The Official Biltong Enthusiasts Thread

so i think my fan is giving up

cos i put my hand close to it and there was hardly an air coming out yet it spins fine

how do i change the fan ...and is it a big job or just a simple cut and rewire job

not that i even know how to rewire
 
Zenbaas said:
Gents I need some advice please. I want to redo my biltong box which currently is powered by a PSU and four fans with one light all "spliced" together. Now I want to replace the fans and run them off the normal power without the need for the PSU. I remember at some point someone said something about a "step up/step down transformer" available from Makro which could then run normal 12V fans.

Is this correct...? Are there any other options...?
Click to expand...

I just use an old adapter I had lying in a drawer - or rather adapters since I use different ones for different fan speeds. If you have an old multiple voltage adapter lying around you can use that.
 
bwana said:
I just use an old adapter I had lying in a drawer - or rather adapters since I use different ones for different fan speeds. If you have an old multiple voltage adapter lying around you can use that.
Click to expand...

Game still sells those.
 
ponder said:
Game still sells those.
Click to expand...

Lots of places do. I just happened to have enough adapters with different outputs that I didn't bother getting one… bit of a mess as far as wires go :D
 
Ok, so I just spent the last 2 days reading the 90 pages of this thread... top stuff!
My mother bought me the Mellerware Biltong maker some time ago for my birthday. Best gift ever.
But I might just be the laziest person in the history of ever, so I only used it like 3x before this weekend.

Made some very salty biltong this weekend. More on that in another post.

Anyway...

bwana said:
Had a chat with the butcher yesterday - and look at his dryers. He reckoned that having the fan draw the air out though the top, ie reversing the flow, would dry things more evenly. The only problem with that was the light at the top wouldn't have a chance to warm/dehumidify the air sufficiently so that had to move to the bottom. I'm thinking it can't possibly be less efficient than the previous method.

Oh, and I was bored this morning. :)
Click to expand...

So... has anyone swapping the top and bottom of the Mellerware?
So the fan and bulb would be at the bottom, and the fan would blow upwards.
One could use the plastic racks they provide (for drying fruit) to stop any liquid from dripping on the bulb.
 
Inevitability said:
So... has anyone swapping the top and bottom of the Mellerware?
So the fan and bulb would be at the bottom, and the fan would blow upwards.
One could use the plastic racks they provide (for drying fruit) to stop any liquid from dripping on the bulb.
Click to expand...

I don't see the point, works fine as is.
 
faniedry said:
I don't see the point, works fine as is.
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:(
Sjoe... Maybe I joined the thread too late and missed out on the limited-time offer of welcoming spirit and encouragement.

It's cool, no hard feelings... I'll make friends elsewhere.
All the best with the biltong making.
 
Inevitability said:
:(
Sjoe... Maybe I joined the thread too late and missed out on the limited-time offer of welcoming spirit and encouragement.

It's cool, no hard feelings... I'll make friends elsewhere.
All the best with the biltong making.
Click to expand...

dude chillax. you asked a question, and I answered. I don't see the point of swapping the airflow around and bulb to the bottom, because the box works as is.

Maybe if I built a box from scratch I would go that route, but I don't see the point of changing something that works.

Now unknot your panty and go make some biltong FFS! :D
 
Got hold of some amazing C grade silverside this weekend with some great marbling as well :D Should be able to start nibbling by tomorrow! Cannot wait......
 
Inevitability said:
So... has anyone swapping the top and bottom of the Mellerware?
So the fan and bulb would be at the bottom, and the fan would blow upwards.
One could use the plastic racks they provide (for drying fruit) to stop any liquid from dripping on the bulb.
Click to expand...

