Biltong – only a South African knows the meaning

"Bull’s tongue? You must be kidding!"  Thats what we  often hear, but biltong is not bull’s tongue, although, that is what non South Africans think when they see or hear the word

The word biltong is from the Dutch bil meaning rump and tong meaning strip or tongue.
So, literally tongue like strips of meat cut from the rump, spiced, cured and air dried.

Biltong originated in South Africa as a way of preserving meat for pioneer explorers and hunters and of course the famous fighting forces of the Boers. (Dutch Settlers)

Traditionally biltong was made from wild African animals like eland, kudu, wildebeest and springbuck and was eaten very dry. Today it is mostly made from beef which actually produces a more succulent end product.

We stick to an old family recipe that has stood the test of time. We use only best grade Albertan top inside rounds, cut into inch thick steaks and then hand rubbed with natural spices , malt vinegar and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. marinaded for just the right amount of time and eventually hung in a cool dry place to air-dry.

The amount of drying time effects both texture and flavour. Slow dried is much better than fast so there is no rush allowed here. We air dry all our products naturally not in a heated drier.

Biltong differs from jerky in two distinct ways:
The meat strips used to make biltong are normally cut thick, typically into strips approx 1 inch wide. Big steaks are cut, hand rubbed with spices and vinegar and then air dried and only cut small just before eating. The vinegar and salt and spices in biltong, together with the slow drying process, cures the meat as well as adding texture and flavour, naturally. Our biltong contains no MSG or fillers of any kind, no dyes or colourants and is an excellent source of Protein and Iron.
Jerky is normally cut very thin, flavoured with all sorts of modern flavours like Teriyaki and onion powder and chemical smoke (that completely hide the taste of the meat) and dried in a heated drier. We have counted between four to eight chemical preservatives used in commercial jerky.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to guess which will be better for you and all you have to do to confirm your guess is order some biltong today.
Biltong is made the way that it is to be able to last a long time, getting drier and drier all the time unless vacuum sealed.
To the question, “How long will it keep?” I always answer, “Twenty minutes if you have a lot of willpower!”
We make it for you to eat, not store but if you have to keep it for a while then do so in a cool place and once the vacuum seal is broken remove from the plastic bag and store in a brown paper bag or open container in a cool dry place.NEVER leave in the sun whilst still in the plastic bag.

ENJOY this authentic product and be sure to tell your friends where you got it !!!!!

Rod & Mal Paterson's "BiltongCanada.Com"