# Biltong questions?



## tgil (Jan 11, 2015)

I've read a bunch of the old threads, but there isn't much in the last year or so?  Did everyone decide they liked jerky better?  I've been wanting to try my had at some biltong and have a 2lb piece of venison I'd like to try it with.  Since there really isn't a need for heat, other than to circulate air, couldn't I use my fridge to do the same thing?


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## crazymoon (Jan 12, 2015)

TG, sorry but don't know a thing about it except that it looks good when its done !


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## dingo007 (Jan 17, 2015)

Hi tgil,

Sorry for the slow response....I make lots of Biltong...Technically there is a need for some heat...not to cook..but to dehydrate...using a fridge would cause the outside of the meat to harden and prevent an even drying. Some people make biltong boxes....an aerated box with a heat source...this doesn't deal with humidity. Too little humidity (per your fridge) is a problem...to much also a problem. I make mine in a purpose built curing chamber where I can control temp and humidity.

You should check out the forum biltongbox.com ...might give you some ideas.

otherwise...build a box...use a dehydrator...or make a curing chamber (my recommendation...as once you start dry aging...you cant stop). The fridge is a risky option.

Let me know if you want to know anything else.


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## boer1979 (Jan 22, 2015)

you dont need heat, you just need somewhere dry, and make sure the meat doesnt touch while drying or else it will get mildew growing on it. i build a biltong box ( google it, theres a bunch of ways to make it) and i use a 100watt light bulb to dry the meat.


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## dingo007 (Jan 22, 2015)

Boer1979 said:


> you dont need heat, you just need somewhere dry, and make sure the meat doesnt touch while drying or else it will get mildew growing on it. i build a biltong box ( google it, theres a bunch of ways to make it) and i use a 100watt light bulb to dry the meat.


If you dont need heat....why use the 100W light bulb?


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## mbogo (Jan 22, 2015)

I've had plenty of real Biltong, air dried in Africa- It's a wonder I have any teeth left in my head.........Give me Jack Links any day!


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## dingo007 (Jan 22, 2015)

Mbogo said:


> I've had plenty of real Biltong, air dried in Africa- It's a wonder I have any teeth left in my head.........Give me Jack Links any day!


Haha..that;s the beauty of Biltong...dry it to your taste. I've also had some that nearly pulled the teeth out of my mouth! I prefer it much softer...even softer than jerky...













2013-02-23_16-29-59_724_zpsd2ba860a.jpg



__ dingo007
__ Jan 22, 2015


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## sqwib (Jan 22, 2015)

I have had good luck with biltong. Cardboard box with a 20 watt bulb.
The bulb is to create draft by heat rising and pulling in air. Just make sure to use fine screen to keep the no seeum bugs away.


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## crys (Jul 30, 2015)

Just made my first biltong using the bilton maker described by popular mechanics - the plastic box with a fan and bulb (used a heating bulb for reptiles).  Came out very good for a first try though I'm going to make some changes like thicker cuts of meat, 1" instead of 1/2", and 5% salt instead of 6% salt (used the universal cure calculator).

I'm of two minds about using cure in my next batch...this isn't aerobic at all so do I need to actually worry about botulism with air drying?

Oh also I used malt vinegar as this is the brown vinegar described in many recipes and I'm very happy I did as the taste is excellent.


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## ksforrie (Jul 30, 2015)

You need good airflow to dry the meat.  I use a box with a extractor fan in the top and a 150W incident bulb if i need more heat.


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## dingo007 (Jul 30, 2015)

Crys said:


> Just made my first biltong using the bilton maker described by popular mechanics - the plastic box with a fan and bulb (used a heating bulb for reptiles).  Came out very good for a first try though I'm going to make some changes like thicker cuts of meat, 1" instead of 1/2", and 5% salt instead of 6% salt (used the universal cure calculator).
> 
> I'm of two minds about using cure in my next batch...this isn't aerobic at all so do I need to actually worry about botulism with air drying?
> 
> Oh also I used malt vinegar as this is the brown vinegar described in many recipes and I'm very happy I did as the taste is excellent.


Hi Crys,

I agree with the cut...I try to cut mine 1" square..it seems to give the best results.

Regarding the use of cure....Initially I didn't use it my biltong as it wasn't a ground product and I was following a traditional recipe...however cure is used in whole meat production all the time. Sure it's generally #2 as the curing/drying times are longer. Botulism is more of a risk in ground products, but their is still a risk in whole meat products. After a discussion with an expat South African friend on another forum ( I think he is here also) he pointed out a case of botulism poisoning in Australia where a commercial producer left it out by accident. People died.  His comment was " I'm to old to play Russian roulette" ...  My opinion, fwiw, is sure traditionally it wasn't used, but with today's knowledge why would you risk your own life, and that of your friends and family, by not using it? I've used ever since and honestly, contrary to opinion, I cant say that it affects the flavor at all. The choice is yours. It's sort like seat belts...in Colorado at least, you generally wont get ticketed for not wearing one, but why wouldn't you?


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## mummel (Jul 30, 2015)

Dingo007 said:


> Hi tgil,
> Sorry for the slow response....I make lots of Biltong...Technically there is a need for some heat...not to cook..but to dehydrate...using a fridge would cause the outside of the meat to harden and prevent an even drying. Some people make biltong boxes....an aerated box with a heat source...this doesn't deal with humidity. Too little humidity (per your fridge) is a problem...to much also a problem. I make mine in a purpose built curing chamber where I can control temp and humidity.
> You should check out the forum biltongbox.com ...might give you some ideas.
> otherwise...build a box...use a dehydrator...or make a curing chamber (my recommendation...as once you start dry aging...you cant stop). The fridge is a risky option.
> Let me know if you want to know anything else.



Hi Dingo. I'm very interested in trying my own biltong. I want to dry it in my basement with a fan. It's pretty cool down there. Sub 72F on an average day. But do you know what the relative humidity should be? It's pretty humid in my basement, at least 55% - 65%. But man I would be so excited if I could do this.


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## crys (Jul 30, 2015)

And that was the same reason why I used it even though the recipe didn't call for it :)  Good to know that my instinct to be safe rather than sorry was correct...I was just wondering if there was an actual risk given the type of curing and now I know to keep using it.

