Perfect Venison Biltong | Steven Lamb

Steven Lamb's flavour-packed cured snack from South Africa is pretty close to jerky in its method. It is quite brittle and hard to begin with but, after a few challenging chews, it starts to soften and relent, allowing all those fantastic flavours to fill your mouth. On the odd occasion when the River Cottage team is allowed out of the county, we can often be seen munching on sticks of home-cured biltong on the train to London. If you love the recipe, like the video!
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[@tsotsismart2532]

Hi Steven. I am from South Africa and also make my own biltong. It is best to first brush on only a small amount of vinegar and then spice the meat. This way the spice will stick to the meat and also not have an overpowering taste of vinegar. Hang the meat out for about ten days with a small fan continuously blowing over the meat.

[@georgezgreek]

100 % boetie

[@matthewkirsch8804]

Tsotsi Smart that’s how it is done!!

[@joelwilliams935]

Hey gang, I’m from West Virginia US and am an avid hunter. I’ve currently noticed a lot of Biltong ads via FB other than that I’ve never heard of it...Ever! With that said I was raised on home made deer and bear jerky but always cooked in a dehydrater. Soo all I need is the ingredients a conventional oven on low heat and a small fan??? It seems so simple am I missing something??

[@BOER-BOEL762]

@@joelwilliams935 You really don't need the oven, all you need is a fan or a constant breeze over the meat.

[@ianinchina7610]

@@joelwilliams935 you dont need an oven. Keep it away from the oven please. I make about 6-10KG of biltong a week. I used to put a 40w lightbulb in my drying cases but that stoped. You dont need it. It just needs airflow. If you need more info, Feel free to contact me. I'll walk you through a very basic setup

[@mattybhoy6522]

I'm South African and what you have made here is biltong but its sort of like a biltong snap stick, which I do enjoy... But The best in my opinion is when u use a large slice, submerge it in vinegar ( Brown Malt works really well) like a day or two, add the same seasoning as the video and hang it to dry for a few days, in a cardboard box ( absorbs moisture) with a small fan gently blowing on it. That way due to the largeness of the piece when you slice through you are left with a nice hard outside and a soft dark red moist inside with great marbling and flavour... Jerky from what I have had is similar to what has been produced in this video, which is great :)

[@rothsshvili5125]

Biltong is a snack or proper food for SA folks?

[@realpirate]

you like jerky ??? cis, man !

[@DebbieThorpeDeb4foodCornwall]

I will definately be making biltong after watching this. Born and bread in SA now Cornish gal! Had the best of both worlds, grew up by the sea and ate loads of venison! In SA the parents give the kids biltong to eat when they are teething.

[@shermanleeyh]

Did you make it?

[@kobuspienaar.]

Hi Steven, love your videos, going to try some salami making when I get home. On the biltong... The venison is great but beef biltong cut from a C grade silverside with little bit of yellow fat is how I make it. The fat is sweet and breaks the saltiness. I cure it with 1.coriander 2.salt 3.pepper 4.nutmeg (optional) 5.brown sugar 6.worchershire sauce. Sprinkle the sliced meat with Worcester sauce on both sides and then generously sprinkle the cure mix. let the cured meat lay in the fridge for 2 days. After two days hang in a cool dry room for 3 to 4 days depending on how you like it. I'm a South African and that mainly how we love to have it. Cheers!

[@hrebecak]

+Kobus Pienaar I made it the same way as you. Works very well, thanks mate!

[@kobuspienaar.]

Michal Antoš hope you enjoy it my friend! 👍

[@robertjohansson8965]

Im gona try this. In the north part of scandinavia we salt raindeer meat and dry it outside during winter. The texture look simular. Will spice it up a little bit more after seeing this :)

[@richardwilliamson1171]

greetings from south africa....my advise...do this in winter time as if it is warm the meat will rott....also pour a bit of brown vinegar....mmmm...bloody nice...

[@LitoGeorge]

broer, worst advice ever. The meat will not rot in summer in ZA. If you had meat rot there, you did it wrong. Goed gaan.

