making biltong in humid climate making biltong in humid climate
Make sure your airflow from the fan is getting all around the meat. Biltong needs a fresh air supply to wick the moisture off the meat and dehydrates it. This is what my grandfather did, and I suspect the early pioneers too. 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. It just needs to be somewhere in the range of humidity approximately and temperature above. As I did 6.4 kg of topside and at the last minute decided to not introduce any smoke on the grounds it should be kept original. Vinegar is acidic and reacts with certain metals. Thank you so very much. I can now start my first batch of biltong with confidence. This will be grain-fed beef. Many folks do love it and that's cool too. Homemade Biltong Recipe - How To Make Biltong - Karnivore Do you ever use pink curing salt when making Biltong? Thus giving us a delicious product that is safeguarded against spoilage. Are there any issues you have to pay special attention to when making biltong in a humid climate? We will add the peppercorns unroasted. A Link to this webpage was sent to me by a friend in South Africa and it looks delicious. Any mould left on will grow back. Start weighing after about 4 days to monitor the weight loss. just a random story. You can use red wine vinegar rather than balsamic vinegar if you prefer. Im lucky enough to harvest quality meat from the wild. Add a hook to the thickest end of each length. 2 Tablespoons of roasted coriander seeds - you can crush these or chop a bit to release the favors. Have tried others but always come back to this recipe by Charle. This affects the quality of the biltong and also increases the risk of mould growth. Since curing meat in a curing chamber is a craft, temperature and humidity do not have to be exact, but more so within a range. 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. Geez people , biltong is air cured meat. Many DIY biltong makers will construct a 'biltong box' with a fan and a lightbulb to create good air circulation and warm temperatures. This site may earn commissions when you visit certain links. You are using an out of date browser. Here are the ingredients and equipment you will need to make biltong. First time making the biltong. Your biltong will be ready once it's lost 50% of its weight. So glad I found your post!! Hi Tom, thanks for your very informative blog! Biltong is a type of dried meat typically made from beef, but also from game meat such as venison, ostrich, kudu, and eland (to name a few). jes commissions open on Twitter: "My attempt at making a character About to start my first batch, will let you know how it turns out. Place several (about 7) wooden rods (C) inside the box about 2 inches from the top. But the results and the process improved once I improved the airflow and oxygen going in the chamber. Place a tray underneath the meat while drying. Making biltong - South Africans - Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand This is especially necessary in countries /areas with high humidity to prevent mould and spoilage. it needs much thinner cuts, no more than 1cm. Anyway I reckon your recipe is the best I have come across. When asked about the best way to store biltong, Maxine says, "I recommend to not store it in the fridge if the biltong is in any form of packaging. 4 1/2kg now drying. When the fan was blowing, that moisture got pushed into the chamber. If you find that youve been testing your biltong for readiness for 2-3 weeks and it just doesnt seem to be drying in the middle, this may be your problem. Its really hard to guess whats going on without seeing it. Most mould problems are caused by improper drying procedures. Over the years, many ways have become available for people to make cured meats at home or in tight spaces. Use a non-reactive storage container when soaking the meat in vinegar. Wet stones and ceramic steels. And everywhere I go my camera goes too so many of the articles are illustrated with my own photos. Hey mate, thanks! So, many omit the salt soak and add the salt to the spice mix instead. If you want a little more control, you can upgrade to a biltong box or other drying box. It's cured meat which has its origins in much the same way as many other famous cured types of meat. He said it never got below 77F/25C at any time of the year, day or night! After your biltong has dried to your preferred consistency, you can continue to store it hanging in a well aerated space indefinitely. Let it sit for 2 hours in the salt flipping a few times to ensure even salting. I recommend leaving it on. Even putting it in a biltong box is not traditional, as the flavor wont have time to develop. Temperature and Humidity for Meat Curing Chamber Try a small batch first and keep an eye on it :) 4 Reply ethnastydizasty 4 yr. ago I'm also in the PNW (Vancouver, Canada) and I just finished building a new box. Why wash off and waste all that good flavour? One can get extremely creative with this so here are a few ideas. How to Make a Biltong Box or Buy | Biltong Blog Your email address will not be published. Find it, it will be worth the effort. Pick one side of the meat slab and slide the meat hook through. I actually tried growing some gray oyster mushrooms in the chamber and it didnt work because they need such a significant amount of oxygen and airflow. This is why it is important to check on the progress of the biltong every single day. Its best to toast the seeds to release the oils for flavour, but also because the oil suppresses bacterial growth. There are affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. 