Biltong.
- Thread starter VSS
- Start date
It would be a cured product, like prosciutto or salami. You certainly don’t want to use enough heat to cook it. I don’t usually even keep it in the fridge. It’s fine for a few weeks. I doubt vacuum packing would be necessary, unless you wanted to keep it months in the fridge.
Re. Mould. White mould is fine, I wipe it off with a cloth soaked in vinegar as soon as I see any. Black mould is bad. Throw it. You need to keep things clean as possible during preparation. Bent paper clips are good for hanging it up, will try to find some photos
I haven’t given it to a teething child, but my daughter loved it from the age of 2 or 3. It shouldn’t really have mould on it, and it’s easy enough to avoid, unless your part of Wales is really excessively humid.
Boerewors even more delicious - you should consider trying to make some of that. I never tried because wife and daughter always wolf the stuff down like dinosaurs.
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Nope, by the time its dried these sort crumble away. They add bite if you are gnawing away on large sticks, and not noticeable if sliced.
I do though ten to split out the individual muscles and the slice those. Some of the smaller ones just open up and butterfly.
Re flies and spicing - you do want a good coating of spice and the black pepper keeps the flies away. You need plenty of airflow.
As for long term storage, keep it dry. If you put in a box, plastic tub it goes mouldy. Remember in Africa it was and is food for the times of need, and also travel food.
You can actually use biltongue rehydrated to make stews etc.
If you are going to keep it long time add some salt petre or other antioxidant to the mix - most commercial makers do this.
I find though biggest problem is keeping it longer than a week - you will find lots of two legged pests arrive at your door - just popped round to see you…..
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Yes, it's very humid here, all the time. We have a maritime climate and keeping anything dry is a nightmare.
Big_Sparky
Well-Known Member
according to my local butcher who wanted to stock and sell it required a segregated counter, scales and cutting surfaces from the meat, so wasn't viable for him to sell. Draw from that what you will.
In terms of drying, I made a box with a bulb, PC fan and led driver and some fly screen.
The coriander, salt, pepper mix is good, add mild chilli to flavour.
I give it a vinegar bath before adding seasoning and don't tend to get any mould but then it doesn't last long.
I used this, works a dream. Very simple. The coriander and salt keeps any flys away (and we get lots of flys this time of year).
Woodsmoke
Well-Known Member
I made my biltong box with a plastic storage tub, some wooden dowel, and a USB computer fan. Mineral oil on the wood to seal it, and a few holes drilled at the opposite end for ventilation. I also added a lightbulb holder for a wee bit of additional heat if needed. Works really well.
SussexSteve
Well-Known Member
I did the same works a treat
Another question:
I'm planning on drying it in the bottom oven of the Rayburn, with the door left partly open. It's not high enough to hang the strips though, so I was planning on laying them on a grid (eg, stainless steel cooling rack). Will that be OK?
I've got some in the marinade now, and it's looking good so far!
I'm planning on drying it in the bottom oven of the Rayburn, with the door left partly open. It's not high enough to hang the strips though, so I was planning on laying them on a grid (eg, stainless steel cooling rack). Will that be OK?
I've got some in the marinade now, and it's looking good so far!
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