Biltong For Dummies

[rifletuner]

Having eaten a heap of biltong in various African countries, I decided to make a dryer using some of the lock down time in 2020. I went with a miniature trash bin which some South Africans found hilarious, but it works well as its quite deep. And of course its never had any trash in it before I made the drier out of it.

Its a very low tech build. A couple of computer fans running off a 12v battery. I cut holes in the top and bottom to draw air from the bottom to the top. I covered the holes with fly screen and some vents over them to keep anything from getting into the meat while its drying. After a few days, the biltong it ready to go. Then I just have to try to get some before my son eats it all.

 

[rookhawk]

Just a quick update on Biltong making in America.

We had great success making venison biltong. It was wonderful when fresh in the first couple of weeks.

What we learned is that it goes bad in the freezer. Remember how venison fat can go sour in just days in a -40F/C deep freezer? Yep, the fatless biltong started to get that stale taste from the freezing and thawing after a few weeks. My recommendation is to make it and enjoy it over the course of 7-10 days rather than making tens of pounds, vacuum sealing it, and thawing it from a deep freeze over the course of the year.

If you're not North American and you're reading this, disregard. Cervidae of North America perish in deep freezers in a way that the game of Africa does not. It's an odd thing with the deer/elk fat specifically, and even well trimmed biltong has the same issue when frozen for months.

 

[1dirthawker]

Just a quick update on Biltong making in America.

We had great success making venison biltong. It was wonderful when fresh in the first couple of weeks.

What we learned is that it goes bad in the freezer. Remember how venison fat can go sour in just days in a -40F/C deep freezer? Yep, the fatless biltong started to get that stale taste from the freezing and thawing after a few weeks. My recommendation is to make it and enjoy it over the course of 7-10 days rather than making tens of pounds, vacuum sealing it, and thawing it from a deep freeze over the course of the year.

If you're not North American and you're reading this, disregard. Cervidae of North America perish in deep freezers in a way that the game of Africa does not. It's an odd thing with the deer/elk fat specifically, and even well trimmed biltong has the same issue when frozen for months.

@rookhawk,

I just got back from 12 days of brown bear guiding, and was surprised to see this post resurface, but will address your freezing concerns.

I have in general, had pretty good luck freezing biltong, its taste is still good after months in freezer, this is how i do it:

1. I vacuum pack the biltong before storing in freezer

2. when it comes out, and thaws, it is always a little damp (not sure why) so i place in a gallon ziplock with a paper towel or two and leave it open and on the counter. doing this dries out the meat and makes it pretty much how it was when it went in the bag.

3. i don't leave fat on my moose (has gone "bad, weird, etc" in the past so i usually just cut it off the meat and grind it up or steak it. i use beef primarily for my biltong because i like fat on it, and beef fat freezes well.

 

[1dirthawker]

Another trick/seasoning that i have come to use in my biltong is to replace about 1/3 of the kosher salt in the recipe with powdered beef bullion. gives it a nice taste and VERY like the crown national bag of seasoning without all the other stuff.

 

[rookhawk]

@rookhawk,

I just got back from 12 days of brown bear guiding, and was surprised to see this post resurface, but will address your freezing concerns.

I have in general, had pretty good luck freezing biltong, its taste is still good after months in freezer, this is how i do it:

1. I vacuum pack the biltong before storing in freezer

2. when it comes out, and thaws, it is always a little damp (not sure why) so i place in a gallon ziplock with a paper towel or two and leave it open and on the counter. doing this dries out the meat and makes it pretty much how it was when it went in the bag.

3. i don't leave fat on my moose (has gone "bad, weird, etc" in the past so i usually just cut it off the meat and grind it up or steak it. i use beef primarily for my biltong because i like fat on it, and beef fat freezes well.

Agreed with all that you said.

Specifically, white tail deer venison is where I noticed a problem even after doing what you suggest. Elk/Bison/Beef...no issues.

White tail just seems very perishable, as made example by how putrid the fat can smell if you freeze a venison steak for 3 months at -40F. None of the other venisons or game meats seem to be nearly so sensitive to this phenomenon. Even though I was very meticulous in making white tail biltong with no silver skin or fat, it still tended to do this. My solution: Eat it quickly, or use other meats if long-term storage in vacuum sealed freezer bags is the goal.

 

[Beck]

I am a dummy and I like biltong

 

[Velo Dog]

I am a dummy and I like biltong

Both categories fit me too.

 

[mark-hunter]

Hypothetical question.

If biltong is made in hunting camp, and then packed in plastic bag and vacuumed: can it be transported by plane back home, overseas? (at least in limited quantity, few kilos)
In this case some of the meat from camp can be taken home.

I remember I bought some biltong in Windhoek shops, vacuumed and brought home to share with friends, they had a chance to try a taste of Africa.

 

[Zambezi]

Depends on country of origin as well as destination country as well. Even that isn't set in stone as some destination countries temporarily halt the import of meat products when there is an outbreak of foot and mouth disease etc in the source country.

Some countries also have rules regarding vacuum packed at home and commercial vacuum packed. also commercial packaged and non-commercial packaged.

Google is your friend when it comes to what rules are in place at the time when you want to import meat products.

 

[Velo Dog]

The US Department of Agriculture forbids the importation of meat from Africa, processed or not.

 

[1dirthawker]

Hypothetical question.

If biltong is made in hunting camp, and then packed in plastic bag and vacuumed: can it be transported by plane back home, overseas? (at least in limited quantity, few kilos)
In this case some of the meat from camp can be taken home.

I remember I bought some biltong in Windhoek shops, vacuumed and brought home to share with friends, they had a chance to try a taste of Africa.

I'm gonna say NO.

I brought some back to america that was packaged, vac sealed, etc. it was declared and confiscated. the failure to get my biltong home did provoke me to learn how to make it so, lemonade from lemons.