Biltong, South African dried beef.

The name seems a bit strange. It has nothing to do with a tongue and yet it is Dutch, purely Dutch.

The technique of drying meat was introduced in South Africa by the Dutch pioneers. Biltong is the national snack in South Africa, invented by the Dutch. In times when there were no refrigerators, no freezers, and no shops in the undiscovered areas where the pioneers’ expeditions took place, the adventurers had to make up for the lack of food.

After all, food only lasts a few days. The pioneers from the Netherlands and Flanders knew something about it: you can dry meat. And then it lasts for months. In Holland, natural meat was dried for sausage, such as bone-dry Frisian dried sausage, and ham. Perhaps meat was simply dried to serve as a snack or snack while working in the fields. Little is known about this, but it is plausible.

The Dutchmen who left for South Africa as “pioneers” knew this, they knew the technique.
The meat is cut into strips about 1 centimeter thick. Width and length depend on the available piece of meat. Before the meat is hung to dry, it is first placed in coarse salt (table salt is too fine). After it has been sitting for a while, the salt is removed with the back of a knife. The longer in the salt, the saltier the taste. Ten minutes is often enough. Afterwards it is passed through vinegar with a few drops of Worcestershire sauce. Traditionally, apple cider vinegar is used for the preparation, but other flavors are also very useful. The meat is rubbed with a spice mixture after the salt and vinegar treatment. After the treatment, the meat is hung in the open air to dry in a cardboard box or drying cabinet. Drying time varies.

• Choose your weight.
• Store in the freezer and take out as needed!
• Read more about how to preserve biltong and beef jerkey here
• Beef, salt e250, pepper, coriander, vinegar.Energy: 1096 kJ/261 Kcal, Proteins: 53.5 g, Carbohydrates: 0.6 g, Fat: 7.1 g (of which saturated: 2.1 g), Fiber: 1.8 g, Sodium: 2.1 g.
• Allergens: none