Ideas for using up.....

TKP_3

Hi, yes, Biltong was origionally a way of preserving meat in the old days of Southern Africa. It is now a delicacy (I LOVE it), I am South African
It is similar to beef jerky, but tastes very different. I personally don't like beef jerky at all.
When buying it, I prefer "wet" meat which is not as dried out, and thus softer (easier to chew)
It freezes well though (like any meat), and if it is too hard to chew, slice it thinly (or chop into chunks) and add to any meat based stew/caserole for extra meaty flavour.
You should be able to get it at any South Afrcan shop, or places like Harrods (although that is very expensive). I have a butcher nearby who makes it fresh :drool:

Hippocrocoduckadacadil

Ah......you got me at last!! After lurking for several months, I had to sign up so I could answer this one!

Biltong was, indeed, developed by the Voortrekkers (Dutch settlers) in South Africa. It is, simply, strips of beef salted, washed in vinegar and sprinkled with spices before being hung up to dry. I know because my South African husband and I make our own at home (non-commercially). It's actually very easy and quite a bit cheaper than buying it. It does dry out quickly but when completely dry, you can grate it or whizz up in a food processor and add the "biltong sprinkles" to various dishes. It's great sprinkled into an omelette, stirred into cream cheese or made into muffins. I've even eaten fried biltong as a starter in South Africa, which was very nice, but I wouldnt like to have to cut it into the required slices if it was very dry. You're more likely to lose a finger like that!

I've only just registered so I wont post any links yet as I haven't found out if it's allowed, but I do have a recommendation for a very good South African shop (which I have no personal interest in apart from being one of their customers) and I also have links to useful recipes.

What I want to know though, is what a Kiwi is doing making the stuff??

Anastacia

Hippocrocoduckadacadil wrote: »

What I want to know though, is what a Kiwi is doing making the stuff??

Thats what i thought,i cant recall seeing anything similar in NZ, but he was a very nice man!

jennyjelly

Hippocrocoduckadacadil wrote: »

my South African husband and I make our own at home (non-commercially). It's actually very easy and quite a bit cheaper than buying it. It does dry out quickly but when completely dry, you can grate it or whizz up in a food processor and add the "biltong sprinkles" to various dishes. It's great sprinkled into an omelette, stirred into cream cheese or made into muffins.

Is there any chance you could post the method for making it please? I'd love to have a go! :j :j :j

competitionscafe

Hippocrocoduckadacadil wrote: »

I've only just registered so I wont post any links yet as I haven't found out if it's allowed, but I do have a recommendation for a very good South African shop (which I have no personal interest in apart from being one of their customers) and I also have links to useful recipes.

If you have no personal interest then it is okay to post the link /s - please do as they would be helpful (always looking for a good biltong supplier as I grew up in South Africa)


Thanks and welcome to MSE/ Old Style

Hippocrocoduckadacadil

Cool! The shop is: Susmans Best Beef Biltong (check the web address!)
The shop is not far from me and, although I think my biltong is better , they also do a whole host of yummy SA goodies. What I believe sets them apart from some other SA retailers is that they regularly test their goods when they get to the "best before" date. Anything found to taste stale gets skipped. I've been told by many people that stuff they've bought from shops selling SA goods has been "off". It wont happen with Susmans. They also supply biltong & it's sausage-cousin, droewors, to outlets such as Selfridges. The webshop lists most of the stuff they sell but there is often other stuff in the shop itself.

Click on "Fun Stuff" for some recipes, including Biltong Spread, Biltong Muffins and Biltong Potbread. Most of the recipes on this site are SA classics and will make any Saffies reading them drool.

With regards to the biltong my husband and I make: I'm not desperately secretive about the recipe, but it would take some time to describe as you will probably also have to build a drying cupboard for it. In SA, people who hunt often make game biltong at home and it will dry perfectly well hanging from the rafters of their garage. We are not blessed with such a climate here and it WILL go off if not dried properly. It's not hard once you have the setup but you really do need somewhere which will only be used for biltong making. If anyone is prepared to go to these lengths for a bit of dried up (but delicious) beef, please pm me and I will send you a file with the method (It's a powerpoint presentation and not on my personal computer, so please dont expect an instant response - I'll have to wrest it from my dh's control first!!)

thriftlady_2

Anyone in the Worcestershire area might like to know that Checketts of Ombersley stock biltong , or at least they have done in the past.