A delicious Biltong recipe by Doug Reynolds – perfect for the low-carb lifestyle
Ingredients
• 15 pounds of “eye of round,” which is from the top of the cow’s hind leg. (Some folks might choose to do smaller batches, like 5 lbs at a time and make it more frequently)
• Rock salt (or ice cream salt)
• Coriander seeds
• White pepper seeds (lower in oxalates than black pepper seeds)
• White vinegar (I use plan white vinegar, but you can try apple cider vinegar or any other kind if you feel it contributes to the flavour you like)
Supplies
• Sharp knife
• Baking trays
• Plastic container big enough to hold the amount of meat you purchase
• Empty spice bottle
• Spray bottle (to spray the vinegar)
• Vinyl-covered paper clips (for hanging the meat strips)
• A system for hanging your meat strips to dry (I used a plastic shelving unit and hung the meat with the paper clips, but you may come up with some other creative solution).
• Electric fan
• Zippered plastic bags (in which to store the finished product)
Instructions
1. Slice meat into consistent one-inch slices using sharp knife. The more consistent the width, the more consistent the curing process will be. You may want to put meat in the freezer for a short time to make it firmer, which will help during the cutting process. Important to note that slices should be made in the direction of the grain of the meat (see photo at right).
2. Line the bottom of the plastic container with rock salt.
3. Begin lining bottom of plastic container with meat strips, covering each successive layer of meat with more rock salt. Each strip of meat should be coated on all sides. The salt will draw off some of the moisture from the meat to kick off the curing process.
4. Cover the plastic container and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours (this time should be tweaked for personal saltiness preference)
5. Roast 1 ounce of coriander seeds on stove top
6. Grind 1/2 ounce of white pepper
7. Combine the coriander with the pepper, and grind the mixture (don’t grind so much that it becomes powder)
8. Pour spice mixture into empty spice bottle
9. After desired soak time, remove the meat from the refrigerator
10. Use your fingers to remove salt granules from the meat, and set meat aside in baking tray
11. Apply vinegar to all the pieces of meat using the spray bottle, making sure you get the vinegar on all the surfaces of the meat. This is to eliminate chance of mould or spoiling.
12. Apply spices with the spice bottle, and pat them into the meat with a dry hand
13. Place the meat strips into the plastic container and cover.
14. Place container with meat in refrigerator overnight (12 hours).
15. Hang strips using the vinyl-covered paper clips in your drying rack (I used a plastic shelving unit). Position meat with thicker part at top. Make hole far enough from edge that it won’t tear under its own weight. Make sure the hanging strips are not touching each other.
16. Position fan on lowest setting with oscillation to keep airflow to prevent mould from forming.
17. Check back in 24 hours to evaluate progress. Meat will darken, and begin to cure. Thinner pieces will cure fastest, and some may be ready to eat at this time. The cured pieces will be less moist, and no longer cool to the touch. Some pieces will be more cured at the bottom, and you can cut the portion that is ready. If you snip a piece, wipe the exposed part of the remaining meat with vinegar before re-hanging.
18. The entire process may take three or four days for the thickest portions of the meat.
19. Slice cured meat across grain and place in zippered plastic bags.
20. Enjoy!
Watch the DIY Biltong Video with Doug Reynolds
