How Biltong is Made

The Process

Silverside is the cut of beef which is used to produce a quality batch of biltong. Individual steaks are cured and seasoned with specific spices. The most common spice used is coriander. Black pepper and salt are also used to add to the flavour.

Once cured, the steaks are hung for anywhere between 2-4 days. The longer the time spent in the drier, the harder and drier the biltong will be. The drier traditionally has a lamp to produce a small amount of heat, and a fan.

Biltong v Jerky?

So what is the real difference? Biltong and Jerky are similar in that they are both dried meats, the taste and the production process is different. Biltong originates from South Africa (of course), whereas Jerky originates from North and South America.

Biltong is essentially a dried steak so you can have it wet (rare), or medium (hard).

Jerky is normally cooked on a rack whereas biltong is hung and air-dried. This means jerky tends to be much drier and chewier than biltong.