In my box the fan is at the top but it draws warm dry air from the bottom where the lightbulb is now. I only re-arranged everything after my fan blew for the second time. I had to run separate power to the DC computer fan I put in so moving the bulb downstairs wasn't an issue.
 
faniedry said:
dude chillax. you asked a question, and I answered. I don't see the point of swapping the airflow around and bulb to the bottom, because the box works as is.
Maybe if I built a box from scratch I would go that route, but I don't see the point of changing something that works.
Now unknot your panty and go make some biltong FFS! :D
Click to expand...
Okay, I finished crying now (sniff sniff).
I was so full of hope and expectation when I posted... thought I was gonna get the red carpet welcome!
bwana said:
In my box the fan is at the top but it draws warm dry air from the bottom where the lightbulb is now. I only re-arranged everything after my fan blew for the second time. I had to run separate power to the DC computer fan I put in so moving the bulb downstairs wasn't an issue.
Click to expand...
I'm fully expecting my fan to give up like everyone else. Need to get the replacement fan and keep it ready. At that point, I'll probably take a swing at swapping the top and bottom to see if it makes any difference.
I made thin strips this weekend (500g of meat, just to test) and they got very dry very quick... was basically done in 24hrs.
I'm in Jhb.
Thing is... I used waaaaay too much salt and the marinade I used also had salt already! (Amina's Wonder Spice : Steak and Chops Marinade...tastes unbelievable!)
Still, the biltong didn't last more than a day :D
I found this thread while trying to figure out what to do with over-salted biltong, before I realised how fast I was gonna chow it even with it being so salty!

biltong001.jpg
 
Inevitability said:
Okay, I finished crying now (sniff sniff).
I was so full of hope and expectation when I posted... thought I was gonna get the red carpet welcome!

I'm fully expecting my fan to give up like everyone else. Need to get the replacement fan and keep it ready. At that point, I'll probably take a swing at swapping the top and bottom to see if it makes any difference.
I made thin strips this weekend (500g of meat, just to test) and they got very dry very quick... was basically done in 24hrs.
I'm in Jhb.
Thing is... I used waaaaay too much salt and the marinade I used also had salt already! (Amina's Wonder Spice : Steak and Chops Marinade...tastes unbelievable!)
Still, the biltong didn't last more than a day :D
I found this thread while trying to figure out what to do with over-salted biltong, before I realised how fast I was gonna chow it even with it being so salty!

View attachment 382639
Click to expand...
the extra salt just stop you from eating it all in one go :) .
 
I have a question about brown vinegar (so that I can buy the right thing)...
Does any brown vinegar do? Some of them say "brown spirit vinegar" on the label... is that just white vinegar with brown colouring? In which case, does it really make any difference to just use white (...cos I already buy white vinegar for pickling)? Or is brown spirit vinegar the same as brown vinegar?
 
Inevitability said:
I have a question about brown vinegar (so that I can buy the right thing)...
Does any brown vinegar do? Some of them say "brown spirit vinegar" on the label... is that just white vinegar with brown colouring? In which case, does it really make any difference to just use white (...cos I already buy white vinegar for pickling)? Or is brown spirit vinegar the same as brown vinegar?
Click to expand...

don't know the difference, but the vinegar is just there to stop mould from forming.... i think white vinegar's taste is a bit strong, and that's why brown is better.... that's my opinion. Not sure if there is a better answer about why brown over white.
 
So you'd just buy whatever brown vinegar is at the local supermarket? That good enough to settle any doubts for me... Thanks!

And what about the amount to use?
Does the meat need to be completely submerged in the vinegar to soak, or is a light sprinkling enough?
 
Inevitability said:
So you'd just buy whatever brown vinegar is at the local supermarket? That good enough to settle any doubts for me... Thanks!

And what about the amount to use?
Does the meat need to be completely submerged in the vinegar to soak, or is a light sprinkling enough?
Click to expand...

Yeh, I buy Pick 'n Pay branded brown vinegar :p makes no difference :D

When I started to make I totally submerged it for a couple of hours, but one ended up with a slight vinegar taste... now I basically just brush it on before i put the spices on.
 
faniedry said:
Yeh, I buy Pick 'n Pay branded brown vinegar :p makes no difference :D
When I started to make I totally submerged it for a couple of hours, but one ended up with a slight vinegar taste... now I basically just brush it on before i put the spices on.
Click to expand...
Shot!
 
I've tried with apple cider vinegar... it's a different taste, but interesting!
 
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