts

188 months

Thursday 10th September 2020
quotequote all
chopper602 said:
I've made jerky a few times and have some beef skirt in the freezer to make some more when I have time. I used a grill tray and the fan oven on as low as I could get it with the door wedged open slightly

If you're going to keep yours for any length of time, remove the fat as it'll go rancid in no time.
Fat tastes good so I like to keep it on, not that it lasts long around here!

Any that needs storing will be vacuum packed and frozen if need be though.

Audis5b9

1,090 posts

82 months

Thursday 10th September 2020
quotequote all
Looks great!

Although I thought you also needed a source of heat (light bulb) in the box too?

Ollerton57

Original Poster:

566 posts

188 months

Thursday 10th September 2020
quotequote all
Audis5b9 said:
Looks great!

Although I thought you also needed a source of heat (light bulb) in the box too?
No heat for Biltong. That's what separates it from Jerky.

Some use a bulb for convection current and to control humidity. I'll keep an eye on it as I may need to add one over winter.

R6tty

477 posts

25 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2024
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Following a thread search:
Trying my own for the first time. The box I've borrowed has a fan and an incandescent light bulb for heat. First batch is back in the fridge.

Zag_a_muffin

61 posts

116 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2024
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Made my own for a few years, made a big batch at Christmas but it was gone in a day! Never heard of duck being used, will have to look it up and give it a try.

R6tty

477 posts

25 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2024
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Ostrich is used in South Africa so duck should work (well, they're both birds).

wyson

2,968 posts

114 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2024
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Where did you used to go and buy it in London?

craigjm

18,639 posts

210 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2024
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I’ve worked in South Africa on and off for the past 8 years or so. They use all kind of meat when making their own at home but most commercial stuff is beef. Giraffe Biltong is very nice as is kudu.

When I moved where I am based in the UK I ended up with a really good Biltong shop a few minutes walk away and it’s made on a farm a few miles from here. Never really felt the need to try and make it myself because of that. Although I did try it ones in the air fryer on dehydrate and it worked pretty well.

Your setup and outcome looks good. I prefer Biltong with the fat on but many people only like it lean.

chip*

1,212 posts

238 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2024
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wyson said:
Where did you used to go and buy it in London?
I buy from the shop below for my SA friend who speaks highly of the biltongs.

https://biltongdirect.co.uk/


Djtemeka

1,883 posts

202 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2024
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You can get really good biltong delivered from most saffa shops here in the uk.

I use silverside beef from Sainsbury’s.
I also use ready mixed biltong spice that you can get on amazon or ebay.

Freddie Hirsh original spice.
Roll the meat in the spice. Leave it in the fridge overnight to soak it in.
Hang it up then eat it. Yum.

Djtemeka

1,883 posts

202 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2024
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beambeam1

1,367 posts

53 months

Monday 8th January 2024
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Inspired by this thread and a previous conversation with a friend about biltong, I am not long after seasoning some meat to leave overnight in the fridge. I built a very haphazard box featuring some seriously brittle plastic against my hamfisted drilling but should be fine.

Difficult to find an incandescent bulb these days!

beambeam1

1,367 posts

53 months

Thursday 18th January 2024
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10 days later and the first batch is done. No heat source applied, just the PC fan running the whole time. Quite like it!

craigjm

18,639 posts

210 months

Thursday 18th January 2024
quotequote all
beambeam1 said:


10 days later and the first batch is done. No heat source applied, just the PC fan running the whole time. Quite like it!
Pretty good. Well done