Back strap Biltong

[Jc2020]

Never had Biltong but definitely going to give this a try

 

[LuketheDog]

Oh their tender, I just can't get past the mushyness of them. Friends are always amazed I give them away...

They're best cooked on a stick around a campfire after packing out the meat all day...

 

[backcountry_sassn]

It has some vinegar taste depending on the type you use, but its not over powering. You taste the corriander and salt over the vinegar, or I do anyway. I like to use malt or apple cider, but traditional versions are flavored with "brown" (malt) vinegar, roasted and crushed coriander seed, course salt and pepper. Some times the vinegar is added prior to marinating, other times the meat is dipped just prior to hanging depends on who is making it. I also add a little brown sugar, red pepper flakes, garlic, etc at times. With tougher cuts of meat, add some baking soda which acts as a tenderizer.

Like the jerky we typically eat/make, the sky is the limit for taste and texture... I don't soak mine in vinegar, rather I spray it on or quickly dip it in a solution of 50/50 water let it drip off, then roll in spices and then place in a bag, or glass/plastic dish to marinate for 36-48hrs. I like longer with game meat, especially the tougher cuts, or ones with less fat, it helps develop the flavor. The salt salt pulls out the moisture, the vinegar keeps the surface pH low to prohibit bacterial growth when you hang it, it doesn't really cure with vinegar.. hence the reason that some people just dip it prior to hanging. I pull it out and wipe off excess spices/liquid and hang, sometimes put some fresh ground pepper on them.

This was my old box, while crude, it has made hundreds of pounds of biltong. haha... it was an old rolling organizer rack that I wrapped in cardboard to keep the flies out, I cut a few holes in the top and screened over for ventilation... it holds about 30-35 lbs of strips. I placed an old dehydrator in the bottom to add a little air circulation and heat as its quite cool and damp here most of the time. Otherwise it the meat would take forever to dry with a light bulb heat source. It takes anywhere from 3-5 days to dry the meat depending on humidity and thickness. I check and rotate them around to make sure they are not getting too crusty nearest the fan, but the fan doesnt' move much air. When they are the right firmness, they get pulled and bagged in the fridge for 3-4 days to even out the moisture, then slice it all and vacuum pack/freeze it after. I like 3/4" cuts vs the normal 1-1.25" cuts mostly because the cuts I use are tougher and a pain to slice when dried. I need to make a biltong slicer...

View attachment 142453

thats a lot of Biltong right there! Just put another batch in the box this morning.

 

[RG_Adult_Onset_Hunter]

"Best cut" is a subjective term at most and it's never shameful to eat what you kill. But, the more a muscle works the better it tastes, and there are parts that taste better than backstraps if you know how to cook them right. I'd take a good braised shank or blade roast over a chunk of backstrap any day of the week, and pastrami has become my favorite prep for backstraps...

Amen.