1 Tablespoon of finely ground black pepper. You are right. Other cuts can be used, but are not as high in quality. These involve the cuts of beef from the top of the leg to the mid back or short loin. Pat thoroughly dry with kitchen paper towel and hang the strips in the Biltong Maker. Toast the spices, apart from the peppercorns, in a dry pan until fragrant and giving off a bit of smoke. But before I started doing jerky I was making South African biltong, this is a slower drying process and uses much chunkier bits of meat. If youre making this biltong recipe for yourself, consider making or buying a biltong box or biltong dryer where you can control the environment where the biltong is made. I have used it with great success with beef, kangaroo, fallow and red deer meat. 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! Used it before when I had to go on a long hike. In this guide, Im going to show you how to make it for yourself. If youve not checked for a while and found your biltong totally covered, sadly the best place for it is the bin. When you live in a city or a humid climate, you can use one of the following proven and tested methods. Bicarb has a pretty unpleasant taste, so its important to keep the quantity low. Once dry, these biltong slabs are sliced and eaten. Learning and consuming in a circular fashion, I am always interested in what is happening around the curing and smoking world. But I havent tried it and I cant say Ive heard any great outcomes if youre looking at longer-term dry curing for months. Either way, both are tasty meat snacks with a very loyal global following even though they differ a lot. Its worth noting that the thicker you cut your initial beef cuts, the slower the drying process must be to avoid case hardening, so try cutting thinner next time. Cover the container and let your biltong cure for 24 hours in the fridge, turning and rubbing through the meat occasionally. Hint and tips for making Biltong - Biltong Makers Your tutorial is very good and your recipe looks amazing. I was able to share it with my friends and everyone really loved it. If you suspect that case hardening is your problem, I recommend cutting through the end of the meat and checking it. Salt is essential to let the meat dry and cure properly. Biltong is a savoury snack, not a desert! The right amount of fat to keep on your meat for biltong is contentious, and quite honestly, it comes down to personal taste. The easiest way to measure dryness is with your fingers. 01 May 2023 01:09:48 Sure thing. 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. You need to find the balance between quality and cost because in the drying process, youre going to lose some of the weight, and then per pound biltong can work out quite expensive but it is so worth it! Adding sugar brown sugar, for example may sweeten the taste but it also brings you closer to beef jerky than to South African biltong. 1 Cup of vinegar. Increase the airflow and decrease the humidity to prevent another bout of mould. Its not a traditional ingredient if were going full purist, but it balances the saltiness well. The Worcestershire sauce just adds depth of flavor to the biltong. What is the science of drying/dehydrating meat? Biltong, jerky, etc Weigh the meat and write it on the label. I ended up unplugging the humidifier as it appears I dont need it in such a small space. I have looked at many different recipes and I think this sounds like the best. The brown vinegar in South Africa typically has a bit of brown sugar in it. White spirit vinegar is traditional (made from grape must). You should assume any link is an affiliate link. Every experienced biltong maker has a personal recipe for making biltong. I added a UV light to prevent mould forming (because I live in a very humid part of the world! 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! If you spot mould, wipe it off with vinegar and move the biltong to a dryer better-ventilated area. Limited Time 50% OFF. 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. The fan was drawing in the oxygen and therefore pumping some more additional fresh air. If it smells or looks rotten then throw it out as some other bad bacteria took hold and you can't save spoiled meat. Prepare your own Biltong spices for use with this dehydrator biltong. There's a lengthy thread on biltong making. You can go up to 6 hours before adding the baking soda if you're using it. A friends husband thought if he cut the little moldy section off a piece of biltong hed left in the refrigerator for a while it would be fine. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. https://asktheexpert.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/109/~/what-causes-grayish-color-on-cured-pork%3F. Be sure to get it all or its likely to spread again. So before I try your recipe I have a question, in the recipe for salting you say 2 hrs yet the video says 3 hrs and for curing recipe 2 hrs video 1 hrs. If you want to change the flavors up a little, create a mixture of 60% vinegar 40% Worcestershire sauce and use this for the marinade in the biltong recipe. How to build the DIY homemade Biltong Box. Would a little chili powder in the wet marinade be OK or would it ruin it? This will balance out the gradient. Homemade Biltong! | OCAU Forums By bookmarking these links you help support the upkeep of this site. JavaScript is disabled. Repeat the layers until the thin strips are on top, and add a final dressing of salt. Cheers T. Ive been wanting to find out if my crawlspace (no actual crawling required) is suitable for hanging and curing meats. And that is saltpeter. Im still on the learning curve with biltong but this recipe is giving me the best results. What Ive seen with