African · Snack
Biltong
Strips of lean beef rubbed with toasted coriander, cracked pepper and a little salt, then slowly air-dried until deeply savoury and chewy. A high-protein South African snack that is simple to make at home with a little patience.
- Prep
- 750 min
- Cook
- 5,763 min
- Total
- 6,513 min
- Serves
- 15
Calories come from: Carbs 4% · Fat 19% · Protein 77%
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Ingredients
For 15 servings- 1 kg (2.2 lb)Lean beef topside or silverside, trimmed of visible fat
- 1/2 cup120 gApple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp15 gWhole coriander seeds
- 1 1/2 tbsp25 gCoarse salt
- 2 tsp6 gCoarsely ground black pepper
- 2 tsp8 gBrown sugar (optional)
Steps
- 1
Wash your hands, board and knife well, and keep the beef chilled until you use it.
- 2
Cut the beef with the grain into strips about 2.5 cm (1 in) thick and 4-5 cm wide, trimming off any remaining fat.
- 3
Toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes, shaking often, until fragrant.
- 4
Let the seeds cool, then crush them coarsely in a mortar and pestle.
- 5
Mix the crushed coriander with the salt, black pepper and brown sugar, if using.
- 6
Pour the vinegar into a shallow glass or ceramic dish and turn the beef strips in it to coat.
- 7
Lift out the strips, sprinkle the spice mix over all sides and press it in firmly.
- 8
Layer the strips in the dish, drizzle over any vinegar left over, cover and refrigerate for about 12 hours, turning once.
- 9
Shake off any loose liquid and pat the strips lightly with paper towel, keeping the spice coating on.
- 10
Hang the strips on clean hooks or skewers in a biltong box or dehydrator with good airflow, at about 20-25 °C (68-77 °F) with no strips touching.
- 11
Dry for about 4 days, until firm and dark outside with a slightly softer centre; dry a day longer if you like it drier.
- 12
Throw away any strip that shows fuzzy mould or smells off.
- 13
Slice thinly across the grain and store in a paper bag in a cool place for a few days, or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Leave out the brown sugar for a purely savoury, lower-carb spice rub.
- Use red wine vinegar or malt vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar, but note malt vinegar is made from barley and is not gluten-free.
- Swap topside for silverside, eye of round or another very lean, well-trimmed cut that is easy to find at your butcher.
- Add 1 tsp chilli flakes or smoked paprika to the spice mix for a spicier or smokier version.
Storage
Keep finished biltong in a paper bag in a cool, dry place for only a few days, or in the fridge in a breathable container for up to 2 weeks, and throw away any pieces that show mould or smell off. For longer keeping, freeze sliced biltong in an airtight bag for up to a few months and thaw in the fridge.
Make ahead
You can toast, crush and mix the spice rub up to 2 weeks ahead and keep it in a sealed jar. The beef can also be cut and marinated the night before you plan to hang it, as long as it stays refrigerated.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (78 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 83 kcal | 106 kcal |
| Protein | 15.9 g | 20.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0.9 g | 1.2 g |
| of which sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0.5 g | 0.6 g |
| Fat | 1.8 g | 2.3 g |
| of which saturated | 0.6 g | 0.8 g |
| Sodium | 684 mg | 877 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
