Biltong Making Process

There is so much misinformation on the internet these days and I have no doubt that many have utilized different methods and parameters to achieve good results in making air dried beef. I want to share the truth about Biltong and the steps needed to make a great but more importantly safe product that is not only delicious but healthy for you.

I started my journey in the Fitness and Engineering industry which is a strange difference in fields for a person to go into but it has provided me with the skills needed to produce a top quality product that has won several awards in the USA. I have also been part of developing new products and running a commercial air dried facility on a large and multi product scale. I believe my engineering background has provided the scientific and technical background to understand the process and critical points in the process. My Fitness side understands the nutritional benefits of the product where my certifications in Six Sigma and HACCP has also allowed me to understand the Food Safety aspects of the product.

Any product that you don’t cook will be a risk to your health as it can contain bacteria that may make you extremely sick. There is only 1 published study that the USDA accepts and will hold your product to in the USA so it is critical to stick to that outline.

But that is enough about me and my background and let’s get into the fun stuff of actually making the product 😃

Let’s explore the critical control points in the process so we can better understand the parameters we are working with. There is only really 2 that you need to consider.

Firstly being your Vinegar % and second is your water activity.

Vinegar is the preservative aspect of the product and changes the PH of the meat which makes it safe to eat and prevents mold or bacteria growth. You have to achieve a 3% of total input meat weight to meet the minimum standard here. Now, you can utilize different vinegars. I have used red wine vinegar, white distilled vinegar and apple cider vinegar. Each with their own unique taste so this is up to you. Red wine is a richer more earthy flavor compared to white distilled vinegar which allows your spices to shine. Apple cider provides a more tangy note but all are very delicious if done right.

2nd point to note is your salt content. You need at least a 2.5% of meat input of salt to really get flavor and to further preserve your dried meat. I do not use any other preservatives or sugar in my recipes.

Let’s talk about water activity. Water activity measure the percentage of water in your product. It needs to be under 0.85 as anything above that gives bacteria a beautiful spa to grow in.

That really covers your food safe practices of your product but be sure to follow GMP to ensure further safety. Hands washed, gloves, clean downs and the basics of good housekeeping here because it’s just gross without these.

So how to actually make Biltong?

First pick out your beef. Eye rounds are a leaner internal product compared to bottom round flats which have a higher internal marbling aspect. Eyes will give you a beautiful fat layer on the external of the slices but flats have more internal fat. So this is really your preference. Once the meat has been selected it’s time to cut. Your best results for flavor and drying will be to cut your slabs into 1” or 25mm thick pieces. It does not have to be perfect. Thinner causes over dried product and over spiced and thicker cause not enough flavor. I utilize a rule of thumb here. Cut as thick as your thumb and you will be ok. Aim for clean cuts so a sharp no serrated blade works best.

Once you have your slabs (can be any size batch you want to make) start mixing your slurry. I utilized a vacuum tumbler that reduces the marinade time but you can also do it the old fashioned way of 24hour marination at 5c temperature so the options are yours. Let’s work on a 10kg batch of Biltong for this case. 10kg meat, 3%vinegar (3130g), 2.5% salt (2500g), coriander 2% (2000g), black pepper 1% (1000g). This is an extremely basic recipe that will give you a traditional Biltong flavor profile. But options here are endless. I am happy to help you develop your own flavors as well so reach out.

Mix your spices and vinegar properly to get an even distribution of flavor and make sure your salt isn’t just sitting at the bottom which is a common occurrence and can cause flavor issues. Once you are satisfied with your mixing add in your meat. Vacuum tumbling does the job of getting all the spices on every part of the meat and full absorption of vinegar and salt into the muscle fibers. You need to tumble for at least 30mins. If you don’t have this resource, it’s time to get hands in and mix. Make sure every piece is fully covered and then let the bucket of marinade and meat sit in the cooler at 5c for 24hours. I suggest mixing it up every few hours to ensure proper mixing occurs.

Now the 24hours has passed. Great stuff you are on the way to making fantastic Biltong!!!

Now we get onto hanging, yes hanging and do not tray the product ever!!! Because of the drying parameters and nature of the product. Traying will lead to mold and uneven drying . Hang the Biltong slabs with thicker end at the top and smaller side at the bottom. Try keep your pieces of the same size together on the same rod or rack setting. I will explain this more in a bit. Key here is to keep Biltong slabs evenly spaced. You need at least a finger width of space between each piece. You also want to alternate your hanging position on different rows. Air flow is critical to success here so these factors so your hanging orientation is vital. You want to hang your pieces in an alternating fashion so that you get even air distribution throughout. The other best piece of advice is to keep your smaller pieces further away from your fans than your bigger pieces. This will ensure even drying of your batch and get you the best product possible. You can use Biltong hooks or can use rods to push through your slabs for the drying cycle.

Now to the actual drying parameters. It is all well and good that you have your product mixed and your hanging in place. Alternating hanging and good mixing is half the battle. Your biggest challenge is now in the actual drying. Your parameters and drying room management are so crucial.

You want to be drying at 24 to 27c. Colder will cause the product to stay in the process too long and risk mold. Hotter will cause case hardening where only the external dries and all the moisture remains on the inside so you have a chewy shell and very wet inside of your Biltong.

RH or humidity is the next factor. Get your settings to 40%. It will not start at 40% so don’t panic. When you put the wet slabs into your drying chamber, commercial or home made it is likely to start at 70% RH but don’t panic. It will come down over time.

Now the fun part. Air speed. The optimal wind speed is 2.7m/s for Biltong. No if, ands or buts about it here. Again, too low and you don’t get the surface moisture off fast enough. Too high and you will get case hardening again. Smaller pieces will dry faster so the further away from air source they are the better for batch integrity and even drying. You will also want to rotate your pieces every day so they get air flow all over and not only on 1 spot of the product.

Using these parameters on a commercial scale I was drying in 6 to 8 days at 0.84 water activity. Smaller driers may vary on times so you will need to check your product. If you do not have a AW meter, you can use the bend test. Take a slab and bend it in half. If it bends very easily it is still wet but if it has resistance to being bent in half it is ready. You can also cut a slice from the middle and check if it is where you want it to be.

Once you establish the product is ready. Cut your pieces to the thickness you desire and enjoy. Commercial market is about 3mm thick but as a South African, I enjoyed it thicker. This is really personal preference here.

You have successfully made Biltong and are free to enjoy this high protein, no sugar, no carb snack that is a hit in any setting.

As always, healthy snacking.

Cris