[@danburton5697]

Hi Mate, Really enjoying your video's. I process my own Pork, Lamb and a few chooks we raise on our little farm. We live in Central Western NSW Australia. A hunter mate of mine dropped in a large fresh venison leg, at short notice i bundled the entire leg into the freezer. Didn't have time to process it. My question is can i make Biltong from the frozen meat? Would hate to waste it? I have saved some back fat from the last pig we slaughtered and was going to make sausages with it. However after seeing this i would like to give the Biltong a go. Regards Dan.

[@smgBy2001]

This is NOT biltong. True biltong is NEVER heat dried. You’ve basically made jerky with biltong style spices. It drives me up a wall when people use heat to cure meat and call it biltong. It’s supposed to be air dried at a room temperature. All the worry about the meat rotting is irrelevant that’s the reason for the vinegar and salt. It creates a protective layer on the outside of the meat allowing it to cure properly over time. Just hang it up in a well ventilated space that isn’t too humid and be patient 4 days to 3 weeks depending on thickness & how dry you like your biltong. Also STOP CUTTING THE FAT OFF PEOPLE!!! It detracts from the flavour.

[@DrewderSLA]

Thank you for your post. I really wanted to confirm if it is made at room temperature or not. I plan on trying to do this for the upcoming hunting season and plan on hanging it in my garage, but by the time season hits, it will be close to freezing temps. I take it that if it is too cold, it would be better done indoors at room temps?

[@briansmith766]

Looks great Steve. I made great bacon and chorizo sausage with you at the food fair, cheers Steve...Also the day before we home I caught 25 Mackerel, off the wreck of the Bagger Tanner (I think that's how you spell it) in Lyme Bay...all the best Brian

[@derrickstableford8152]

Bison and Elk are really good lean meats for jerky- I know a farm outside Melton Mowbray has bison. Moose is also fantastic- you cannot by it though- it has to be hunted. I once helped with the butchering of a 700lb moose, harvested by the other grandad- a woodland Cree gentleman. We had to have a share of the animal, it is considered the ultimate in bad luck not to share- 7 families partook of the meat.

[@ryanhenry21]

Wow you made that look difficult. Simply brush on brown vinegar first then sprinkle your dry rub/ cure and hang in a box with a light and fan.

[@puregameplay7916]

the vinegar is what kills the bacteria and it needs to fully penetrate the meat in order to do so.

[@theoswanepoel5412]

SUIDWES Biltong - Bees en WildBeef The are literally hundreds of quick mix biltong spices available, each claiming to be the best… it's still full of Potasium Sorbate, Worchester sauce powder and other preservatives… This is how we made Biltong for generations and still is the number ONE: For every 1kg biltong - mix the following spice 18 gr salt 2 gr black pepper 1 gr brown sugar 4 gr coriander coarse Sprinkle biltong with spice mix and Worchester sauce alternatively… Let it rest for 12 hours and mix well again. Allow it to rest for another 12 hours and hang in well ventilated room or infront of the fan or in a Biltong cupboard WITHOUT WARM AIR

[@NdrHrlnd]

This is what I use for 5 kg Silverside (nice thick cuts) - Crushed coriander seeds: 300 ml - Crushed black peppercorns: 100 ml - Brown sugar: 100 ml - Coarse sea salt (rock salt): 100 ml - Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate): 1 small teaspoon Sometimes I add some mustard seeds for a somewhat smoky taste or smoked sweet paprika, onion powder, thyme and cumin for a BBQ flavour:)) I allow the meat to marinate in the refrigerator for 5 hours. Turn after 2.5 hours.

[@geoffwickett]

Thank you- but oh boy, what did you sharpen that knife with? A brick?! Also- vinegar first & go easy on the sugar- it's not jerky.

[@robertabate3617]

Hi , me again. just discovered your chanel , so lots of questions. my dad shot a white tale buck here in upstate ny and I'll take some of the meat. would it do the same as your roe deer in england? if so I'm in.

[@mendesanafriv5148]

it looks good

[@oldtighthead2459]

Top tip from a South African, sprinkle your biltong with brown vinigar before you apply the cure....

