making biltong in humid climate

Then you can decide what you will do with the rest of your meat. But its good to just go over the basics, first off the quality of the meat. As I dont yet have a dehumidifier I have been controlling the humidity through having the fridge plugged into the humidity controller to try and maintain an average of 75% RH. I never like the pre-mix because they add some flavouring too, but that's just me. The paper will allow excess moisture to continue leaving the meat, discouraging mould growth. The simplest, if you have space and live in a dry, breezy climate, is to build a simple wooden frame and close the walls with fine mesh wire. Just remember the acid has been slightly neutralised in the mix so you need to add more vinegar if you want to make another batch of biltong. The salt is an excellent flavour enhancer and should definitely be includedjust a little less to avoid the need for washing. So dont leave a whack on expecting it to disappear as the meat does. As soon as you spot mould wipe it off with vinegar making sure to get all of it. When I took the shoulder out of the bag to hang, it had a slightly greyish tinge to it. Now, these are my dry curing conditions, although I have spoken to award-winning biltong makers internationally. However, the best solution to prevent case hardening from occurring is to change your drying setup to reduce air flow. Salt the meat all over and let it sit for 3 hours flipping a few times to make sure it salts evenly. Optionally add baking soda to the meat along with the marinade and give it a good mix. Both are cured meats but with a difference in the method, texture and flavour. Thank you. Also, check out my page with an equilibrium curing calculator to make the calc easy! Don't worry too much if you leave it longer in the wet cure. Your email address will not be published. Biltong is not sweet or rubbery like jerky. First time making the biltong. Let it sit for 2 hours in the salt flipping a few times to ensure even salting. When slicing to serve or eat, cut across the grain. But have never seen anyone in south africa use this. I ended up doing this without the pink salt and it is a great recipe. You're trying to dry the meat, not cook it. Interesting 7 Deg could mean thinks drying slowly Also, beneficial bacteria (penicillin) prefers is a little warmer too 85 is doable, but when you have meat in there (which is 70% water), its going to probably be a wetter environment, initially. Pat thoroughly dry with kitchen paper towel and hang the strips in the Biltong Maker. Other cuts can be used, but are not as high in quality. This is more often found in cows that are a little more aged than the prime cuts of beef. This will ensure a succulent top-notch result. So, my plan is to use the standard dehydrator. Another way is to rub the biltong with very hot cut chilli then add the rub. Here is simple cheap sensor pack to check temperatures around the home. Start by removing excess fat. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Humidity and Temperature Ranges for a Curing Chamber. I like to take 2 to 4 days to dry out biltong at around 28 to 35C, personal preference. Biltong quite often is 1 thick. So I go for longer slower biltong which takes 2-4 days. I recommend brown vinegar for the best flavour, with cider vinegar coming in a close second. Use less salt! Also, remove any gristle or sinew which once it is dried is pretty much inedible and you dont want that ruining your biltong snack. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Sprinkle the salt all over the meat including the sides. This was specific to my curing chamber since it was designed to have a fan continuously operating even when the compressor wasnt on (it was a drinks fridge). Everything is easy to understand and clear. Large chunks of fat can be a little unpleasant to deal with when eating biltong. Whole muscle dry curing is also easier then salami, less air is exposed to meat surfaces which could have potentially bad bacteria get into it. If there is any topic you want to suggest feel free. In general, FSIS recommends achieving a minimum internal meat temperature of 145F (~63C) held for 4 minutes, and a 1 hour hold at RH90% to ensure sufficient delivery of thermal energy to the surface. Do this in a well-ventilated kitchen. These methods rely on drawing air across a cold surface. Quite - but dehumidifier heating. This is by far the best recipe I have ever used the salt content is perfect. Always use salt and vinegar. Biltong pronounced bill-tong is air dried, and although you can use a dehydrator, most South Africans use a biltong box, as it makes drying the meat easier and more hygienic. Put a small meat hook or paperclip through the meat with a label attached to it. Make sure to work very clean to avoid any bad bacteria creeping it. Instructions. I really enjoy the percentages used to calculate almost everything. 