Is that fat on the left side?, I ALWAYS take all fat/ sinew off before drying.
mike
As above really, my latest lump of rump is going to need a fine timepiece to dismember perfectly so in the real world , which model of 1665 would you use?
Is that fat on the left side?, I ALWAYS take all fat/ sinew off before drying.
mike
It is always best with some fat.
Nogal lekker.
I would have thought a Rhodesian / South African issued Roamer would be best but it’s a MM300 for me today!
I took my latest batch out of the biltong box yesterday, need to start another batch tomorrow, we go through it at unbelievable speed.
I like to leave a bit of fat on mine keeps is a bit more moist. (But I do cut it off before eating)
I need to investigate these boxes and how to make this... I like biltong I’m always disappointed with supermarket packs.
You just need some Mopane 🐛 and you’ve got yourself a proper snack.
Detail your method (including any equipment used) - that’d be really useful and appreciated.
Cheers!
My method (taught by my father in law) is simple
Top side of beef sliced to size.
Soak in white vinigar for a few hours in the fridge (over night is good)
Then season to taste. I use salt, black pepper coriander seeds and dried chilli in equal amounts. Go easy on the salt but you do need a fair bit. One heaped teaspoon of salt per 400g seems to work. You need to get the seasoning to coat all of the meat.
You can buy pre made seasoning which can be good, the Freddie Hursh Kalahari mix is my favourite if using pre made.
I then hang it in my box which is in the garage for around 4 days. Thicker bits will still be wet but thinner bits will dry out so you please everyone.
Check out Billies and Tong. The Mrs bought my box from them. They also do pre mixed spices which are handy for starting out.
Thanks for that!
Any details of the box and ventilation requirements of your garage?
I’m keen to try, as I make my own bacon and roast ham - and appreciate the quality achieved by avoiding supermarkets etc and doing myself.
Cheers
When chopping something, I use a hand axe. For slicing meat I use a sharp knife. I don't recall ever being asked what watch to use. Mental.
Nice biltong rig though.
There’s a old thread here with a few pointers Al.
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...hlight=Biltong
Cheers..
Jase
My garage is insulated and water tight that’s about it
The box has two ventilation holes at the back one up top and one on the bottom, the bottom hole is filled with a desk top computer type fan the top with a mesh
There is also a 60w light bulb in the box that dries the air.
My box has a thermometer and humidity detector in the door but it’s not imperative.
Have a look at the website billies and tong for inspiration. The boxes are really easy to knock up yourself if you have the most basic tools.
Mine cost about 6 quid to knock up.
OK first up... 1.6kgs of rump steak
Some cyder vinegar
Steak cut into manageable pieces
Arrange the steaks in a glass dish and add 150ml of vinegar and slosh it around a bit.
I use 50gms of salt and coriander per 1kg of meat
Add the salt and rub it all in, then into the fridge for 6 hours, see you all later.
.......One with a HACKING function,one assumes.
I’ll get me coat
Hmm, love Billtong. I am going to have to give that a go.
But the stuff we bought was mostly long fibres, not "steak" cut across the grain - does it make any difference???
I like the use of the appropriately South African (Rhodesian, as it was, I guess) Roamer Anfibio.
Dave
And out of the fridge , boil the hooks, stab the steak...
Make sure nothing is touching..
Now time for a cuppa and eat whats left from the last batch...
Wish I hadn't just read this, I'm really peckish now!
... and right next to the beer too - even if it is fosters
You remove your watch before chopping, hacking, any any other abrupt hand movements.
Right so now we have 875gms of potentially mega biltongius, which is going in the fridge to chill for a day or two, next up
we have 2.250 kgs of rump to marinate...
and this time a little bit different on the spice front, 120gms of salt and coriander and a splosh of Cox's bloody mary spicer to liven things up a bit, back soon...
Try a touch of brown sugar and some piri piri in the rub, it's very good.
Here's my basic recipe and method but not done it for a while.
2 kg roasting beef.(Silverside, Topside or such)(London Broil)
Roughly ½ cup of brown vinegar.
About ¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce.
Some good quality rock salt. About a cup should do.
(Not normal coarse salt or sea salt!
About ½ cup of soft brown sugar.
White pepper.
Roasted ground coriander.(a very important spice in Biltong so be liberal!!)
A teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, especially if venison or a lower grade of meat is used.
METHOD
Punch some small holes in the lids of two small bottles and pour the vinegar in one and the Worcestershire sauce in the other.
Dust the meat with some white pepper, the bicarbonate of soda and coriander.
Sprinkle a little of the coarse salt and sugar on the bottom of the marinating dish.
Layer the meat in the dish with the thicker pieces at the bottom.
Over each layer sprinkle a bit of the vinegar and the Worcestershire sauce.
Sprinkle a little more salt and sugar.
Ensure that you utilize the spices in such a manner that they run out just as you pack the last pieces of meat in the dish.
Let the meat draw in its own brine for about 12 hours.
Remove the meat and squeeze dry with your hands ensuring that no salt or spices cling to the meat.
At this stage you may want to press some more coriander and coarsely ground black pepper into the meat, but make sure that you take note of the proceedings so that you are able to make adjustments later, if necessary, with subsequent batches.
Skewer the meat and hang.
My very rough and ready box but it seems to do the job. And as for a watch to wear while prepping, chopping, eating biltong I favour whatever is on my wrist at the time.
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Last edited by subseastu; 7th February 2019 at 17:04.
So to get this back on topic surely you need some kind of damascus steel box set.
Hmmm biltong watch straps,,
n2
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Love the fact this is in the watch talk section!
I know it’s watch talk but the next lot has been started!
I am wearing my new arrival though!
https://www.facebook.com/newmarkwatc...type=3&sfns=mo
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Well this lot is vac packed and off to store soon to be no more lol
Mine never hangs about long enough to need vac packing!
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Just finished making my first ever batch, and now ready to chop.
And yes, it is yummy.
Dave
What does it do with the taste? I am very fond of red meat, but this looks a bit disgusting.
It does loads to the taste, for the better, just like turning a ham into parma ham changes the taste.
Billtong is effectively a relatively fast drying cure, in strips, whereas making a whole parma ham takes many months of gentle drying through a much larger thickness of a whole cut of meat. Billtong takes just a few days because it is more aggressivel drying, but the effect is very similar.
Dave
Thread resurrection...
I am a bit late making a batch for the Xmas period but it should be ready by New Years.
I took a fallow and a muntjac deer last week so am just about to skin out the muntjac and make some biltong myself.
I have a lot in my freezer, the kids and grandchildren will devour most of it tonight..... pictures later
None you are making me ravenous for some.