[@pauisha]

Hello I'm from México I want to know which tipes of meat can i use instead of lamb

[@mitchamus]

beef works well too.

[@edwardholloway6853]

I am a fan of Riverside, however using oven heat is not the way to make biltong. It must be air-dried over at least four days for uk deer, and i suggest you add some black pepper and coriander after drying after cure before hanging. Just saying………

[@TheShamwari]

I lived in Bulawayo ! and I still use the same method here in UK. 1.Cut the meat at least 2cm wide. 2. lightly cover with COARSE salt and leave for a max of 15mins. 3. wash OFF all the salt with white vinegar.4. cover heavilly with fine ground corriander and leave for max of ONE hour. 5. Hang = I have house with a 1970 gass boiler in a one meter square ground floor room and ,as I usually only make the biltong in winter, then hung in this room it is " edible" with soft (ish) interior in 5-8 days. After about 3weeks it is dry enought to snap when bent - it dries to one third of it's original weight !

[@Danjgallon]

would it be worth freezing the meat first in order to get thinner slices?

[@Shagnarsty]

how do you store this afterwards ?

[@richardwilliamson1171]

you can put this in the fridge...in a plastic bag...wont do no harm...

[@vietl2160]

richard williamson or throw in directly into garbage in some situation

[@drianroos9900]

In your stomach, the amount he made won't last 5 min

[@blankswag9184]

Hey Steve, rad recipe man!! I can't easily get my hands on any venison, could I use lamb instead? If so, which cut do you recommend?

[@jasonroets9906]

Hey. Nice first attempt but you have made basic mistakes. Firstly your meat was cut too thinly. You didn't add your worster sauce to your brown vinegar. Your spices were not ground enough so they fell off. NEVER DRY OFF THE MEAT!!!!! lastly it's usually air dried over days to weeks. Why did you dry it in front of an oven?

[@vietl2160]

Jason Roets why not? haha

[@jasonroets9906]

mc lobster why not to which part?

[@ramargate]

Venison biltong is almost like beef jerky, right?

[@vietl2160]

Ryan Margate but beef jerking is much better

[@MegaRiffraff]

👍🏻🇺🇸

[@MrRosswesson]

That's not how you make biltong mate! Points for trying though!

[@draxil42]

I think maybe a more accurate way of putting it is, it's not how *you* make biltong!

[@MrRosswesson]

Fair enough, but I am South African and I know a thing or two about making biltong!

[@jamesg3456]

Ross Wesson please... best I've ever eaten was by a Namibian Recce. that man knew two things, killing and biltong

[@ramrademan5378]

Not the best recipe. Too much vinegar, spices are washed off. Too much sugar; coriander needs to cracked and some ground finer. Venison is great. Beef with a little marbling is better.

[@kobienel4819]

Not bad, for a English man, spice good except the open oven part, were I'm from you hang and fan with any old fan to keep the air moving and 🐜 off it. I almost always have biltong on me or droë wors. Like the curing videos keep it coming.

[@nudl3Zz]

it probably tastes amazin but it looks a bit weird^^

[@ljroos6565]

nudl3Zz Fun fact. The Boors, when they trekked up North into Africa, had to preserve meat, no fridges back then :D They would put the cut strips under the saddles, the horses sweat would help preserve and create Biltong! Real zombie apocalypse food, lasts forever and is AWESOME with some coca cola or a beer!

[@MagicSwagget12]

What is it with this guy and curing everything

[@carpii]

he loves chatcuterie I guess. Wheres the problem?

[@MagicSwagget12]

There's no problem.

[@jonasdewald4954]

Sharpened knives work better my friend

[@MrDuderivers]

Bad example of biltong preserving

[@mohameddejongh5914]

Die bru maak n gat van homself

[@rsa420]

Love rive cottage got a few books but this vid is utter kak

[@georgetempest9627]

Something that totally amazes me - what ever good cooking program I watch, you all use 'Linen Union' tea towels like they go out of fashion. They are bloody expensive! I always use disposable J-Cloths, stronger that kitchen roll, but cheaper then trying to get stains out of Linen Union on a hot wash cycle...

