Biltong

[Jnor]

So I know a few of us are quite partial to what's probably the best thing to come out of South Africa since Clyde Rathbone so I figured it deserved a thread.

I get mine from Springbok Delights here in Syd (Lane Cove) and have heard there's a couple of good places up in St Ives that I haven't gotten around to trying yet. I usually go for a mix of the 'chilli' and 'traditional' flavours they do.

I buy it pre-chopped but would rather get a whole piece to keep it 'wet' for longer cos I prefer that to the more dried out and chewy it can go after a week or so.

What are some good places to get it?
Where do you guys store it once bought too?
Is it easy enough to chop up if you buy a whole piece (is it called a strip?)?
Is it worth trying to do it yourself?

 

[#1 Tah]

Stanley street butcher - St Ives.


Bianca's Grub store, Old South Head Road Rose Bay - may be a bit far.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

There is a Saffa at work that gets his from somewhere in Chatswood.

I'll post the details later in the week after I check his source. I'm happy with the product from there.

 

[qwerty51]

Highly recommend http://www.biltong2go.com.au

Always delivered reasonably quick and high quality.

 

[Jnor]

Thanks fellas,

#1 Rose Bay is a hell of a lot closer to me than St Ives so I will have to go and have a look next time I'm over the east side.

qwerty the online ordering wasn't something I'd even considered - does it come in the big pieces or chopped?

 

[qwerty51]

You have the option of sliced or not.

 

[PaarlBok]

Should make your own. Rusty is a biltong making expert.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

My Saffa mate says Springbok Delights in Mowbray Road (same place as you said).

As well as the biltong, he recommends their "Droe Wors" as well. Apparently that is some sort of sausage.

 

[Jnor]

Cheers HJ, at least I know I've been going to a decent place!

I'v had the droewors, but I can't say I'm a massive fan. Kind of reminds me of cabanossi that's been left out in the sun for a week. But some might say that's what biltong is anyway so each to their own.

 

[PaarlBok]

Cheers HJ, at least I know I've been going to a decent place!

I'v had the droewors, but I can't say I'm a massive fan. Kind of reminds me of cabanossi that's been left out in the sun for a week. But some might say that's what biltong is anyway so each to their own.

Droee wors is great when it have the right recepy. Less fat then the usually braai droee wors is the right one. cabanossi is smoked wors and not the same thing. In SA we get nice cheese boerewors, not dry , but very nice on the grill or in the pan.

 

[PaarlBok]

Dunno what you pay for biltong in Aus? In SA we pay about R200 per kilo.

 

[cyclopath]

Think I'm gonna try a little visit to the Rose Bay one tomorrow arvo. Ironic thing is the Lane Cove one is about 500m from where I lived for 15 years...

 

[Moses]

Dunno what you pay for biltong in Aus? In SA we pay about R200 per kilo.

From memory, it's AUD$70/kilo at Springbok Delights. Converts to about R580

 

[PaarlBok]

Think I'm gonna try a little visit to the Rose Bay one tomorrow arvo. Ironic thing is the Lane Cove one is about 500m from where I lived for 15 years...

Vokket you have missed out a lot Cyc.

Moses , not to expensive for a first world country you living in. You surely import yours from Zimbabwe?

 

[cyclopath]

Vokket you have missed out a lot Cyc.

Moses , not to expensive for a first world country you living in. You surely import yours from Zimbabwe?

Oh, I haven't missed out. One of my good mates at Uni was an import from the republic, and he often brought some good old homemade biltong along - I think he thought it was funny how much I liked it! I think he ended up mainly bringing it with him just because I liked it so much!
I'm hungry just thinking about it.

 

[Jnor]

Last time I was at Springbok Delights it was $58/kg, which is pretty crap as a student but it's well worth it. Definitely thinking of getting a whole piece rather than cut up next time to try and keep it wetter for longer (insert lewd comments here).

I've bbqd the boerwors they have and it's awesome, well worth it too, maybe I need to give the droewors more of a chance but as it's the same price as the biltong I go the biltong every time.

 

[PaarlBok]

I've bbqd the boerwors they have and it's awesome.

You should try this with a whole lamb rib. We call it wind dry ribbetjie. Excellent.

 

[Jnor]

So I'm about to try and make some biltong with a mate, anyone have any experience doing it? We're thinking of just air-drying as opposed to with heat but I'm thinking Sydney's humid climate might make that a bit difficult.

 

[El Jefe]

So I'm about to try and make some biltong with a mate, anyone have any experience doing it? We're thinking of just air-drying as opposed to with heat but I'm thinking Sydney's humid climate might make that a bit difficult.

I've made lots of jerky, although unsure if the process is any different with biltong. I use a dehydrator which works a treat.

 

[Jnor]

Yeah oour funds may not extend to that. A whole buunch of setups on line have essentially a clothes horse with flyscreen over it to hang the meat off. I'm just not convinced this will work in Syd