4 1/2kg now drying. The trick is just getting it done. The Worcestershire sauce just adds depth of flavor to the biltong. You can use curing salt. Its just too delicious! Its the bomb!! What you want is a good steady stream of air running past the meat, but not too strong. I can now start my first batch of biltong with confidence. If you dont have a curing chamber and youre just looking at hanging out some meat to cure such as simple dry-cured bacon with some cold smoke after or simple red meat braesola recipe. Black pepper and beef are a pair made in heaven. Use a high wattage bulb so it's nice a hot, it helps dry the air out. I've used it in the past but try and use as little curing salt in my food as possible. The biltong can avoid case hardening by ensuring that the humidity is moderate to low and the air movement is not pointed directly at the biltong meat. Prepare your own Biltong spices for use with this dehydrator biltong. Malt vinegar is what is used in foreign countries perhaps where they cannot find Spirit vinegar. I have a home made biltong cabinet with he fan and 40watt light bulb. As a babe in the woods when It comes to curing (iv only made hams, bacons, and pancetta) having someone share the lessons they have learnt is much appreciated. (Photo by V. Edgar). Used your recipe with some wildebeest, and the only change was adding some allspice berries to the dry herb mix. The yellow color comes from beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A thats healthier for you than the white fat produced from grain-fed cattle. Just found out youre back and to save myself a major maths equation youve added a superb adding thingy. Store vacuum sealed or wrapped airtight in the fridge or freezer. That way, you can cut the biltong into the thickness of slabs you prefer and trim off the amount of fat so that it is precisely how you would like it. The idea is to retain the flavor of the beef by removing the majority of the moisture evenly. The third day of Jazz Fest looks to be a gorgeous one. Over the years, many ways have become available for people to make cured meats at home or in tight spaces. I added a UV light to prevent mould forming (because I live in a very humid part of the world! (freezers can deteriorate smell/flavor so it depends how its frozen too (with air or without like with vacpac (which we do for harvest wild game generally), i friend had a wild young goat in the freezer for 2 yearswe roasted it up, it was amazing! The sugar helps with drying through osmosis, latching onto the water molecules and wicking them away. Once you have the art of making biltong honed, then maybe you want to start using some of the meat from hunting expeditions. Use Kosher or natural untreated coarse salt. Thats why I decided to try curing meat at home. As a perfect example of this, the Italians make a beautiful beef product called Bresaola, which is very slowly air dried at cold temperatures, so as to achieve an even dryness and texture. The point of using the vinegar is to make sure any bacteria are neutralized. WHAT AN AMAZING TREAT!!! We will add the peppercorns unroasted. Since the saturation vapor pressure of water decreases with decreasing temperature, the water in the air condenses on the surface, separating the water from the air. This will help with the drying process, and ensure greater longevity of the final product. The recipes for the classic recipe is dead simple salt, coriander, and malt vinegar. This is the most well explained and straight forward blog post I have found. Copyright 2023 NewLifeOnAHomestead.com - All rights reserved. Biltong was originally created by Dutch pioneers in South Africa, Voortrekkers, who needed reliable food sources on their long treks across the continent. (Tip: Use a method of attaching the rods that allows you to move the rods if you find that you can fit more rods in the box.) Store wrapped airtight or in vacuum bags in the fridge or freeze for longer storage. The reason for this plastic covering is that vinegar reacts with metal, so you dont want this affecting the taste of your meat. It's the most accurate way of measuring. Once you have your chosen cut probably silverside or topside, remove some of the excess fat. Worked well. . Back in the days when refrigerators werent a thing, the pioneers needed a way to preserve their meat. This can be challenging in Africa, where the temperature can get up to 40C in summer. Then you're in for a treat. Its important to know that biltong is not smoked meat it is air-dried. As long as I handle the meat in a hygienic way, avoiding any cross-contamination and refrigerated it then I use it either fresh or frozen. AWESOME!!! Biltong from the land of the Gurkhas! The length of the strips will depend on the height of your dryer as the meat must not touch the tray at the bottom. Also dont use balsamic as this will alter the taste. Might need that temp controller too Cheers T. Thank you for putting in so much effort in your site and sharing your experience. Whole muscle meat maybe, salami no thank you! Find it, it will be worth the effort. Thanks for dropping by, Ive been passionate about meat curing for decades. When you live in a city or a humid climate, you can use one of the following proven and tested methods. Now let the meat marinate. Thanks for your time. Most mould problems are caused by improper drying procedures. My answer? This is why it is important to check on the progress of the biltong every single day. Fennel is the way forward. Recipe was easy and the result was tasty. Some