[@Hevva67]

That’s not how you make it looking at a proper video from a South African.

[@SPM-tm1ti]

This is Definitely not biltong 🤣

[@888ssss]

middle class debtor cottage.

[@matthewHizzle]

This seems more like thick jerky, I thought biltong was a big piece of cured meat. Looks great!!! I’m currently dehydrating a bunch of jerky with the deer I harvested this year!

[@jalope2]

1.- I have noticed that you don't use the Praga Salt for the Prosciutto style ham, why? . Isn't it better? and if it is better what is the percentage to be use. 2.- Do you have a recipe for Spanish Style Chorizo?

[@totternhoe12]

Sorry, but that is not biltong - meat is too thin (more like jerky). Oven dried biltong does not taste as good as traditionally dried biltong.

[@derrickstableford8152]

I've made my own jerky before with 12yr old single malt languvalin- my cooking whiskey. It is to die for. Before I became Canadian I never saw it in blighty. Here in Canada, every gas station has tonnes of it. Way better and cheaper to make own though.

[@Gabriedj1]

How can you waste languvalin like that :(

[@DeinosDinos]

I'm afraid I won't try that out anytime soon. I live in Hong Kong, where it's humid and practically equatorial. Even if I can get my hands on venison, I can't keep them free of bacteria long enough to cure them.

[@pollockdonald]

Get a biltong machine on ebay oe make one yourself and the best cuts are topside or silverside and cheaper then vension I live in Australia and it gets pretty dam humid but no probs making good biltong check out the south african way to make biltong

[@dimesonhiseyes9134]

A food dehydrator or an oven is what we use in the US. It is essentially jerky. In the more arid enviroments putting it out in the sun on wooden poles was traditionally used. Here teriyaki sauce is a very common marinade.

[@corriedebeer799]

Maurice K The use of a dehumidifier can certainly help with that.

[@LitoGeorge]

9 years later. In SAfrica, where biltong originated from, there are areas where its practically equatorial. Say, plus 40+DegC, with +85% humidity. Sitting still in a basement area (cooler) will result in sweat running off your body. Biltong is just FINE for that kind of environment. Salt and vinegar are you best friends for the meat.

[@NarschoolVlog]

so its basically jerky.. but from venion not beef.. Venison Jerky?

[@seanonel]

Very different to jerky.

[@dimesonhiseyes9134]

seanonel not really it's a dehydrated meat. Its almost identical to jerky. The only real difference is the thickness.

[@seanonel]

tyson cargill Without wanting to sound contrary, I would have to respectfully disagree... Biltong needs to be cured with salt and vinegar, and is never marinated, only spiced. Jerky is cut thin before being marinated whereas biltong is hung and cured in strips of meat (doesn't have to be venison, top-side beef is very good too) and then - optionally - cut into strips. In Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, venison of all sorts was very popular for biltong, because of the abundance of wildlife we were surrounded by. Popular meats were Kudu, Impala, Hippo, Eland etc. In South Africa, Kudu and beef are the more popular meats, although that varies greatly by region. Hanging the strips allows for more control over the texture. Main spice of biltong is toasted and ground coriander whereas jerky can be any marinade one chooses. Whilst I use the dehydrator to make mine, hanging in a dry environment is far more ideal. Jerky tends to be more sweet, whilst biltong has a more savoury flavour.

[@corriedebeer799]

NarschoolVlog I believe the main difference is that Jerky is dried in the salt where biltong is hanged and air dried.

[@dimesonhiseyes9134]

seanonel​ there are far more similarities than differences. The only difference is the use of acid as a curing agent. While it is optional with jerky. Drying method has been simplified by modern technology but traditionally was smoked or hung to dry. 

[@jonconkers]

Hey where would you hang it and for how long?

[@jonconkers]

That was for pancetta, for some reason its posted here.

[@corriedebeer799]

jonconkers Depends on how wet / dry you want it.

[@aronlee93]

Can you make some jerky !?

[@fcknwo9259]

after spicing your meat remove all the spices with the vinegar *Facepalm*