The Official Biltong Enthusiasts Thread

[TurfJakkals]

Potassium sorbate Question

Hi guys, I see this thread hasn't been active for a while but il shoot anyway. I've started my own business where I package and sell my biltong. However the biltong tends to go mouldy very quickly(after 3 days). I read up on the subject and apparently potassium sorbate prevents the mould from forming. I mix 5 mg To about 500 ml of vinegar/water mixture and spray it on the sliced biltong. However the biltong gets a whitish colour to it when it dries :wtf: . Am I using the potassium correctly? Thanks

 

[Ancalagon]

Probably going to get a biltong maker with my eBucks sometime this week. What I want to know is, where do you get the hooks from?

 

[faniebraai]

Hi guys, I see this thread hasn't been active for a while but il shoot anyway. I've started my own business where I package and sell my biltong. However the biltong tends to go mouldy very quickly(after 3 days). I read up on the subject and apparently potassium sorbate prevents the mould from forming. I mix 5 mg To about 500 ml of vinegar/water mixture and spray it on the sliced biltong. However the biltong gets a whitish colour to it when it dries :wtf: . Am I using the potassium correctly? Thanks

Is this after it is dried, or still drying?
What is your process of making the biltong?

 

[faniebraai]

Probably going to get a biltong maker with my eBucks sometime this week. What I want to know is, where do you get the hooks from?

you get some hooks with the biltong maker (9 iirc) which should be enough... if you need more, my butchery sells them, so just ask at yours.

 

[bwana]

Hi guys, I see this thread hasn't been active for a while but il shoot anyway. I've started my own business where I package and sell my biltong. However the biltong tends to go mouldy very quickly(after 3 days). I read up on the subject and apparently potassium sorbate prevents the mould from forming. I mix 5 mg To about 500 ml of vinegar/water mixture and spray it on the sliced biltong. However the biltong gets a whitish colour to it when it dries :wtf: . Am I using the potassium correctly? Thanks

I can't imagine biltong sprayed with vinegar would taste particularly nice. What sort of packaging are you using?

you get some hooks with the biltong maker (9 iirc) which should be enough... if you need more, my butchery sells them, so just ask at yours.

Yeah - my butcher just gives them to me. It's nice when you build up a relationship with your butcher

 

[Ancalagon]

Thanks Mr Biltong Expert!

@TurfJakkals

You can also look at Sodium Nitrite/Sodium Nitrate. They are commonly used in ham and make the meat turn a little pink.

 

[CorrieDeBeer]

@TurfJakkals

If you want to hang all year round you need to control the humidity in the space you hang. Remember why biltong is mainly made in the winter. It is dry and cool. Too much moisture in the air promotes mold growth. You would want to invest in some sort of dehumidifier contraption. You need dry air.

Probably going to get a biltong maker with my eBucks sometime this week. What I want to know is, where do you get the hooks from?

Bought a hundred plastic hooks for twenty rand at the food lovers market next to the old joburg road.

 

[Gazbal]

Hi All. Just got myself a Biltong King on special at PnP. My question is regarding the light bukb..... Will a 42W Eco-Halogen suffice? Cant find old incandescents.

 

[thehuman]

Hi All. Just got myself a Biltong King on special at PnP. My question is regarding the light bukb..... Will a 42W Eco-Halogen suffice? Cant find old incandescents.

should work
as long as it gives of heat and in the required wattage range

 

[Ancalagon]

So my first batch of biltong is in the dryer.

I bought 2kg of silverside in strips from the butchery. I rinsed it with cold water, then put it in a dish with some brown vinegar. It wasn't swimming in vinegar, just enough to cover it. I also put sea salt on it, on both sides.

I put that in the fridge for about an hour and a half, and then rinsed off the excess vinegar and salt with cold water. I then covered it in roasted cracked coriander, and put it back in the fridge overnight.

This morning it went into the biltong maker with the fan on but with no lightbulb.

