Dehumidifier and Biltong box

[Jvoelcker]

For anyone who is interested - I put a humidity and temperature sensor in my biltong box, and then set a virtual humidistat to switch the heat on/of at a 50%RH set-point, while keeping the fan on for circulation. Here is the graph so far. It sent in at 9pm on the 12th (beginning of graph), humidity in box steadily rising - then gradually decreasing over time - then at the end you see the 'waves' where the humidistat kicked in to keep the RH at around 50%. So far so good. Perhaps a bit of an overkill for making biltong - but I love it Those little downward spikes you see on the graph is when I opened the box to check the biltong.
View attachment 252289

Here is the corresponding temperature in the box - though humidity is what is most important. The box sits in my garage which while attached to the house, is much colder than the house itself. I had the box on (and empty) for 24 hours beforehand to prime it.

View attachment 252290

interesting, although a little nerdy for even me

The only question I have us what should the minimum temperature be?

My first batch has taken over a week out in the garage, probably because it has been so cold at nights. I can set a thermostat to fire up the heater, but the question is, what is the best minimum temperature for slow biltong rather than cooked jerky?

 

[aris]

Heat doesn’t come into it unless you need it to regulate humidity. In fact too much heat can be detrimental as it could aid bacteria and far too much can literally cook the meat.

Focus more on airflow and humidity - the whole point is to release moisture from the meat. Dry too fast, you get case hardening where the outside gets so dry that it seals in the moisture inside. Too slow and it has a risk of spoilage. You want an equilibrium to allow the moisture inside to wick out and evaporate off.

 

[Jvoelcker]

Heat doesn’t come into it unless you need it to regulate humidity. In fact too much heat can be detrimental as it could aid bacteria and far too much can literally cook the meat.

Focus more on airflow and humidity - the whole point is to release moisture from the meat. Dry too fast, you get case hardening where the outside gets so dry that it seals in the moisture inside. Too slow and it has a risk of spoilage. You want an equilibrium to allow the moisture inside to wick out and evaporate off.

I have the air flow and can warm up the incoming air for out and out dehydrating.


Presumably you are regulating the humidity by adjusting the air flow and temperature?

 

[aris]

I have the air flow and can warm up the incoming air for out and out dehydrating.


Presumably you are regulating the humidity by adjusting the air flow and temperature?

I have the fan on 100% of the time (airflow) and i'm regulating RH by switching the heat on and off. When the RH hits 50% I switch the heat off (a 40w incandescent lightbulb), when it hits 51%, it switches back on. As you can see from the graph, there is a fair bit of lag there in the RH - but that is 100% ok - i'm not cooking crack here

I need to do some experimenting - but I think the mean time between switch-off-heat events will tell me when the biltong is ready.

 

[Jvoelcker]

Ok.

I have the fan on all the time and a thermostatically controlled heater element.

I guess next time I will set the min temp to 10 or 15 degrees and see how I get on with that.

 

[aris]

Ok.

I have the fan on all the time and a thermostatically controlled heater element.

I guess next time I will set the min temp to 10 or 15 degrees and see how I get on with that.

Are you having any specific problems that you are wanting to adjust?

 

[Jvoelcker]

Are you having any specific problems that you are wanting to adjust?

Just taking a long time - after 7 days still pretty soft in the middle.

We have had frosts on half the mornings so assuming it hasn't been warm enough.

 

[aris]

Just taking a long time - after 7 days still pretty soft in the middle.

We have had frosts on half the mornings so assuming it hasn't been warm enough.

How thick do you cut the meat?

Come to think of it - if you are seeing a frost - you probably have a fair bit of humidity in the air too. If you can control the temp in the box, set it to 15 - 25C - depending on how far the heat source is from the meat itself (otherwise the bits near the heat source could cook, or dry too fast.

Ideally you want a humidistat though.

Also - is your fan blowing on the meat, or extracting air from the box to create airflow?

 

[Jvoelcker]

If you can see the original post I have air drawn in through a heater element in to a chamber and then drawn across the drying area to a secondary chamber and then blown out.

The air flow and temperature is pretty constant across the drying chamber.

First tranche were some Muntjac loin/back straps, unsliced. I guess some strips were an inch square and some an inch and a half by two inch.

I'll try setting the minimum temp to 15 degrees and see how that goes for the next lot.

 

[bobthedug]

I bought this one and its fantastic .only.40 quid from,Amazon. Its full up with biltong and ready for switching on ..

Mines arrived the other day and that the first batch in. I made a batch of dog treats using the cuts of meat that I didn’t put in the marinade. That was certainly a big hit with the dogs!
Looking forward to trying it out.

