ryan lewis
Member
Anyone done any billtong with munjac? If so what recipes please?
Billtong
- Thread starter ryan lewis
- Start date
deerstalker.308
Well-Known Member
I buy the pre mixed spice mix and add to it, things like chilli flakes, turmeric, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce etc, play around, make loads, you’ll soon eat it!!
Ali
Well-Known Member
I've been making biltong for over 30 years. You can make it out of any meat - even chicken, though the limiting factor there is potential pathogens.
At its basis - all you need is salt. 25g per kilo of meat.
Cut the meat into thin strips - say 1cm thick (can be as wide as you want) .
Weigh meat, and measure out 2.5% of salt by meat weight.
Salt the meat on all sides and marinate in fridge for 12-24 hours. If you are using any spicing, add this now too.
Optional (but a good idea) add some vinegar during the marination process. Don't need a lot - just enough to wet it.
Traditional spicing for biltong is predominantly ground coriander seed. All sorts of other stuff is added depending on what flavour profile you want. Pepper, chilli, sugar, clove - you name it people have tried it. If you like a chilli bite to it, you can consider using a flavoured vinegar in the marinade. For instance, put 50g of your favourite chopped fresh chilles in a bottle of vinegar for several weeks - then use that vinegar in your marinade. Scotch bonnets are great for this (but they are spicy).
Then hang it to dry. This is a whole other side of the process and many ways to do it - but if you have a dehydrator, you can use that, or build/buy a biltong drying machine.
At its basis - all you need is salt. 25g per kilo of meat.
Cut the meat into thin strips - say 1cm thick (can be as wide as you want) .
Weigh meat, and measure out 2.5% of salt by meat weight.
Salt the meat on all sides and marinate in fridge for 12-24 hours. If you are using any spicing, add this now too.
Optional (but a good idea) add some vinegar during the marination process. Don't need a lot - just enough to wet it.
Traditional spicing for biltong is predominantly ground coriander seed. All sorts of other stuff is added depending on what flavour profile you want. Pepper, chilli, sugar, clove - you name it people have tried it. If you like a chilli bite to it, you can consider using a flavoured vinegar in the marinade. For instance, put 50g of your favourite chopped fresh chilles in a bottle of vinegar for several weeks - then use that vinegar in your marinade. Scotch bonnets are great for this (but they are spicy).
Then hang it to dry. This is a whole other side of the process and many ways to do it - but if you have a dehydrator, you can use that, or build/buy a biltong drying machine.
HonestJohn
Well-Known Member
And coriander
Sampo
Well-Known Member
Make a Biltong making machine with a food grade 30l plastic bucket with a few holes on the bottom (covered with a plastic mesh to keep insects out) and one of those USB powered computer fans on the top. Make some provisions to hang the meat with some rods and you are done. All it needs is air flow and not heat. If at any point any part gets/ feels mouldy, wipe it of with vinegar and it will be fine.
There are many ways of making a drying box - but with the mould, I would caveat that. If it is white mould - either specs, or furry stuff, then yes, you can probably wipe with vinegar and re-hang. If it is any other colour - throw it out. Also give it a sniff. If it doesn't pass the sniff test, throw it out. You will know if it doesn't pass the sniff test.
Lastly - if you do want to give your biltong a squeeze to see how dry it is while drying - make sure you have washed your hands first. You will find that mould starts growing where you touched it otherwise (like a petri dish). Also make sure you use fresh meat - not something close to its use-by date. If you are doing your own venison - then take all the proper precautions like chilling down the carcase and processing it into biltong ASAP.
I’m struggling to visualise where you put the fan here?
Sampo
Well-Known Member
Put the fan in a way that air gets drawn in from the bottom holes and pushed out of the top. All it needs is a gentle air flow and not something powerful. I have added a bulb in the bottom at times when things have gone cold but have found it easier to plan to make Biltong during summer when its closer to 20 degrees as opposed to 5. A batch of two lasts the rest of the year for me.
Superb - thank you!
I make a lot with mostly Roe.
/kg venison (roughly 1" thick strips)
20g Salt
4g Ground coriander seeds
2g Ground black pepper
1g Brown sugar
Worcester sauce
Marinate for about a day then hang in dryer.
I use a plastic storage box with wooden dowels to hang the biltong on. A computer fan sucks air through the box via holes in opposite side. No additional heat required.
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
We have a very high tech biltong maker. A piece of string under a high kitchen shelf where there is plenty of airflow.
First shoot a deer.
My spice mix is
1/3 seasalt
1/3 black pepper corns
1/3 corriander seeds
Coarsely ground
Cut deer into long strips
Lay in a glass covering with spice mix
Add red wine - the best is the half bottle that has been open for a while. Let marinade for a few hours.
Open up lots of paper clips into S shaped hooks
Hang the lot up to dry.
Mount an armed guard to keep children, friends and neighbours from sampling.
When its ready load it all into a rucksack. Take out to a favourite spot and eat it all at your leisure.
Then produce biltong farts for next few days.
First shoot a deer.
My spice mix is
1/3 seasalt
1/3 black pepper corns
1/3 corriander seeds
Coarsely ground
Cut deer into long strips
Lay in a glass covering with spice mix
Add red wine - the best is the half bottle that has been open for a while. Let marinade for a few hours.
Open up lots of paper clips into S shaped hooks
Hang the lot up to dry.
Mount an armed guard to keep children, friends and neighbours from sampling.
When its ready load it all into a rucksack. Take out to a favourite spot and eat it all at your leisure.
Then produce biltong farts for next few days.
Last edited:
J@son
Well-Known Member
I made a biltong box from an old bedside cabinet that I bought for the purpose. Simply drill some holes around the top and fit an old fashioned light bulb down the bottom below some racks from which to suspend the meat you are planning to dry. I protected the holes with a flexible mesh to stop flies getting inside during the summer. To prepare the meat I wash it in vinegar then roll it in a mixture of salt pepper ground coriander and chili. Then suspender in the box switch on the light and come back in one, two or three days time - depending on the thickness of the cuts. I find biltong is a really good way to make excellent use of the heart.
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