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sliced bitlong next to garnish

Biltong Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Ingredients
  

  • 5 lbs lean red meat
  • ¼ - ½ cup cider or malt vinegar
  • 2 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • If you have whole coriander seed, toast lightly in a pan (till slightly browned and aromatic) then crush into power.
  • Mix the dry ingredients (salt, pepper, coriander).
  • Pour the vinegar into a shallow pan or plate.
  • Slice your meat along the grain (you can slide up to 1” thick and I recommend no thinner than ½”).
  • Set the slice in the vinegar, coating all sides.
    coating bitlong
  • Dust the slice with spice mixture and place in a cake pan or Ziplock bag.
    biltong in cake pan
  • Repeat steps 4-6 until all meat has been sliced, coated and dusted.
  • Refrigerate the prepared meat 4 hours or up to 24 hours. The longer it sits, the more intense the spice flavors will be.
  • Remove each piece from the bag and skewer, hang, or place on a grate. If you want an extra kick, dust each slice again with more spice mixture.
    skewing biltong
  • Put the meat into your biltong box, allowing it to cure and dry.
    biltong drying in biltong box
  • Test the biltong ever day to make sure it is continuing to dry.
  • Thin pieces are ready in as little as 3 days with thicker pieces taking up to 2 weeks. Sample a few pieces throughout the process; this will help you learn what you like and avoid letting it over dry.
  • Package up the final product for short term (paper bag) or long term (vacuum seal and refrigerator).