temperature control and different curing chambers is that the compressor or whatever form of cooling is used may create more or less moisture as well as impacting the humidifier or dehumidifier. in the right zone of 10-20C, thats fine/ humidity not dry over 60%. This affects the drying as the humidity and temperature play a role when drying biltong at home". You can read it here. The method and spice mix hasnt changed much in hundreds of years, but a few variations have appeared recently, like piri piri biltong and the use of additional ingredients like worcestershire sauce and dried chillies. Always slice across the grain of the meat when eating it. I don't know anyone that likes dry or hard cured biltong but some do prefer it. As far as I am concerned the light bulb is used to draw air upwards and out of the It should lose at least 40% - 50% moisture before it's ready. Can it cause spoilage or just a longer time for the meat to cure ? For most people, a balcony with a fan blowing over the meat would be the easiest. Malt vinegar is what is used in foreign countries perhaps where they cannot find Spirit vinegar. Once you have tasted biltong, youll be a fan of this spiced dried meat that South Africans have made famous around the world. Hello I would like to try this recipe how does it work on elk or deer meat they might be to lean. My local butcher goes way overboard with salt on their biltong. Nice basic recipe as used by my family for many years. Just remember that although biltong meat will dehydrate to about 50% of its original mass, the fat will pretty much stay the same. Biltong spice is a mixture of toasted, crushed coriander seed, cracked black pepper, flaked or coarse salt, and brown sugar. Salt and vinegar both act as detergents against bad bacteria by displacing water and lowering the Ph level. That way, you can cut the biltong into the thickness of slabs you prefer and trim off the amount of fat so that it is precisely how you would like it. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Its important to know that biltong is not smoked meat it is air-dried. I've just made my first batch and it's fantastic! Step #6: attach the dehumidifier. I will do it again for sure!! Thank you very much. It slows the contraction of the proteins, leaving the final product still dry, but less tough. By drying the meat we get rid of excess water which in turn helps to preserve it and also give it amazing flavour. 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. Having said that, dont be tempted to try and make it in the ovenbiltong takes several days to dry, and most ovens wont go low enough to dry the meat slowly enough to avoid cooking it. When you have mastered the art of making biltong you will have plenty of friends flocking around to enjoy big games with a couple of drinks and the platter of biltong being passed around. If you want to see how it's done, jump to the video in the recipe using the above button. For me the best biltong has got to have a nice layer of fat on it, but if you want you can trim the fat as much as you like or choose a lean cut like eye of round. What were trying to achieve when drying biltong is to concentrate the flavour of the beef by removing a lot of the moisture, similar to dry aging. It may not display this or other websites correctly. The top of this article goes through all the best beef cuts for making biltong. 30 degrees Celcius or 86 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature to dry biltong at. The trick is just getting it done. I had this probably with a large commercial fridge, too much power! Thanks for your time. Are there any issues you have to pay special attention to when making biltong in a humid climate? Hi John, Thanks for your kind words, really encouraging for me. 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. If the case hardening is severe, the tough outer layer can prevent moisture from leaving the middle. If you pick the right meat, you wont need to use bicarb at all. You can also do this in a fridge, but make sure the fridge is spotlessly clean and the meat does not touch anything. Hang your meat in a biltong box or other dry-air well-ventilated area away from pests, insects or animals. Trial and error is the way! Remember Parma Ham is in controlled environment for 3 months, then often its just hanging around in a building with the windows open, when it rains they close the windows! Pick good quality meat with a nice layer of fat and if possible fat marbling. For biltong making it is not worth buying super expensive meat as you should rather grill your top quality cuts, like fillet steak. Thank you Charlie I have sourced 5kg of topside for the next batch and I agree fennel is awesome just got to be careful about my salt intake as I now make a lot of billtong cold smoked salmon and kimchi. - pat meat dry and season with biltong spices - coriander (mandatory), chilli (optional) and salt and pepper. Hopefully, theyre dry enough to handle the hotter setting. Airflow and how consistent the moisture is in the environment is key to any dry curing project, but it can work in many scenarios. My wife cant stand biltong, never has, UNTIL NOW! If you want something a little more fancy, there are biltong cutters (a board with a hinged knife attached), biltong knives (traditional knives made for purpose), hand crank mechanical cutters, and at the high end, expensive elecric cutters, mostly used by butchers and biltong suppliers. I keep mine forever in a freezer vacuum sealed. The salt is an excellent flavour enhancer and should definitely be includedjust a little less to avoid the need for washing. 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.