In any case my recipe was as follows for 5.51 lb or 2500 g of top round.

2.5 kg top round or london broil

6.15 gram cure - 150 ppm by weight

145 gram Kosher salt - 6% salt by weight (cutting this down to 5% next time)

75 gram light brown sugar - 3% sugar by weight (this will go to 2.5% next time to keep the ratio correct)

141.75 gram Malt Vinegar (1/2 c for 2 kg)

70.87 gram Worcestershire sauce (1/4c for 2 kg)

5 mL baking soda (1 tps for 2 kg)

3 mL ground white pepper (1/2 tsp for 2 kg)

15 mL ground roasted coriander (1 tbs for 2 kg)

I mixed the malt vinegar, Worcester sauce and cure together and dipped my meat slices in them, then laid them down in a bed of the mix of salt, sugar and spices.  I kept laying down meat and salt mixture in layers until done (added in whatever was left of the liquid cure mix) and then let this sit in the refrigerator for 12 hours.  Then I moved the entire mixture to gallon bags and mixed together the salt and liquid and kept rotating the bag from side to side for the next 12 to make sure all the meat rested in the cure for at least a day.  Then I laid it out on paper towels to dry for a few before putting it in the dryer and with the fan going it took only a day to get to a "wet" consistency I liked, at that point I pulled it and vacuum packed it to freeze.

As I said next time I'm going to go with 1" slices and let it simply dry for longer to get a thicker end piece.


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## dingo007 (Jul 30, 2015)

mummel said:


> Hi Dingo. I'm very interested in trying my own biltong. I want to dry it in my basement with a fan. It's pretty cool down there. Sub 72F on an average day. But do you know what the relative humidity should be? It's pretty humid in my basement, at least 55% - 65%. But man I would be so excited if I could do this.


Hi Mummel,

Those conditions should be fine....biltong is pretty forgiving stuff. 72F is fine....65% is good...55% getting a little low...that just means it will dry a little quicker. Being such a small diameter product it dries quick anyway. Dont put the fan directly on the meat and check it regularly and use cure #1. Cage it somehow to keep the bugs and critters at bay. I used to go be the feel test...but now use a weight loss/feel test combo. At 30% weight loss it should be safe but I've found, for me at least, 45-50% ends up being what I like. It's personal preference after 30%

TIP...i toast and fine grind my BP and Coriander and really press it into the meat before hanging.


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## crys (Jul 30, 2015)

Look up the popular mechanics biltog box guide or just use the cardboard box idea for the first few tries if your not sure.  I would definitely do it in a box though to simply make sure insects (flies) can't get to it and lay eggs on it.  eww


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## crys (Jul 30, 2015)

Dingo007 said:


> Hi Mummel,
> 
> Those conditions should be fine....biltong is pretty forgiving stuff. 72F is fine....65% is good...55% getting a little low...that just means it will dry a little quicker. Being such a small diameter product it dries quick anyway. Dont put the fan directly on the meat and check it regularly and use cure #1. Cage it somehow to keep the bugs and critters at bay. I used to go be the feel test...but now use a weight loss/feel test combo. At 30% weight loss it should be safe but I've found, for me at least, 45-50% ends up being what I like. It's personal preference after 30%
> 
> TIP...i toast and fine grind my BP and Coriander and really press it into the meat before hanging.


Interesting to note that it needs to be a 30% weight loss, I'll have to try the weight idea next time.  This time I just did it by feel and the knowledge that if I waited another 12 hours I'd have completely dry biltong.


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## dingo007 (Jul 30, 2015)

Crys said:


> And that was the same reason why I used it even though the recipe didn't call for it :)  Good to know that my instinct to be safe rather than sorry was correct...I was just wondering if there was an actual risk given the type of curing and now I know to keep using it.
> 
> In any case my recipe was as follows for 5.51 lb or 2500 g of top round.
> 
> ...


Hi Crys,

That's an interesting recipe. That's the thing about biltong...it like italian sausage...there are a gazillion recipe variations. I'll try this one next time. Any idea of the purpose of the baking soda & do you have pics?


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## dingo007 (Jul 30, 2015)

Crys said:


> Interesting to note that it needs to be a 30% weight loss, I'll have to try the weight idea next time.  This time I just did it by feel and the knowledge that if I waited another 12 hours I'd have completely dry biltong.


The 30% weight loss concept is one of the "safety hurdles" used in dry aging. I think technically is more about AW (available water) in the meat for nasties to grow. 30% weight loss is a generally accepted way of measuring AW without the use of expensive test equipment.

The biltong boxes I've built in the past dont use a fan...just heat for convection. I would guess that the fan is speeding your drying considerably. My biltong generally takes 4-5 days in summer to be ready.


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## crys (Jul 30, 2015)

Dingo007 said:


> Hi Crys,
> 
> That's an interesting recipe. That's the thing about biltong...it like italian sausage...there are a gazillion recipe variations. I'll try this one next time. Any idea of the purpose of the baking soda & do you have pics?


I do but I've not looked up how to post here, as for the baking soda it was supposed to be a meat tenderizer?  I'm not sure if it did anything or not.

As for your other comment, this is the first thing I've dry cured/aged so that explains why I've never come across it.  All I've really done so far is buckboard bacon and jerky curing wise.

Edit: added to the recipe that I poured in whatever was left of the wet curing mix to the meat layers so that went into the bags after half a day.

Edit 2: Also since you know about dry curing is 5% the lowest salt percentage I should go to by weight?


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## mummel (Jul 31, 2015)

Dingo007 said:


> Hi Mummel,
> 
> Those conditions should be fine....biltong is pretty forgiving stuff. 72F is fine....65% is good...55% getting a little low...that just means it will dry a little quicker. Being such a small diameter product it dries quick anyway. Dont put the fan directly on the meat and check it regularly and use cure #1. Cage it somehow to keep the bugs and critters at bay. I used to go be the feel test...but now use a weight loss/feel test combo. At 30% weight loss it should be safe but I've found, for me at least, 45-50% ends up being what I like. It's personal preference after 30%
> 
> TIP...i toast and fine grind my BP and Coriander and really press it into the meat before hanging.


Hey Dingo.  Sounds like my basement will work perfectly!  There are no critters down there, its a finished area.  It should be fine just hanging on my wife's clothing rack hahahahaha.

