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Biltong is a form of dried, cured meat that originated in
Southern African Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number of ...
countries (
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
, Zimbabwe,
Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northe ...
,
Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
,
Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kal ...
, and Zambia). Various types of meat are used to produce it, ranging from
beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantit ...
to game meats such as ostrich or kudu. The cut may also vary, either fillets of meat cut into strips following the grain of the muscle, or flat pieces sliced across the grain. It is related to beef jerky in that they are both spiced, dried meats; however, the typical ingredients, taste, and production processes may differ. The word "biltong" is from the Dutch ''bil'' ("buttock") and ''tong'' ("strip" or "tongue").


Origins

Meat preservation as a survival technique dates back to ancient times. Meat can be preserved by curing it in
salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
, brine, or vinegar, as well as
saltpetre Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Indian saltpetre (large deposits of which were historically mined in India). It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitra ...
(potassium nitrate). The potassium nitrate kills'' Clostridium botulinum'', the deadly bacterium that causes botulism, while the acidity of the vinegar inhibits its growth. According to the World Health Organization, ''C. botulinum'' will not grow in acidic conditions (pH less than 4.6); so the toxin will not be formed in acidic foods. The antimicrobial properties of certain spices have also been drawn upon since ancient times. The spices introduced to biltong by the Dutch include pepper, coriander, and cloves. In January 2017, a research group at the University of Beira Interior in Portugal published a study on the antimicrobial properties of coriander oil (coriander being one of the main spices in the most basic of biltong recipes) against 12 bacterial strains, and found that 10 of the 12 strains of bacteria were killed with a relatively mild concentration of coriander oil (1.6%). In the two strains that were not effectively killed, '' Bacillus cereus'' and '' Enterococcus faecalis'', the coriander oil reduced their growth significantly. The need for food preservation in Southern Africa was pressing.
Icebox An icebox (also called a cold closet) is a compact non-mechanical refrigerator which was a common early-twentieth-century kitchen appliance before the development of safely powered refrigeration devices. Before the development of electric refrige ...
es and refrigerators had not been invented yet, and building up herds of livestock took a long time. With game in abundance in Southern Africa, however, traditional methods were called upon to preserve the meat of large African animals, such as the eland. The meat was prepared with vinegar and spices then hung to be air dried for a fortnight during the winter, when the colder temperatures further inhibited bacterial and fungal growth. Once suitably dried, the biltong was ready for packing in cloth bags, which allowed air circulation to help prevent mold.


Ingredients

The most common ingredients of biltong are: * Meat *
Black pepper Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in dia ...
* Coriander *
Salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
* Vinegar Modern-day ingredients sometimes added include balsamic vinegar or malt vinegar,
sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or do ...
, dry ground
chili pepper Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...
s, nutmeg, paprika, lemon juice, garlic,
bicarbonate of soda Sodium bicarbonate (IUPAC name: sodium hydrogencarbonate), commonly known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda, is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. It is a salt composed of a sodium cation ( Na+) and a bicarbonate anion ( HCO3−) ...
, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, and
saltpetre Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Indian saltpetre (large deposits of which were historically mined in India). It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitra ...
.


Meat

Prior to the introduction of refrigeration, the curing process was used to preserve all kinds of meat in Southern Africa, but biltong is most commonly made today from
beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantit ...
, primarily because of its widespread availability and lower cost relative to game. For the finest cuts, fillet, sirloin, or steaks cut from the hip, such as topside or silverside, are used. Other cuts can be used, but are not as high in quality. Biltong can also be made from: * Chicken, simply referred to as chicken biltong *
Fish Fish are Aquatic animal, aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack Limb (anatomy), limbs with Digit (anatomy), digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous and bony fish as we ...
in this case, known as ''
bokkoms Bokkoms (or Bokkems) is whole, salted and dried mullet (more specifically the Southern mullet, '' Chelon richardsonii'', a type of fish commonly known in the Western Cape of South Africa as "harders"),HAT – Verklarende Handwoordeboek van die ...
'' (
shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachi ...
biltong can also be found in South Africa). ''Bokkoms'' should not be confused with other cured fish such as dried
angelfish Angelfish may refer to: *Several groups of fish: **Freshwater angelfish, tropical cichlids of the genus ''Pterophyllum'' **Marine angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae **Atlantic pomfret (''Brama brama''), sold by fishmongers as "angelfish" in Sou ...
and dried snoek. * Game such as kudu, springbok, and
wildebeest Wildebeest ( , , ), also called gnu ( or ), are antelopes of the genus ''Connochaetes'' and native to Eastern and Southern Africa. They belong to the family Bovidae, which includes true antelopes, cattle, goats, sheep, and other even-toe ...
* Ostrich meat (bright red, often resembling game) *
Venison Venison originally meant the meat of a game animal but now refers primarily to the meat of antlered ungulates such as elk or deer (or antelope in South Africa). Venison can be used to refer to any part of the animal, so long as it is edibl ...
meat (used in Europe resembling game)


