Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: Crash on March 12, 2010, 02:26:12 am
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I spent some time in South Africa and totally fell in love with their beef jerky! Thought I'd share how I make it so everyone else can love it too.
1: Buy London Broil, cut lengthwise in strips about 3/8 - 1/2 inch thick. You can trim the fat, but I prefer to keep in on as it's my favorite part.
2: Fill a bowl with apple cider vinegar, quickly dip strips, wring, then lay on a rack. Cover with salt on both sides, and put in the fridge for 1-4 hours.
3: Save the vinegar you used originally, mix with 3 parts hot water, rinse all salt off the meat, and wring dry.
4: Make a mixture of black pepper, ground coriander, crushed coriander, roll the meat in it, and voila!
At this point you can dehydrate it in a mechanical dehydrator, but i prefer to hang them in a hot box equipped with a 75-100 watt bulb and a small fan to aid in air circulation. The key to good biltong is to not dehydrate it completely. The outside should turn dark brown, and the inside should be a dark dark red. It keeps 2 weeks unrefrigerated, 2 months in the fridge, or you can freeze it. Best to keep it in a brown paper bag. Step 4 can be substituted for whatever you want (chili powder/smoked paprika, cumin, and barbeque sauce have all been good options for me), To eat, cut it up at a 45 degree angle with scissors or a knife. If you want to know how I made the hot box, just drop me a line.
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As if bowmaking wasn't enough of a reason to make a hot box... ;D
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sounds good !!!!!!
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That's where I got the idea to add apple cider vinegar to my jerky recipe.
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Thanks Crash :)
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If anyone makes it let me know how it turns out for you.
FYI: A biltong box needs to be high so the meat can hang without touching the box, not long like a bow :D
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Thank you I was in South Africa last year and have been looking for a recipe since.
Now... where to get the kudu?
Sam
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A South African friend of mine claims the origen of biltong involves a leopard dragging a game animal up in a tree to eat at their leisure. Some leftover scraps of meat dried in the sun and the local people found it. There is antelope biltong, springbok biltong, zebra biltong, and the list goes on. Apparently elephant biltong, however, is quite rare.
>:D
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Besides the delightful oder of wood and bamboo drying in my hot box, add to that the succulent smells of awesome jerky. There would be even less reason to come in the house. :D