What is cure #1?  How is it different to salt?  As I recently got a sausage maker, I was thinking about making droewors.  I am actually getting some Crown droewors spice this weekend (my neighbor is an ex-pat).  I dont know what the package contains or what flavor it is (I assume traditional).  I think it calls for salt but perhaps it already contains a cure?

Here check this cool vid.


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## crys (Jul 31, 2015)

Regarding the request for pictures of my first batch...













CB33F89D-6088-420E-9909-DF9EF5604408_zpsjca8kmi9.j



__ crys
__ Jul 31, 2015


















61B7441E-87B3-47B5-8A98-7315B9829692_zpsoclcpeng.j



__ crys
__ Jul 31, 2015


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## dingo007 (Aug 1, 2015)

mummel said:


> Hey Dingo.  Sounds like my basement will work perfectly!  There are no critters down there, its a finished area.  It should be fine just hanging on my wife's clothing rack hahahahaha.
> 
> What is cure #1?  How is it different to salt?  As I recently got a sausage maker, I was thinking about making droewors.  I am actually getting some Crown droewors spice this weekend (my neighbor is an ex-pat).  I dont know what the package contains or what flavor it is (I assume traditional).  I think it calls for salt but perhaps it already contains a cure?


Hi Mummel,

This is the best explanation;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curing_salt

#1 is faster acting and used more in things like fresh sausage that is going to be smoked or pastrami etc

#2 is slower acting and is used more in dry aging..salami etc

If you are looking to get into to, go to amazon and buy Stan Marianski's "The Art of Making Fermented Sausages"...best book for understanding the whole process.

Re the Droewors..it is unlikely that the mix has cure in it. You might be able to talk your local butcher out of some, otherwise...Butcher-Packer.com is where I get mine.

HTH


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## dingo007 (Aug 1, 2015)

Crys said:


> I do but I've not looked up how to post here, as for the baking soda it was supposed to be a meat tenderizer?  I'm not sure if it did anything or not.
> 
> As for your other comment, this is the first thing I've dry cured/aged so that explains why I've never come across it.  All I've really done so far is buckboard bacon and jerky curing wise.
> 
> ...


Hi Crys, Good looking Biltong. Re; salt..it depends on the recipe. 5% would be considered high in a lot of dry aged recipes.


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## crys (Aug 1, 2015)

Dingo007 said:


> Hi Mummel,
> 
> This is the best explanation;
> 
> ...


You can also get cure 1 and 2 on amazon, look under prague powder 1 and 2 which is the same as cure 1 and cure 2.


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## crys (Aug 1, 2015)

Dingo007 said:


> Hi Crys, Good looking Biltong. Re; salt..it depends on the recipe. 5% would be considered high in a lot of dry aged recipes.


Really...that's very interesting as to be honest I associate dry cured meats with being overly salty.  What percentage do you usually go to?


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## dingo007 (Aug 2, 2015)

Crys said:


> Really...that's very interesting as to be honest I associate dry cured meats with being overly salty.  What percentage do you usually go to?


Again, it depends on he formulation. The last Spanish Feut I did was 2.8%. There are some minimum requirements, but my Marianski is in storage right now so I cant look it up.


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## crys (Aug 2, 2015)

Interesting, what would you recommend I change if I wanted the next batch to have less of a vinegar taste and less salt?

My idea is to let it sit first in the vinegar mix for a few hours (3 or 4) and then put the cure in the salt mix while dropping the salt to 4% by weight.


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## mummel (Aug 3, 2015)

Is this the stuff I should get for biltong?
[h1]Hoosier Hill Farm Prague Powder Curing Salt, Pink, 1 Pound[/h1]












91Pg0M8GM%2BL._SL1500_.jpg



__ mummel
__ Aug 3, 2015


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## mummel (Aug 3, 2015)

Mmmm, now I'm not so sure.  Dave was kind enough to provide me with this explanation:

_The nitrate is used to cure meats that are not intended to be cooked... It needs to be applied and the meat needs to be above 48 degrees F so bacteria can grow and convert the nitrate to nitrite..._

_Prague Powder #1 vs Prague Powder #2
SmokinHusker_

_By: SmokinHusker_

_Posted 1/2/13 • Last updated 1/2/13 • 11,884 views • 3 comments_

_Rick (NEPAS) posted this recently in another thread here._

_CURES - Cures are used in sausage products for color and flavor development as well as retarding the development of bacteria in
the low temperature environment of smoked meats.
Salt and sugar both cure meat by osmosis. In addition to drawing the water from the food, they dehydrate and kill the bacteria that make food spoil. In general, though, use of the word "cure" refers to processing the meat with either sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate.
The primary and most important reason to use cures is to prevent BOTULISM POISONING (Food poisoning). It is very important that any kind of meat or sausage that will be cooked and smoked at low temperature be cured. To trigger botulism poisoning, the requirements are quite simple - lack of oxygen, the presence of moisture, and temperatures in range of 40-140° F. When smoking meats, the heat and smoke eliminates the oxygen. The meats have moisture and are traditionally smoked and cooked in the low ranges of 90 to 185° F. As you can see, these are ideal conditions for food poisoning if you don't use cures. There are two types of commercially used cures._

_Prague Powder #1
Also called Insta-Cure and Modern Cure. Cures are used to prevent meats from spoiling when being cooked or smoked at low temperatures (under 200 degrees F). This cure is 1 part sodium nitrite (6.25%) and 16 parts salt (93.75%) and are combined and crystallized to assure even distribution. As the meat temperate rises during processing, the sodium nitrite changes to nitric oxide and starts to ‘gas out’ at about 130 degrees F. After the smoking /cooking process is complete only about 10-20% of the original nitrite remains. As the product is stored and later reheated for consumption, the decline of nitrite continues. 4 ounces of Prague powder #1 is required to cure 100 lbs of meat. A more typical measurement for home use is 1 level tsp per 5 lbs of meat. Mix with cold water, then mix into meat like you would mix seasonings into meat._

_Prague Powder #2
Used to dry-cure products. Prague powder #2 is a mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite, .64 parts sodium nitrate and 16 parts salt._

_(1 oz. of sodium nitrite with .64 oz. of sodium nitrate to each lb. of salt.)_

_It is primarily used in dry-curing Use with products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. This cure, which is sodium nitrate, acts like a time release, slowly breaking down into sodium nitrite, then into nitric oxide. This allows you to dry cure products that take much longer to cure. A cure with sodium nitrite would dissipate too quickly.
Use 1 oz. of cure for 25 lbs. of meat or 1 level teaspoon of cure for 5 lbs. of meat when mixing with meat.
When using a cure in a brine solution, follow a recipe._

_DO NOT MIX EITHER CURE #1 OR CURE #2 WITH MTQ_


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## crys (Aug 3, 2015)

Yes, Prague Powder 1 is the same as Cure 1.  Morton's Tender Quick is also a Cure 1 but has a lot more salt mixed in with it.  Prague Powder has almost no salt mixed in with it.

