Hung the Biltong!

[O.S.O.K.]

That sounds kinda rude doesn't it? Yeah, I really hung the biltong last night... :lool:

Anyhoo - here it is:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3549/5818035377_8175af7fd4_b.jpg

The wife's not at home right now... she's gonna love seeing this! :lool:

As you can see, I opted for wooden clothespins to hang the strips - figure that will work good...

Its a test batch - I had a couple of sirloin steaks in the freezer that needed to be used - so I got about 2 lbs of bilton out of them and the dog got about 1/3 pound of trimmings :)

I guess this stuff hangs for a couple weeks now...

If you don't know what I'm referring to, then see the meat processing thread in this forum - by btcave.

[Schuetzenman]

You're supposed to use paper clips. Those wood clothes pins are likely to trap moisture under where they pinch.

[O.S.O.K.]

Naw - just checked one. Apparently, the wood sucks :lool:

And its pretty amazing how dry the meat is already - of course, there's a ceiling fan going... so the air movement probably speeds the drying.

[btcave]

:clap: Mmmm. I can't wait to see what you think. If you like it, I might try it here at the homestead.

[Schuetzenman]

Wood sucks alright and harbors a lot more bacteria. You might be OK this time but I wouldn't reuse them.

[ltorlo64]

Looking forward to hearing how the wife takes this new bit of home furnishing.

[O.S.O.K.]

I warned her but she's still not impressed. :)

Wood kills bacteria too - naturally - oak does anyway and cedar. The pins are probably pine which might also be naturally anti-biotic.

Maybe I'll make hooks for the next batch... :dizzy:

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, that little chunk on the left was consumed yesterday - pretty good :)

And today, I decided to transfer the chunks to paperclip hooks just for the hell of it. Another little piece fell into my mouth... I think it's actually getting tastier!

So far, I'm impressed.

I'll leave it alone now until it's dry dry.

[romak10/63UF]

Your wife is gonna snap... lmao

[Mark Ducati]

Here's an idea...

Okay: Meat (Sirloin), remove fat, spritz with apple cider, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Ground Corriander... I get that...

My suggestion is: Its summer time, run a string in your attic and use paper clips to hang the meat... very dry hot air. I wonder how long you'd have to hang it in the attic? Can you "over dry" Biltong?

[Schuetzenman]

I bet you have to let it go days to get the tenderizing thing and flavor penetration. Hanging it in an attic would probably dry it in 1 day with these temps.

[O.S.O.K.]

Mark - its cider vinegar - just so you know.

Mine is completely dry and took about 6 days in my office - which is air conditioned of course...

You could hang it in the attick if you want and I'm sure it would dry faster.

And I ahve to say, it tastes pretty dang good - it's best after it dries all of the way.

I've eaten about 1/2 of it so far :D

[btcave]

I've eaten about 1/2 of it so far :D

So it's worth the effort! I know what I'm doing on Sunday. Thanks OSOK!

[Mark Ducati]

I forgot that I have a food dehydrator... been so long since I used it, I found it in the basement. Thought it got tossed when we moved.

Got it out, Made some Biltong last night using some beef stew cubes we had in the freezer... 14 hrs in the dehydrator, just had some. Pretty awesome.

--------------

Thanks OSOK, my misprint... yes, I used cider vinegar, but also added some worstechire sauce and some Louisianna Hot sauce, and some soy sauce. But the Corriander/Black pepper was the dominant flavoring.

[Izzy]

That's what I want to know, if a dehyrator can make just as good bultong as dry aged. Here in FL it is very humid, I worry about spoilage.

My wife is from S.Africa and we used to get this from a fellow South African, such a good snack!

[O.S.O.K.]

The dehydrator or even oven work fine - just not better.

[Izzy]

That's what I got form the vid, but if it has miosture inside ( trapped by the dry outer surface) that is not so good. We had a batch of Billtong that gave us tremendous gas, and then soon after turned moldy...

Becuase the person who made it did not dry it enough ( he hung it in his concrete waled room, just not long enough), our tiny appartment overseas got very hot in the summer ( though it was a dry heat) it still developed mold.

Now that I am ( back) in florida I think I should use a dehydrator, but consume it right away...I need to get one and experament a bit.

[O.S.O.K.]

Sounds like a bit more vinegar and salt are called for?

Mine didn't show any signs of mold...

[Izzy]

Maybe. In contrast to the video posted on Youtube, my wife tells me her father made bulltong by soaking the meat in viniger overnight, not just a spray.

In any case the bulltong I mentioned earlier was just not dry enough, so when it was not stored in the freezer in a non-air conditioned apartment ( dry heat) it started to go off.