Making Biltong

bridgetown1

All the recipes which I come across need Saltpetre/Potassium Nitrate, but this is hard to come by these days without a license. Are there any alternative biltong curing recipes which do not need this?

Thanks and Cheers

the beer revolu

bridgetown1 wrote: »

All the recipes which I come across need Saltpetre/Potassium Nitrate, but this is hard to come by these days without a license. Are there any alternative biltong curing recipes which do not need this?

Thanks and Cheers

I would have thought that it wouldn't be necessary. In bacon curing I thought that the saltpetre/Potassium was just to give the meat a pink colour rather than an unappetising grey colour. Would have thought there was no need with biltong as the final product is almost black.

First recipe a search threw up has none.

If you feel you need it any friendly butcher who cures their own bacon or ham will give you a pinch of pickling salt (you only need a tiny amount). That's what I did when home pickling some pork.

twerg_85

I cured duck breasts using just salt (and some flavouring spices) and they turned out fine.

F.

Minder

The salt-petre is used to prevent the growth of clostridium botulinum which is extremely toxic. Most biltong cures will have salt-petre included in the cure. Not sure where the idea of needing a license comes from.

http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/Biltong_Seasonings.html will sell you biltong seasonings that include the curing agents.

They also sell saltpetre here.

They also sell All Purpose Curing Salt here

maringo

Minder wrote: »

The salt-petre is used to prevent the growth of clostridium botulinum which is extremely toxic. Most biltong cures will have salt-petre included in the cure. Not sure where the idea of needing a license comes from.

My brother in Canada decided he would do a few spiced beef joints for the Christmas. A bit of a perfectionist, he assembled all his spices but searched high and low for the sodium nitrate and eventually was directed to a chemist. When he asked for it he got looked at very suspiciously - asked what he wanted it for - and they said they couldn't sell it. Eventually he called to a factory that cured pork and they had it locked away but were willing to sell him some - it was in large sacks - they cracked up when he said he only wanted a few spoonfuls for his recipe! Oh and his spiced beef turned out great and was a real hit over the Christmas from all accounts! Thought I'd share that story.

SlowJack

Minder wrote: »

The salt-petre is used to prevent the growth of clostridium botulinum which is extremely toxic. Most biltong cures will have salt-petre included in the cure. Not sure where the idea of needing a license comes from.

http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/Biltong_Seasonings.html will sell you biltong seasonings that include the curing agents.

They also sell saltpetre here.

They also sell All Purpose Curing Salt here

Salt-petre is used as a oxidizer in gunpowder and is one of the 3 main ingredients in the making of gunpowder, I think that might be why they are controlling it.

connollys

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/biltong-recipe

This was the recipe I kinda followed. Dried in the oven with the door slightly open and just the fan blowing

Minder

SlowJack wrote: »

Salt-petre is used as a oxidizer in gunpowder and is one of the 3 main ingredients in the making of gunpowder, I think that might be why they are controlling it.

I know exactly what it is and it isn't licensed. I have bought it several times from the link I gave in my previous post.

collie0708

Guys I havnt had any biltong in years,any idea of somewhere that sells it????

hardCopy

collie0708 wrote: »

Guys I havnt had any biltong in years,any idea of somewhere that sells it????

jerky-house.com sell it, I haven't bought it but have bought jerky from them and got quick delivery.

TBoneMan

Best biltong I know of is at bresnans butchers in douglas cork...they also do droëwors & 3 types of boerewors. A friend of mine sends it to her sister in france its that good...

SlowJack

collie0708 wrote: »

Guys I havnt had any biltong in years,any idea of somewhere that sells it????

I just ordered 1.5kg from Unclebok, they are doing deliveries in Dublin tomorrow/today, I can't wait for a fresh piece of biltong, had some before Xmas last....:eek:

http://www.unclebok.com/Special_offers.php

I tried a few suppliers around Dublin, for me they the best.

bridgetown1

I made my first ever batch of biltong this week, using the thin cut 'minute' steak available in most big supermarkets. I was surprised how good it turned out, for a first-timer! it was a bit drier than I would like it, but that can be solved by taking it out of the biltong box sooner! Learning from experience!

But it was also a bit too salty for my liking, so next time I will either use less or marinade it for a shorter time. My spice mix had salt, pepper, coriander (of course!), paprika, lea and perrins and some wine vinegar.

Anybody got any nice spice mix suggestions?

Cheers and Thanks!


By the way, my box is an old wooden microscope box, with a bulb at the bottom and hooks at the top. Holes top and bottom too, for air circulation. Good for 9 X 20cm strips!

Dizzyblonde

Threads merged

bridgetown1

connollys wrote: »

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/biltong-recipe

This was the recipe I kinda followed. Dried in the oven with the door slightly open and just the fan blowing

sounds good! will try it next time.

pastorbarrett

I may be mistaken, but I think I recall that saltpetre may be a suspected carcinogen, hence probably the regulation of its sale. I don't think the occasional moderate intake of it is anything to be concerned about. At least this is what I remember from reading the Ballymaloe cookbook, re: spiced beef recipe. I stand to be corrected though.

TBoneMan

Saltpetre sale is regulated as it can be used to form an explosive ...

bridgetown1

Has anybody tried drying fish by a similar method?

CJhaughey

bridgetown1 wrote: »

Has anybody tried drying fish by a similar method?

Digging this thread up again, I have made salt cod its easy to get it to a semi dry state but getting it bone dry takes a long time.
I have a batch of Biltong curing right now, I got a big lump of silverside 3.6 kg and used Crown National Safari brand spice mix to cure it.
The dryer is a cardboard box with a computer fan and a 40w light bulb for heat plenty of holes in the bottom of the sides and some mesh to keep insects at bay.
I'll take some snaps along the way.

dipdip

Anyone had a go at making this themselves at home in an oven? I am curious to make some, but not planning to buy a dehydrator. Jerky is crazy expensive to buy.

The internet offers lots of ideas but if anyone has done it themselves I'd love some tips. Thanks!

Dizzyblonde

Threads merged

dipdip

Thanks! Apologies, I hadn't seen it.

CJhaughey

Jerky and Biltong are quite different in the way they are made.
Jerky is heated in the oven, while biltong is just airdried.
In this climate with humidity ~70% or so you need to force air over the meat and I also used a small wattage lightbulb to provide a bit of heat in the last batch of Biltong I made.
The jerky I made before was marinated in a mix of sauces, blotted on some kitchen roll then dried on a rack next to the woodburning stove in the winter. and finished off in a very low oven.
The dehydrator is very easy to make, a cardboard box, with holes cut in the bottom part of the vertical wall, and flyscreens installed with hot meltglue.
40w lightbulb in a holder, a diffuser above that to even the heat out. A computer fan in the top of the box to make the air move.
3 wooden rods to hang the meat on.
I use wooden kebab sticks to hold the meat, they are strong and long.