Prague Powder 2/cure 2  is used for long term (like a month or more) curing while Prague Powder 1 is used for shorter term cures.  Biltong needs to cure for only a few hours to a few days so use a cure 1.


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## mummel (Aug 3, 2015)

Crys said:


> Yes, Prague Powder 1 is the same as Cure 1. Morton's Tender Quick is also a Cure 1 but has a lot more salt mixed in with it. Prague Powder has almost no salt mixed in with it.
> 
> Prague Powder 2/cure 2 is used for long term (like a month or more) curing while Prague Powder 1 is used for shorter term cures. Biltong needs to cure for only a few hours to a few days so use a cure 1.


Excellent!  Thank you.


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## daveomak (Aug 3, 2015)

Crys said:


> Yes, Prague Powder 1 is the same as Cure 1.  Morton's Tender Quick is also a Cure 1 but has a lot more salt mixed in with it.  Prague Powder has almost no salt mixed in with it.
> 
> Prague Powder 2/cure 2  is used for long term (like a month or more) curing while Prague Powder 1 is used for shorter term cures.  Biltong needs to cure for only a few hours to a few days so use a cure 1.




Morton's Tender Quick also has Sodium Nitrate in it....   It is NOT equal to cure #1.......  It cannot be substituted for cure #1.....

Depending on the thickness of the cut of meat, biltong may take up to several weeks to dry PROPERLY.....   no moisture in the center...  no case hardening.....


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## crys (Aug 3, 2015)

DaveOmak said:


> Morton's Tender Quick also has Sodium Nitrate in it....   It is NOT equal to cure #1.......  It cannot be substituted for cure #1.....
> 
> Depending on the thickness of the cut of meat, biltong may take up to several weeks to dry PROPERLY.....   no moisture in the center...  no case hardening.....



Interesting to know, I've always seen MTQ or Cure 1 in jerky recipies so I thought they were the same.  In any case MTQ has too much regular salt in it for me so I perfer using Prague Power 1.

And we are talking two different types of curing here, this is a question of how long will it take for cure 1 to work not how long it will take the biltong to air dry.  That is of course dependant on the thickness.  I usually give meat a day for every 1/2 inch as a rough guideline, so I guess for an inch thick bilton I'd let it set in the cure for 2 days before starting my air drying.


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## daveomak (Aug 3, 2015)

[quote name="Crys" url="/t/175980/biltong-questions/20#post_1444258]

Interesting to know, I've always seen MTQ or Cure 1 in jerky recipies so I thought they were the same.  In any case MTQ has too much regular salt in it for me so I perfer using Prague Power 1.

And we are talking two different types of curing here, this is a question of how long will it take for cure 1 to work not how long it will take the biltong to air dry.  That is of course dependant on the thickness.  I usually give meat a day for every 1/2 inch as a rough guideline, so I guess for an inch thick bilton I'd let it set in the cure for 2 days before starting my air drying.[/quote]



Nitrite and salt need time to penetrate to the center of the meat cut....    Generally it is figured at 1/4" per day...   submerged in liquid, that penetration occurs from both sides of the meat...    
Then taking that a step farther, it does take more time for the meat to come to "equilibrium" where the outside of the meat and the center are the same concentration....   
That general rule is 2 more days...    

As a side note, when you first put cure on the meat, the outside layer, 1/32" or so is at 60,000 Ppm nitrite...  High in salt also....   while the center is at ZERO Ppm everything....    so you can see where time is an important factor in getting the meat to equilibrium....


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## dingo007 (Aug 4, 2015)

I agree with Dave's comments regarding cure time.

FWIW...(NOTE: I haven't tried this yet) For my next batch of biltong I am going to use the Equalization method. (i.e. mix my cure, salt, vinegar and water together and vac pac my strips in it). Why? My concern with the traditional salt dip method is how do you know how  much cure you actually applied. Using the EQ Method I'llbe able to accurately control all inputs. I'm sure it will take some experimentation to find the correct percentages of ingredients but once I do it should make the process very repeatable.


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## daveomak (Aug 4, 2015)

Dingo.... Afternoon....

The equalization method of curing......

As an example......     4#'s meat...  (1816 grams).....   1# water ( 454 grams)....   total  2270 grams....  

150 Ppm nitrite, 2.5 % salt.......    

2270 X 0.000150 = 0.341 grams nitrite or / 0.0625 = 5.45 grams cure #1....

2270 X 0.025 = 62.4 grams salt

Dissolve the 5.45 grams cure and 62.4 grams salt in cool water.....    add to the 1816 grams of meat.... mix thoroughly and refer and mix periodically for several days.....     zip bags work well for this.... 

You want to use about 1/4 or so, the weight of the meat in weight of water....    You will NEVER over cured or over salted the product....   
Impossible with this method....    you can leave in the refer and cure mix for 14 days or longer...

Hope that makes sense....  if not ,  let me know....


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## dingo007 (Aug 4, 2015)

Thanks Dave,

I've used the EQ method on other projects..just not on Biltong to date. The big question is...what are the %'s for the other spices & vinegar. I haven't come across a recipe presented this way. I guess it due to the traditional method of dredging and soaking etc.

Anyway...since I dont have my curing chamber any more..i'm a little away from figuring it out.


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## daveomak (Aug 4, 2015)

Marianski just says, "soak in vinegar for 2 hours"  pat dry then sprinkle the stuff on both sides...  If your strips were thick, I'd soak longer in the vinegar so it penetrates the meat fully....   acidic meat will not grow pathogens...  or so they say.....