I'm hoping it will be ready on Thursday afternoon. I like my biltong moist.

 

[Kido]

Have you guys tried this add it to your vinegar/worcester sauce mix it gives it a nice hickory flavour but dont use too much

http://www.woolworths.co.za/store/p...le-Hickory-Liquid-Smoke-147ml/_/A-87586201236

 

[Kido]

My batch I've hung up on Saturday

 

[Kido]

So my first batch of biltong is in the dryer.

I bought 2kg of silverside in strips from the butchery. I rinsed it with cold water, then put it in a dish with some brown vinegar. It wasn't swimming in vinegar, just enough to cover it. I also put sea salt on it, on both sides.

I put that in the fridge for about an hour and a half, and then rinsed off the excess vinegar and salt with cold water. I then covered it in roasted cracked coriander, and put it back in the fridge overnight.

This morning it went into the biltong maker with the fan on but with no lightbulb.

I'm hoping it will be ready on Thursday afternoon. I like my biltong moist.

I have a feeling yours might be way too salty mate
If you want to use salt rather use pink coarse salt

But I have not found a need to add salt to my mix simply because the spices I use already contain salt

My process is to add brown vinegar + tobasco sauce + worcester sauce in a small bowl
This is basted onto the meat using a silicone basting brush ensure all sides are coated
Then I sprinkleand rub in my spice mix on the meat ensure all sides are coated and store in fridge for 12hrs
Then I hang it up

 

[Kido]

so i put a batch in on saturday

but i added some coarse salt...not too much

some bbq spice

and the crown biltong spice mix

and damn it is salty

what to do ?

Correct you need to brush it off
But I found I dont even need to use salt mate the spices already contain salt if you rub the spice into the meat it should be good to exclude the salt step

 

[bwana]

Have you guys tried this add it to your vinegar/worcester sauce mix it gives it a nice hickory flavour but dont use too much

http://www.woolworths.co.za/store/p...le-Hickory-Liquid-Smoke-147ml/_/A-87586201236

Thanks - I've been looking for liquid smoke - not for biltong but for something else.

 

[Kido]

Thanks - I've been looking for liquid smoke - not for biltong but for something else.

Its good stuff just dont use too much
I use it on biltong i add it to the vinegar mix

 

[Ancalagon]

I have a feeling yours might be way too salty mate
If you want to use salt rather use pink coarse salt

But I have not found a need to add salt to my mix simply because the spices I use already contain salt

My process is to add brown vinegar + tobasco sauce + worcester sauce in a small bowl
This is basted onto the meat using a silicone basting brush ensure all sides are coated
Then I sprinkleand rub in my spice mix on the meat ensure all sides are coated and store in fridge for 12hrs
Then I hang it up

I don't use any spice mix, I prefer to roll my own. I'll cut a bit off tonight and taste it to see. The thinner parts will already be dry.

 

[Kido]

I don't use any spice mix, I prefer to roll my own. I'll cut a bit off tonight and taste it to see. The thinner parts will already be dry.

I also prepare my own spice i buy pepper corns and coriander seeds grind those
then i mix it in with a barbecue spice and some steak and chops spice i also like to add some robertsons garlic to it

I dont add any salt to the mix because these spices already contain salt

 

[Ancalagon]

So I tasted it - definitely not too salty. In fact, it may not be salty enough. Why did you assume it would be too salty Kido?

It's not pink anymore but it is still a little wet for my liking, so I put it back into the biltong dryer.

One interesting thing is that there is a defined skin on it. Perhaps this is just because it isn't dry enough yet.

 

[faniebraai]

So I tasted it - definitely not too salty. In fact, it may not be salty enough. Why did you assume it would be too salty Kido?

It's not pink anymore but it is still a little wet for my liking, so I put it back into the biltong dryer.

One interesting thing is that there is a defined skin on it. Perhaps this is just because it isn't dry enough yet.

If it gets too hard on the outside before the inside is dry then your temperature in the box is too low.