Curing Beef Biltong

 

Curing Beef Biltong is a process most people get wrong before they even taste it. The assumption is that biltong is just South African beef jerky, and it's not, the drying time alone is the giveaway. Jerky spends a few hours in a dehydrator. Biltong hangs for two weeks in a controlled room with no heat at all, the same basic method used for prosciutto or salami. That difference in time and technique changes everything about the texture, the taste, and what's actually going into the meat.

When educating potential customers about Biltong, Ayoba always likes to start with the drying process. There is a common misconception that Biltong is just South African Beef Jerky. We agree that it is similar in the sense that both snacks can be made with beef, but the differences are more complex and the biggest difference is how the beef is dried.

Beef jerky is cooked at a low temperature in a dehydrator or oven for only 4-8 hours. Instead, Biltong is air-dried (i.e. cured) for fourteen days and Droewors for five. This process is similar to how you would cure prosciutto, salami, or even pepperoni.

What is Curing?

Curing is a form of meat preservation with the use of salt, nitrates, chemicals or sugar. The goal is to remove the moisture from the meat by the process of osmosis. Some curing processes include smoking and spicing but no matter what method is used, the main goal is to inhibit the growth of bacteria through the removal of water.

The curing process is used to preserve the taste, color and texture of the meat. Curing can also significantly extend the life of meat and was very popular with our ancestors before the introduction of ice boxes and refrigerators.

A great deal of progress has been made when it comes to the curing process but that doesn't always mean 'healthier'. The introduction of chemicals and machines have made curing easier but we believe there is something to be said to sticking to the basics.

Biltong Curing is Clean & Natural

As previously mentioned, some meats are dried, or cured, using chemicals like nitrates, or diet killers like sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Next time you are shopping for a bag of jerky, take a look at the ingredients and sugar content, you are almost guaranteed to find either, or both.

Ayoba Biltong is cured using the same method our family's ancestors have been using for over 400 years (learn more about the History of Biltong). We start with the finest cuts of beef that is marinated in a brine of sea salt and vinegar. The slabs are then hung to dry in an air-controlled room for up to fourteen days, without the use of heat.

The end result is a naturally tender slab of beef that can easily be sliced and packaged or kept whole for you to slice at home. Since our curing process leaves the beef naturally tender and preserves that great beef taste (like a steak from your favorite steakhouse), we never have to use any chemicals or sugar.

 

Frequently asked questions

Is biltong the same thing as beef jerky?

No, even though they get lumped together. Jerky is cooked at low heat in a dehydrator for 4 to 8 hours. Biltong is air-dried with no heat for about 14 days, which is closer to how prosciutto or salami is made than how jerky is made. The longer, slower process changes the texture completely, biltong ends up tender rather than tough and chewy like most jerky.

Why do some jerky brands use sugar or nitrates and others don't?

Sugar and nitrates speed up curing and extend shelf life, which is useful for mass production. The tradeoff is you're adding ingredients that have nothing to do with preserving the meat properly, they're shortcuts. Traditional curing with just salt and time doesn't need them. If you check the label on most commercial jerky, sugar shows up almost every time.

Does the curing process make biltong healthier than jerky?

It depends what you're comparing. Biltong made the traditional way, salt, vinegar brine, air drying, no chemicals, skips the added sugar and preservatives found in a lot of jerky. That's a real difference if you're watching sugar intake. But the bigger distinction is texture and flavor, not a health claim across the board; some jerky brands are made cleanly too, so it comes down to reading the ingredient list either way.