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## dingo007 (Aug 4, 2015)

DaveOmak said:


> Marianski just says, "soak in vinegar for 2 hours" pat dry then sprinkle the stuff on both sides... If your strips were thick, I'd soak longer in the vinegar so it penetrates the meat fully.... acidic meat will not grow pathogens... or so they say.....


Yep..that's the traditional way....I'm looking to combine ALL the ingredients and do the EQ method.


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## daveomak (Aug 4, 2015)

I think there may be a problem with combining all the ingredients...   Acid speeds up curing....   It is used in commercial operations....   

I would not do it unless you had a laboratory at your disposal to determine how all the intended reactions were working.....

What's wrong with making it the traditional way....    a couple hours in vinegar then add the stuff for several days in the refer....

Weigh the meat and add ~1 gram cure per pound to all the other stuff... 10.5 grams salt...(2.3%) ...   etc...

You can safely add a Tbs or 2 of water to the meat and dry mix so it will become a slurry and keep stuff moving around the meat for a uniform distribution....    That water does not need to be added into the equation if you let it evaporate during the drying process...  It does appear the spices etc. are left on the surface of the meat....














biltong.png



__ daveomak
__ Aug 5, 2015


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## dingo007 (Aug 5, 2015)

Thanks for the thoughts Dave...Your method is sound and certainly a good alternative to the traditional method. My problem with the traditional method is that it wasn't designed with curing salts it mind. i.e. the meat is only in contact with the salt  for a short duration, plus distributing such a small amount of cure #1 equally in the salt is also an issue. My theory with trying the EQ method is that the meat would only be in cure for 24-48hrs at most.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 5, 2015)

Good thread lots of great information.

I assume something like this works as a box:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/89039/biltong-box


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## dingo007 (Aug 5, 2015)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> Good thread lots of great information.
> 
> I assume something like this works as a box:
> 
> http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/89039/biltong-box


Absolutely. Some have fans in them...personally I think the heat source/convection is sufficient.


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## petewoody (Aug 5, 2015)

That box has seen plenty of action over the past few years. During the summer down here, I have substituted a 20 watt bulb and still generated enough air movement to dry the meat in an average of 3 days.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 5, 2015)

Dingo007 said:


> Absolutely. Some have fans in them...personally I think the heat source/convection is sufficient.


I would think that where I live right now I could set the box outside and that'd be more than enough heat, but probably not enough moisture.


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## chef jimmyj (Aug 6, 2015)

Crys said:


> Interesting, what would you recommend I change if I wanted the next batch to have less of a vinegar taste and less salt?
> 
> My idea is to let it sit first in the vinegar mix for a few hours (3 or 4) and then put the cure in the salt mix while dropping the salt to 4% by weight.


This is where the Baking Soda plays a role....The Baking Soda, reduces the Acidity, chemical reaction, but leaves the Flavor of the Malt Vinegar for your enjoyment. You can increase the Baking Soda but go a little at a time, 1/4 (1.5g) to 1/2 (3g) teaspoon and Taste the liquid. Some Sugar will help balance the Acidity as well. Add to taste...JJ


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## chef jimmyj (Aug 6, 2015)

There is an awful lot of discussion here about Cure #1...*Myth #1*...Sodium Nitrite kills ALL Bacteria...FALSE!  It's primary use is to control *Clostridium Botulinum*, the Bacteria that causes Botulism. Our concern with CB is when Smoking Jerky at temps below 160°F and Smoking other meat at temps below the USDA recommended 225°F. Smoking and burning the fuels we use, Electric included, create a low Oxygen environment that can foster the growth of CB without Cure #1. The other major concern for CB growth is the LOW temp Smoking of Ground Meats, like making a variety of Smoked Sausages. This is because the center of the meat is Oxygen free. The other major Bacteria of concern controlled with Cure #1 are *Clostridium Perfrigens* and *Listeria Monocytogenes*, both are only a danger in low Oxygen or Low Temp Smoker prepared meats. Cure has little to no effect on Gram Negative Bacteria, which include the Food Borne Illness causing Bacteria, *Haemorrhagic Escherichia coli（E-coli O-157), Campylobacter Jejuni, Salmonella, Pfeiffer bacillus (Yersinia) and Shigella. *Of all the remaining Bacteria of concern here, Basic and Frequent, Hand Washing and maintaining Sanitary  Work Surfaces and Tools will go A LOT farther then worrying about using Cure #1...With Salted, Air Dried Intact meat like this Biltong and a variety of other Non-Smoked Jerky Recipes,...It just don't matter if you use Cure #1 or not. This is why there is so much info on making Biltong in a variety of Boxes, with some method of moving Air and hundreds of Recipes with no mention of Cure #1, at all... The reality of it is, when it comes to the production of Biltong... If you follow Food Safety and Sanitation Procedures, there is a greater risk of getting sick from indulging in the Cure Paranoia and using Cure improperly, than just following the many Recipes that contain Salt, Vinegar and Spices!!!  

 https://www.google.com/webhp?source...3US463&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=biltong recipe

The number 30% Weight reduction has been discussed...That is fine if you want a Tender Product that MUST BE REFRIGERATED. If the end result is to be stored, shipped or whatever, at room temp...A 60 to 70% weight reduction is necessary. This will reduce the Aw (Water Activity) below 0.8 to inhibit Bacteria and Common Mold growth. The common Name Brand commercially produced shelf stable Meat Snacks and Jerky have their Percent Moisture reduced to Below 41%. See Chart Below...

http://www.aqualab.com/assets/Information-Sheets/Meat-App-guide-final-1.pdf

Be Safe and have Fun...JJ


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## mummel (Aug 6, 2015)