Preparation

Traditionally, biltong was only made during the cold of winter when the risk of bacterial growth and mold would be at a minimum. Some recipes require the meat to be marinated in a vinegar solution (grape vinegar is traditional but balsamic and cider also work very well) for a few hours, then the vinegar is poured off before the meat is flavoured with salt and spices. The spice mix is sprinkled liberally over the meat and rubbed in. Saltpetre is optional and can be added as an extra preservative (necessary only for wet biltong that is not going to be frozen). The meat should then be left for a further few hours (or refrigerated overnight) and any excess liquid poured off before the meat is hung in the dryer. Other recipes, which were handed down from generation to generation, require the biltong to be left overnight in the vinegar, salt, and spice solution (between 12 and 24 hours). The spice mix traditionally consists of equal amounts of rock
salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
, whole coriander (slightly roasted), roughly ground black pepper, and brown sugar. The vinegar serves as a primary inhibitor of ''Clostridium botulinum'' bacteria, according to the
World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level o ...
, while the salt, coriander, pepper, and cloves all have antimicrobial properties.


Drying

Traditionally, biltong was made during the cold winters of the South African highveld for best results. The cold, dry air typically dried out the biltong much more effectively, and in the best possible food safety environment. Mold and bacterial risk are at a natural minimum, and thicker biltong cuts can be hung to dry slowly for a richer texture, fuller flavor, and darker colour. Heat has only been introduced into the process in recent years, and traditional biltong makers maintain that heat makes for an inferior end result. Due to increased risk of bacterial and fungal growth, the heated method, such as that used in cardboard or wooden biltong boxes (urban) or climate-controlled dry rooms (commercial), cannot be used without the addition of nitrates or nitrites (curing salts). Depending on the spices used, a variety of flavours may be produced. Biltong can also be made in colder climates by using an electric lamp to dry the meat, but care must be taken to ventilate, as mould can begin to form on the meat. A traditional slow dry will deliver a medium cure in about four days. An electric fan-assisted oven set to 40–70 °C (100–160 °F), with the door open a fraction to let out moist air, can dry the meat in about four hours. Although oven-dried is ready to eat a day or two after preparation, traditional biltong makers still consider slow-dried meat to be safer and of superior quality.


Comparison to jerky

Biltong differs from jerky in four distinct ways: * The meat used in biltong is often much thicker due to the slower drying time in dry air conditions; typically, biltong meat is cut in strips around 1 in (25 mm) wide, but can be thicker. Jerky is normally very thin meat. * The vinegar, salt, and spices in biltong, together with the drying process, cure the meat as well as adding texture and flavour. Jerky is traditionally dried with salt, but without vinegar. * Jerky is often smoked; biltong is rarely smoked. *Biltong normally does not contain any sugar additives, while jerky most of the time does.


Retail

Biltong is a common product in Southern African butcheries and grocery stores, and can be bought in the form of wide strips (known as ''stokkies'', meaning "little sticks"). It is also sold in plastic bags, sometimes shrink-wrapped, and may be either finely shredded or sliced as biltong chips. Also, some specialised retailers sell biltong. These shops may sell biltong as "wet" (moist), "medium", or "dry". Additionally, some customers prefer it with a lot of fat, while others prefer it as lean as possible.


Eating

While biltong is usually eaten as a snack, it can also be diced up into stews, or added to muffins or pot bread. Biltong-flavoured potato crisps have also been produced, and some cheese spreads have biltong flavour. Finely shredded biltong is eaten on slices of bread and in sandwiches. Biltong can be used as a teething aid for babies. Biltong is a high-protein food. Often, 200 g of beef are required to make 100 g of biltong, and the process of making biltong preserves most of the protein content. Some biltong can have up to 67% protein content.


Worldwide

Biltong's popularity has spread to many other countries with large South African populations -
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
, the United Kingdom,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
, New Zealand, Ireland, the United States, and India. Biltong is also produced within South African expatriate communities across the globe, for example in Germany, Ireland, and even South Korea. Biltong produced in South Africa may not be imported into Britain, according to rules governing the importation of meat-based products from non-EU countries laid down by HM Customs and Excise and its successor
HM Revenue and Customs HM Revenue and Customs (His Majesty's Revenue and Customs, or HMRC) is a non-ministerial government department, non-ministerial Departments of the United Kingdom Government, department of the His Majesty's Government, UK Government responsible fo ...
, thus it is made in the UK. In the United States, biltong is relatively rare, as beef jerky has been traditionally the more popular dried meat snack. Within the last few years, biltong has begun a small emergence within the United States, particularly from South African immigrants who have brought their local culture and foods with them. Due to concerns related to the presence of foot-and-mouth disease in South Africa, the
United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of comme ...
requires a meat inspection certificate issued by a South African government authority to accompany imports of biltong.


See also

* *


Similar foods

Foods similar to biltong include: * * * * * * * * * * * *


References


External links

* {{portal bar, Food Afrikaans words and phrases Dried meat History of South Africa Snack foods South African cuisine