 

[aris]

If you can see the original post I have air drawn in through a heater element in to a chamber and then drawn across the drying area to a secondary chamber and then blown out.

The air flow and temperature is pretty constant across the drying chamber.

First tranche were some Muntjac loin/back straps, unsliced. I guess some strips were an inch square and some an inch and a half by two inch.

I'll try setting the minimum temp to 15 degrees and see how that goes for the next lot.

That's a bit too thick. Not impossible mind you - but takes much more care and attention to humidity levels - similar to the environment needed for drying an Italian Coppa which is a big chunk of pork shoulder.
Try for a maximum thickness of 1/2 inch everywhere.

 

[tmac]

A piece of string across the underside of the kitchen shelf. Cost pennies. This lot was hung up last Monday. None of it made to this Monday as it had dried and been eaten in that time.

It is an Edinburgh flat complete with sash windows so plenty of natural ventilation - not at all like a modern hermetically sealed box.

Flies - simple - plenty of salt, pepper and coriander and make sure the meat is well covered. Even in Zambia where the flies are terrible the spices keep them off.

To keep the Biltong hanging up you do need to mount an armed guard, as tall two legged rats seem to steal it when not looking.

And it uses

A piece of string across the underside of the kitchen shelf. Cost pennies. This lot was hung up last Monday. None of it made to this Monday as it had dried and been eaten in that time.

It is an Edinburgh flat complete with sash windows so plenty of natural ventilation - not at all like a modern hermetically sealed box.

Flies - simple - plenty of salt, pepper and coriander and make sure the meat is well covered. Even in Zambia where the flies are terrible the spices keep them off.

To keep the Biltong hanging up you do need to mount an armed guard, as tall two legged rats seem to steal it when not looking.

And it uses no power.

How long did you leave it hanging? Any fans used or just naturally ventilated?

 

[Heym SR20]

How long did you leave it hanging? Any fans used or just naturally ventilated?

Natural ventilation. Current batch hung up last Thursday, ready on Monday. Typically it gets a hard skin in 24 to 36 hours, thin pieces are hard and ready to eat after three to four. Thicker pieces take longer - still soft in the middle after four or five. None of ours gets tends to survive a week.

In winter time I get forced to crack the kitchen winter open a bit cos the pepper and coriander smell is a little over powering at first, but it soon gets closed again.

If its wet and damp - we are talking Edinburgh it takes a bit longer. Friends over in Argyl follow the same method and takes another day or so.

You do want good natural ventilation- we live in an old Edinburgh house with high ceilings and sash windows so naturally ventilated. A hermetically sealed modern box with no air movement might be a bit different.

And plenty of pepper keeps the flies off. Even in Africa, pepper keeps the flies off. The bigger problem are the two legged pests - ie children, spouses, partners and their friends.

 

[tmac]

Natural ventilation. Current batch hung up last Thursday, ready on Monday. Typically it gets a hard skin in 24 to 36 hours, thin pieces are hard and ready to eat after three to four. Thicker pieces take longer - still soft in the middle after four or five. None of ours gets tends to survive a week.

In winter time I get forced to crack the kitchen winter open a bit cos the pepper and coriander smell is a little over powering at first, but it soon gets closed again.

If its wet and damp - we are talking Edinburgh it takes a bit longer. Friends over in Argyl follow the same method and takes another day or so.

You do want good natural ventilation- we live in an old Edinburgh house with high ceilings and sash windows so naturally ventilated. A hermetically sealed modern box with no air movement might be a bit different.

And plenty of pepper keeps the flies off. Even in Africa, pepper keeps the flies off. The bigger problem are the two legged pests - ie children, spouses, partners and their friends.

Thanks!

Forgive my ignorance but which cuts do you use for it?

 

[Heym SR20]

Thanks!

Forgive my ignorance but which cuts do you use for it?

Any part. But trim the fat off.

 

[Heym SR20]

Thanks!

Forgive my ignorance but which cuts do you use for it?

And any fat free meat works well. Haven’t tried but expect pigeon or goose breasts might work quite well, beef is superb, but I think lamb might be rather fatty. I know that smoked fox is rather good, but I suppose you could make biltong. Wild boar is also rather good.

 

[aris]

Any part. But trim the fat off.

Fat on biltong is nice though it depends on the type. Best is grass fed beef. Fat is yellow and melts in your mouth. If you get that hard white fat - it is yuk.

 

[nic531]

That was certainly a big hit with the dogs!

go down to your local abattoir (or order from a good butcher) and get Ox liver.... thinly slice and dry.... dogs love it and it only costs 2 quid a kilo