I really want to try this soon.  The amount of info is overwhelming.  I will sit down at some point and come up with a game plan.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 6, 2015)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> There is an awful lot of discussion here about Cure #1...*Myth #1*...Sodium Nitrite kills ALL Bacteria...FALSE!  It's primary use is to control *Clostridium Botulinum*, the Bacteria that causes Botulism. Our concern with CB is when Smoking Jerky at temps below 160°F and Smoking other meat at temps below the USDA recommended 225°F. Smoking and burning the fuels we use, Electric included, create a low Oxygen environment that can foster the growth of CB without Cure #1. The other major concern for CB growth is the LOW temp Smoking of Ground Meats, like making a variety of Smoked Sausages. This is because the center of the meat is Oxygen free. The other major Bacteria of concern controlled with Cure #1 are *Clostridium Perfrigens* and *Listeria Monocytogenes*, both are only a danger in low Oxygen or Low Temp Smoker prepared meats. Cure has little to no effect on Gram Negative Bacteria, which include the Food Borne Illness causing Bacteria, *Haemorrhagic Escherichia coli（E-coli O-157), Campylobacter Jejuni, Salmonella, Pfeiffer bacillus (Yersinia) and Shigella. *Of all the remaining Bacteria of concern here, Basic and Frequent, Hand Washing and maintaining Sanitary  Work Surfaces and Tools will go A LOT farther then worrying about using Cure #1...With Salted, Air Dried Intact meat like this Biltong and a variety of other Non-Smoked Jerky Recipes,...It just don't matter if you use Cure #1 or not. This is why there is so much info on making Biltong in a variety of Boxes, with some method of moving Air and hundreds of Recipes with no mention of Cure #1, at all... The reality of it is, when it comes to the production of Biltong... If you follow Food Safety and Sanitation Procedures, there is a greater risk of getting sick from indulging in the Cure Paranoia and using Cure improperly, than just following the many Recipes that contain Salt, Vinegar and Spices!!!
> 
> https://www.google.com/webhp?source...3US463&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=biltong recipe
> 
> ...


Great Post JJ. There have been so many people on this forum who ask about why store bought jerky can be shelf stored, now we have a post we can point them to when they ask!


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## daveomak (Aug 6, 2015)

Important note when drying meats to be shelf stable and safe from microbes.....

Each meat muscle group has a different % moisture content.....    Therefore, when reducing the moisture through drying, a "standard" percent moisture loss, say "reduce the weight by 30%" is not necessarily true or safe.....     

Also, when using a ground product to make a "dried product", the original weight of the meat and spices, WITHOUT the addition of any liquid, is needed as a starting point to calculate moisture loss....

If you open the link below, you will find a chart showing different cuts of meat and their respective percent moisture content...  

Reducing the weight of each cut by 30%, as an example, does not necessarily meet the criteria for an acceptable Aw (water activity level) for a safe, shelf stable, product...

examples...  
50% lean pork trimmings = 39% moisture
pork cheeks = 67% moisture
pork fat = 6% moisture
beef chunks = 61% moisture

http://www.malabarsuperspice.com/ref_moisture.htm



The water activity level that limits the growth
of the vast majority of pathogenic bacteria is 0.90, a
water activity of 0.70 is the limit for spoilage molds,
and the lower limit for all microorganisms is 0.60. The
2005 U.S. Food Code, in the definition of Non-
Potentially Hazardous Food, has established two
interactive tables involving water activity and pH levels
critical for shelf stability. Heat-treated products with a
water activity level of


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## mummel (Oct 26, 2015)

Hey guys.  So I threw in 8 strips of top round on Friday for my first test batch (recall I had huge success with the droewors).  Last night I tried the smallest piece of biltong.  I think I messed this batch up completely.  Are we only supposed to sprinkle kosher salt on it, not completely cover it?  I caked mine in kosher salt (like really caked it), but I may have got the instructions wrong.  I also caked the meat in black pepper and coriander (coarse ground).  It tasted salty (like pretty salty, but not cant eat it salty), but I think the herbs were more of a problem. 

Also, the little strip I had was very hard.  It was dry on the outside, but raw'ish on the inside (I still ate it, it was fine).  But I wonder if my pieces are too thin???  I cut them maybe 0.4 inches but now that they dried, they look super thin.

Final judgement is reserved until Tuesday night (4 days, which I think is the right time in my box), but I think this batch is a wash.  Any tips?


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## crankybuzzard (Oct 26, 2015)

When you say you caked the salt on, was that for the curing period over night, or is it still caked on?  A little salt goes a long way.

As for the raw inside, it will be pink to red on the interior, soft as well.  One thing you have to mae sure of is that you don't get case hardening by drying too hot or too fast.

I cut my strips, with the grain, to about 1.5" wide by about 3/4" thick.

Do you have MS Excel?  If so, I'd like to send you over the biltong calculator I made and use...  Still in Beta, but has worked for the 1 batch I tried with it.


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## mummel (Oct 26, 2015)

Crank, I used this recipe: http://www.selfsufficientme.com/sustainability/how-to-make-biltong-using-an-excalibur-dehydrator

I let the kosher salt sit for 1.5 hours then shook off what remained.  I salted it like you see in the pic (scroll down).  I also caked on the Coriander just like in the pic (didnt really look at the salt/herb measurements, eye balled it). 

I should have waited until the final product before trying to critique my results, but I suspect this batch is a wash.  Any ideas?  I will take a pick of the final results but here's a preview. 













IMG_3518.jpg



__ mummel
__ Oct 26, 2015






Crank, I also found this on my droewors post:


mummel said:


> Note to self: my RH was hanging around ~41% the last couple of days, then today it suddenly started dropping. I pulled the sticks at 36%. I guess its because they had dried.
> 
> I still need to test this a couple of more times but I think I discovered a good way to know when they are ready.


My humidity last night was 24%.  I ended up closing my chip loader because the temps were too low (70F vs the recommended 90F, cooler temps in the Fall).  But I think that resulted in the meat drying too fast.  Again, all speculation.  Final result arrives tomorrow night, but I suspect this batch didnt work out.


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## crankybuzzard (Oct 26, 2015)

mummel said:


> Crank, I used this recipe: http://www.selfsufficientme.com/sustainability/how-to-make-biltong-using-an-excalibur-dehydrator
> 
> I let the kosher salt sit for 1.5 hours then shook off what remained.  I salted it like you see in the pic (scroll down).  I also caked on the Coriander just like in the pic (didnt really look at the salt/herb measurements, eye balled it).
> 
> ...


Case hardening is a good possibility given the humidity levels...

I saw this when I went to the site you reffered to:  Pour the apple cider vinegar into a large bowl and after 1.5 hours pick up each steak and using a knife *scrape off*  as much of *the rock salt as possible*  (it has done it's job). Then, depending on the size of the steaks place them one by one (or two at a time) into the vinegar and submerge them for *between 2 to 4 minutes*. The vinegar bath helps with the curing process.