like theirs tough like old leather. But yes I would say oxidation, smell it and try using your senses, does it have any off smell (our evolutionary noses are quite useful), Fresh frozen meat that is thawed and then cured, I personally have had no problems with as long as it was fresh (so you have to get your source to acknowledge this), I know recipes dont have (pink) curing salt, but I prefer to use it, not just for color but also the other obvious safety reasons. Optionally add the bicarbonate of soda and give it a good mix through. If you dont know what you like, I suggest making a few thinner, quick drying pieces to experiment with. Nice basic recipe as used by my family for many years. What humidity should biltong be? Dankie! Vacuum seal tight and store in the fridge or freezer. The biltong in these pictures was made by an ex-South African / Zimbabwean couple living in Phoenix, Arizona, who missed their favorite snack in the US, and have perfected their way of doing it which I am going to share with you. Increase the airflow and decrease the humidity to prevent another bout of mould. Also, I purchased this shoulder a few months ago at the farmers market (sold frozen) and its been in the back of the freezer ever since. Especially biltong that can in most cases do without it. Some recipes call for several stages of curing and washing off spices, reapplying them, etcthis is not necessary. Although with airflow, the biltong dries in higher humidity than this. Do you have any recommendations on gear that would collect those readings (ideally, digitally) and record them so that I can do a trend analysis? The main seasonings are coriander, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar. But once you have this culture growing inside the curing chamber, the salt cured meat you put in there will be well protected (as long as you follow a good methodology of course). Thank you for the time you have put into the presentation!!! If I want to do a meat curing project later on. Limited Time 50% OFF. You can blitz your peppercorns with the spices or grind them in with a pepper mill. 9. Ive been using malt vinegar. You need a coolish temperature (less than 86 F / 30 C), and sufficient airflow for the best quality biltong. There's a lengthy thread on biltong making. Make a biltong box from a cardboard box to save money. If you want to change the flavors up a little, create a mixture of 60% vinegar 40% Worcestershire sauce and use this for the marinade in the biltong recipe. I live in the United States and I want to try curing some different meats. First, know your weather. Cover the meat completely in spices making sure to get it into every nook and cranny. Personally, I wouldnt.Portable cooler? I use a half pound of beefsteak (anything that doesnt have much fat) and cut the strips in a variety of widths from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inch so that they cure at different rates, and I can enjoy over a few days. Do not be light here; make sure that all the meat is covered in vinegar. Sugar on our meat is not popular among biltong fans. While the meat is marinating, toast the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and chilli flakes in a dry pan on medium heat. Thanks Sebastian. Trouble is, it's getting more difficult to find incandescent bulbs. He did use 3/4 tablespoon of pink salt in his wet marinate.I'm going to try and add fennel. Thank you very much for sharing it. Try to avoid fatty cuts of beef as it is trickier to dry fatty meat without it spoiling. Do not point a fan directly at the meat (to avoid case hardening). If you need more information on how to store your biltong after you have made it, you can check out these ideas here. and our Government go in and kill deer yet we cant. As with jerky, biltong making arose out of necessity. I have an Anova Precision Oven which can dehydrate meat at that exact temperature and humidity. They were known as the "Voortrekkers" and the biltong story started with them. It will continue to dry slowly, but it will also keep for a long time this way. This affects the drying as the humidity and temperature play a role when drying biltong at home". I sometimes use them in case of emergency biltong shortage, so Im not sure how to break it to them. And everywhere I go my camera goes too so many of the articles are illustrated with my own photos. In New Zealand's humid climate a biltong maker (a box containing a light bulb and fan) is usually necessary, whereas in South Africa's dry climate the meat is commonly dried outside in the shade. If yo u live in a naturally humid place, or if it has been raining a lot, you need to be extra careful - especially if it's also hot! Room temperature in most houses is fine, but air flow can be a problem. So here is a table summarizing the temperature and humidity ranges and then Ill go over a few tips relevant to the curing chamber and its environment. Learn how your comment data is processed. a Bad initial product won't turn out nice. Toast the spices, apart from the peppercorns, in a dry pan until fragrant and giving off a bit of smoke.

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making biltong in humid climate

making biltong in humid climate