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## mummel (Oct 27, 2015)

Hey Crank!  I actually pulled all the pieces last night.  They were not half bad!  Maybe like 75% on the way to perfection.  The taste was good.  Not sure where that salty and overpowering herbs taste went????  The only thing I would do differently is cut the pieces larger so that they can be wetter inside.  Oh and I should also use like 1/10 of the spices next time.  Most of the coriander fell off.  The pieces were very tough and I prefer my biltong moist.  Cant wait to do another batch!


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## mummel (Oct 27, 2015)

IMG_3539.JPG



__ mummel
__ Oct 27, 2015


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## crankybuzzard (Oct 27, 2015)

Looks good from here!  Do you have a sliced shot of the inside?

One of the great things about our hobby, if you take good notes before, during, and after, you can recreate or make tweaks with the next batch!


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## mummel (Oct 27, 2015)

Thats why I love this site.  I can keep coming back to my old posts.  No pic of inside.  The pieces were too thin.  They were uniform colored.  They were probably 1/8th inch?  Waaaaay too thin.  Not sure what I did haha.  I cut up the whole round that night.  Hope there are some larger pieces.......


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## mummel (Nov 17, 2015)

Hey Cranky - anyway to get my biltong more tender chewing wise?  Its coming out great.  Moist inside, hardish shell.  But it's tough to chew.  I'm using a whole top round from Costco.  Any ideas how to make the biltong softer/more tender/easier to chew?  TY!


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## mummel (Nov 17, 2015)

What about adding sodium bicarbonate or brown sugar?  At the moment Im just grinding coriander, and sprinkling on kosher salt, ground black pepper and the coriander (after soaking it in vinegar + worcester sauce for 1 hour).  Will brown sugar make it softer?


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 17, 2015)

I doubt the sugar would do anything for you, other than sweeten it up.  I've used the bicarb before, but it didn't do much.  

Your strips are cut with the grain, dried, and then cut across the grain for pieces, right?

How long of a vinegar soak?


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## mummel (Nov 17, 2015)

1 hour vinegar + Worcester soak. Then sprinkled with black pepper, coriander and kosher salt. That's it. What's your recipe?


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## mummel (Nov 17, 2015)

Oh and the flavor is great and it's nice and moist inside. But it's tough to chew on. My guess is the outer shell is too hard. But I dried it normally over~4 days. Cut against the grain etc.  So I'm not sure. What's makes biltong tough to chew?


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 17, 2015)

It could be case hardening.  Is there a lot of air blowing over it?  If so, try and dry in an area with less air movement.  

My recipe and process, reply #64  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/233869/making-biltong/60


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## mummel (Nov 17, 2015)

Airflow is minimal but just enough move some toilet paper. I don't think it's the air.


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## mummel (Nov 17, 2015)

I read your recipe again. That's how I basically make mine. Maybe I need to add Sugar?  And if it's not the air, any other ideas?


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 17, 2015)

No clue. Are you using eye of round?

Maybe you just had a tough cut this last batch....


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## mummel (Nov 18, 2015)

Its possible.  I bought the whole top round at Costco remember?  I sliced this baby up. 













IMG_3031.JPG



__ mummel
__ Nov 18, 2015


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 18, 2015)

Oh yeah, I forgot about that critter...   Let's see how a new batch goes before we get crazy with recipe mods and such.


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## mummel (Nov 18, 2015)

This was my 2nd batch already.  Similar results.  A friend of mine made some and her's was excellent.  I used the same recipe.  I think she had thicker pieces, but perhaps its the cut?  She used top round too, but purchased steak pieces already sliced up in the store (you know, single pieces, foam and plastic).  Not sure Crank!??


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## daveomak (Nov 18, 2015)

mummel said:


> This was my 2nd batch already.  Similar results.  A friend of mine made some and her's was excellent.  I used the same recipe.  I think she had thicker pieces, but perhaps its the cut?  She used top round too, but purchased steak pieces already sliced up in the store (you know, single pieces, foam and plastic).  Not sure Crank!??




I think if they were single pieces, they were sliced across grain....   maybe....


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 18, 2015)

Do you have any prep pics?

I go about 1.25" thick by around 2.5" wide I slice with the grain for length, then dry.  Once dry, I cut across the grain.  


I have an eye of round in the frig.  I'll cut it up for biltong in a bit and take pics.


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## mummel (Nov 18, 2015)

Thanks Crank.  Yeah I cut with the grain Dave, but I suspect the pieces were too thin.  They were maybe 0.75 inches to start with.  I wish I would have saved some of the round vs slicing and dicing the whole thing!  Now I need thicker pieces to try vs all the frozen slices in my freezer.  Will checkout your pics Crank.


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 18, 2015)

Just sliced, now soaking in vinegar.  Not great pics, but you can see that they are thick and fairly uniform for drying time. After vinegar soak, I'll coat in my seasoning, and then let sit for at least 24 hours to lose moisture in the frig.   I'll then weigh each slice and tag the hanger with the weight so I can track moisture loss.  













image.jpg



__ crankybuzzard
__ Nov 18, 2015


















image.jpg



__ crankybuzzard
__ Nov 18, 2015


















image.jpg



__ crankybuzzard
__ Nov 18, 2015


















image.jpg



__ crankybuzzard
__ Nov 18, 2015


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## mummel (Nov 18, 2015)

Hey man that looks excellent.  Did you trim the round heavily?  Those pieces look really uniform in size etc.  Nicely done!  Waiting on pics of the results!!!


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## mummel (Nov 18, 2015)

Crank can you take a width pic too, thanks man.


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## mummel (Nov 18, 2015)

Here was my most recent batch:













IMG_3717.JPG



__ mummel
__ Nov 18, 2015


















IMG_3774.JPG



__ mummel
__ Nov 18, 2015


















IMG_3775.JPG



__ mummel
__ Nov 18, 2015


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 18, 2015)

mummel said:


> Hey man that looks excellent.  Did you trim the round heavily?  Those pieces look really uniform in size etc.  Nicely done!  Waiting on pics of the results!!!



I only trim off the very loose fat.  Most of the fat that's on the roast stays.  I love the flavor.


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 18, 2015)

mummel said:


> Here was my most recent batch:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That looks great!   Nice color in the center, decent dry ring, and I love the fact that you leave the spice on the meat!   A lot of people rinse before they dry.  To me, the extra flavor is perfect.  

That really looks like it should have a decent chew.  Not sure what's going on.  Did you weigh to determine moisture loss?

The width of my strips is what you see in the third pic...  Already have the strips in the frig all stacked up.  :biggrin:  It was all hand cut with a VERY sharp knife.  Roast was 5.03 pounds before I started.  I'll weigh the strips tomorrow before I begin drying.


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## mummel (Nov 18, 2015)

Yeah you can't wash the spices off! That's all the flavor right there. That's also how the genuine stuff is made. 

I'm hungry now. Going to make some this weekend again. I've been making some every weeekend. Addicted to this stuff. Keep your pics coming!


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 18, 2015)

I did something different on this batch.  Instead of putting the meat on a rack over a cookie sheet, i stacked the meat into a 9x9 glass dish.   Since the juice wont be dripping away from the meat, i plan to collect the juice from the dish and see how much i lose during the "cure" time.  

This wasn't an intentional experiment, I'm flat out of frig space!   Pork loins in brine, chickens brining, beef jerky marinading, pork jerky marinading, and bacon curing!   Thats just the kitchen frig, the garage frig took a dump, so the 2 mini beer frigs are packed, and the beer is in an ice chest!  Meat curing nightmare!   Hmm, first world problem i guess.  

I'll post some pics in a bit.


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 18, 2015)

Here's the strips all stacked in the dish.  I criss crossed them in hopes they would drain better.  In 4 hours, the meat lost 1/2 cup of liquid.  













image.jpg



__ crankybuzzard
__ Nov 18, 2015


















image.jpg



__ crankybuzzard
__ Nov 18, 2015


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## mummel (Nov 18, 2015)

Looks great!!


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 19, 2015)

I took the meat out of the frig at 3:45 this afternoon and weighed it.  

I started with 2,280 grams presoak
After sitting in the frig with the spices and cure for 22 hours, it weighed 1,795 grams. 
Total loss was 485 grams, about 1 pound total loss. 

I'm doing this batch in the dehydrator to see how it turns out.   I've done it in the dehydrator before, but it was terribly tough, due to using a high temp.  This time, I'll run it at 90 (lowest setting) and see how it goes.  I'll eat it regardless.  :biggrin:

I'll weigh again tomorrow morning and see how the weight loss looks.


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## mummel (Nov 19, 2015)

Cool keep us posted.  So the high temps make it tough?  I think my temps were around 85F with 35% RH when I pulled the meat.  But those specs are good no?


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 19, 2015)

mummel said:


> Cool keep us posted.  So the high temps make it tough?  I think my temps were around 85F with 35% RH when I pulled the meat.  But those specs are good no?



You're good with that.  My issue was it caused case hardening so it took forever to get the weight loss, so the exterior was like chewing plywood.  Inside rocked, once I chewed down to it!


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## mummel (Nov 20, 2015)

Crank I'm going to make some droewors again this weekend.  Im addicted to that stuff.


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## mummel (Nov 20, 2015)

Oh and Cranky, I looked at your recipe.  Its identical to mine, except you let your strips sit in the fridge for 24 hours.  I just hang them directly.  How come?  Do you think that could affect the chew?


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 20, 2015)

Very possibly could.  With the meat sitting in the frig, it's not only losing moisture, but the vinegar breaks down some of the meat fibers due to the acidity.  It also gives the seasoning time to meld a bit.


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## mummel (Nov 20, 2015)

CrankyBuzzard said:


> Very possibly could. With the meat sitting in the frig, it's not only losing moisture, but the vinegar breaks down some of the meat fibers due to the acidity. It also gives the seasoning time to meld a bit.


Im going to try this next time.  Split the batch it two and blind taste the results!


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 20, 2015)

mummel said:


> Im going to try this next time.  Split the batch it two and blind taste the results!



I love to experiment, and that sounds like a good one!  Keep us informed.


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 21, 2015)

Just sliced up all my biltong....  Weighed all the pieces, had a 53% weight loss, so good to go. 

Nice and tender, with the exception of the end pieces, they are like an old boot. Center cuts are great!

Oh yeah, I didn't mention this before, just for s#its and giggles, I left out the brown sugar...  Flavor difference, but no difference in tenderness.  Not too bad!













image.jpg



__ crankybuzzard
__ Nov 21, 2015






Now, about the fat I left on the roast.  My biltong doesn't last for more than a week, I use a cure, and it gets vacuum packed shortly after slicing, so there isn't much chance for the fat to go rancid.  Want to see a good argument sometime, watch me and our boys slicing up biltong!  All 3 of us are grabbing the pieces with the fat as it gets sliced up!  We've almost come to blows a few times!  AMAZING flavor!

This batch was done in the dehydrator, it's good, but I prefer the back patio style better.  

I'll be making more soon, this gets done about every 2 weeks here.


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## mummel (Nov 21, 2015)

Well done! Yours definitely looks pinker than mine. I actually love the little fat cap. Not to much, but just a thin slither. 

I went to Costco today. I found a "beef top sirloin whole cap off vacuum packed" for $5.50 / lb. do you know this cut? Would this be more tender than the top round?

Looked like this without the cap. Thoughts?













image.jpg



__ mummel
__ Nov 21, 2015


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 21, 2015)

mummel said:


> Well done! Yours definitely looks pinker than mine. I actually love the little fat cap. Not to much, but just a thin slither.
> 
> I went to Costco today. I found a "beef top sirloin whole cap off vacuum packed" for $5.50 / lb. do you know this cut? Would this be more tender than the top round?
> 
> ...



Sorry, no clue.  All I've ever used for this is eye of round when doing it with beef.  

If you can identify the grain, use it and see how it goes.


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## mummel (Nov 22, 2015)

Crank! I found a great resource. Check this link out. You can see the diffs in the cuts of beef by the shear force required to cut them. 

http://meat.tamu.edu/ansc-307-honors/meat-tenderness/


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## mummel (Nov 24, 2015)

BOOM!













IMG_3812.JPG



__ mummel
__ Nov 24, 2015


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 24, 2015)

I have got to try this soon!  Each time I see those I want some!


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