How to Make Biltong & Beef Jerky: Dried Meat Guide

# Making Biltong & Beef Jerky at Home: The Ultimate Dried Meat Guide

Dried meat is everywhere right now – on hiking trips, at the gym, during gaming nights. No wonder, because it's protein-rich, keeps for ages, and tastes damn good. But there's a world of difference between what you buy in the supermarket and what you can make at home. Homemade dried meat means: you know exactly what's in it, you can adjust the flavor to your liking – and you'll save a decent amount of money while you're at it.

In this guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about the two most popular dried meat varieties: Biltong from South Africa and Beef Jerky American-style. Both are wonderful, but fundamentally different in technique and taste.

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Biltong vs. Beef Jerky: What's the Difference?

Before we get started, let's clarify that while these two products sound similar, they're very different – both in how you make them and in the end result.

The key difference: Biltong is dried without heat – just air and time. Beef Jerky, on the other hand, goes in the oven or a dehydrator. Both methods have their merits, and both deliver fantastic results if you follow a few basic rules.

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Choosing the Right Meat

Which Cuts Work Best?

Meat quality is everything. You're working with raw meat and minimal heat here – so no compromises when shopping.

Recommended cuts for Biltong:

• Silverside / Beef Bottom Round – the South African classic, fine-grained and lean
• Topside / Top Round – slightly more tender, excellent choice
• Beef Hip / Rump – good balance of flavor and leanness

Recommended cuts for Beef Jerky:

• Beef Hip / Top Round – affordable, lean, perfect for drying
• Flank Steak – intense beef flavor, great texture
• Eye of Round – very lean, easy to slice

Golden rule: The leaner the meat, the longer your dried meat will keep. Fat spoils faster than protein, so trim away all visible fat before processing.

Fresh or Frozen?

Fresh meat is ideal. If you're using frozen meat, thaw it slowly in the refrigerator – never at room temperature. A handy tip: partially freeze meat for about 1–2 hours in the freezer to make slicing much easier and more even.

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Making Biltong: Step by Step

What You'll Need

• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) beef (top round or bottom round)
• 60 ml (¼ cup) apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar
• 20 g (¾ oz) coarse sea salt
• 10 g (⅓ oz) brown sugar
• 15 g (½ oz) coriander seeds (toasted and coarsely ground – this is the heart of it!)
• 5 g (¼ oz) black pepper, coarsely ground
• Optional: 3 g (¼ oz) red chili flakes, 2 g (¼ oz) garlic powder

Preparing the Meat

Cut the meat into strips 2–3 cm (¾–1¼ inches) thick, always with the grain – not across it. This is different from jerky and gives biltong its characteristic tender, fibrous texture that you pull apart when chewing.

The Vinegar Step

Place the meat strips in the vinegar and turn them to coat – no longer than 30 minutes. The vinegar lowers the pH of the meat surface and inhibits bacterial growth. It's not a marinade substitute; it's a safety step. After the vinegar bath, let the meat drip dry but don't rinse it.

Seasoning

Mix all the spices together. Evenly coat the meat strips all around and press the spices in gently. The salt immediately starts drawing moisture from the meat – and that's exactly what you want.

Drying

Here's where the art of biltong comes in: hang the strips – traditionally on hooks in a well-ventilated room at 15–25 °C (59–77 °F). Key points:

• Good air circulation (a small fan helps tremendously)
• No direct sunlight
• No rain or moisture
• Temperature as consistent as possible

After 3 days, your biltong is firm on the outside but still "wet" (moist) inside – South Africans actually prefer it this way. After 5–7 days, it's completely dried through and firmer.

How do you know it's ready? Squeeze a strip. It should no longer give way and should crack rather than bend when you bend it.

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Making Beef Jerky: Step by Step

What You'll Need

• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) beef (hip, eye of round)
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) soy sauce
• 40 ml (2.7 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
• 20 g (¾ oz) brown sugar
• 5 g (¼ oz) smoked paprika
• 5 g (¼ oz) garlic powder
• 3 g (⅓ oz) black pepper
• 3 g (⅓ oz) onion powder
• Optional: 2 g (¼ oz) red chili flakes for heat, 1 tsp liquid smoke

Slicing the Meat

For beef jerky, cut across the grain into 3–4 mm (⅛–¼ inch) thin slices. This makes it tender and firm to bite at the same time. If you prefer it a bit chewier (some people do), cut with the grain.

Tip: Freeze the meat for 1–2 hours, and you'll get nice even slices without much effort.

Marinating

Mix all the marinade ingredients together, add the meat, and combine well. Put it all in a sealed bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap and marinate for 12–24 hours in the refrigerator. The longer, the more intense the flavor – but over 24 hours, the salt will over-dry the meat.

Drying in a Dehydrator or Oven

In a dehydrator (recommended):

• Temperature: 70 °C (158 °F)
• Time: 5–8 hours
• Place slices on racks without overlapping
• Flip once halfway through

In a conventional oven:

• Temperature: 70–80 °C (158–176 °F), convection setting
• Leave the door slightly ajar (e.g., with a wooden spoon) so moisture can escape
• Time: 4–6 hours
• Flip halfway through as well

Important for beef jerky: In Germany and Europe, it's recommended to briefly heat the meat either before or after drying to at least 72 °C (162 °F) core temperature to safely eliminate possible pathogens (particularly salmonella and E. coli).

Doneness Test

Bend a strip. It should bend, tear a bit, but not break completely. At the bend point, you shouldn't see any moist core anymore. If it's still too soft and bends easily: dry for another 30–60 minutes.

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Hygiene & Food Safety – This Is Non-Negotiable

Dried meat isn't a cured product in the classical sense – you're working with raw meat and need to follow some basic rules very seriously:

• Wash your hands and disinfect all utensils before handling raw meat
• No cross-contamination – keep raw meat and ready-to-eat foods separate
• Core temperature for beef jerky: heat meat at least once to 72 °C (162 °F)
• For biltong: never skip the vinegar step – it's not a flavor element but a safety measure
• When in doubt: better to dry a bit longer than too short

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Storage: How Long Does Dried Meat Keep?

Most important rule: If it smells off, looks moldy, or feels sticky – throw it out. No hesitation.

To keep your jerky longer, make sure it's completely dried. Residual moisture is the main enemy of shelf life.

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Variations and Ideas for Experimenting

Once you've mastered the basic recipes, experimenting becomes real fun:

Biltong Variations:

• Peri-Peri Biltong – with African chilis and lemon zest
• Garlic & Herbs – rosemary, thyme, plenty of garlic
• Sweet Chili – a bit more sugar, chili flakes, ginger

Beef Jerky Variations:

• Teriyaki-Style – soy sauce, honey, ginger, sesame oil
• BBQ-Style – tomato paste, smoke flavor, paprika
• Korean-Inspired – gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce, pear paste

And if you want to try dried meat from other proteins: venison, wild boar, duck, or even salmon work with similar principles – but that's a topic for its own guide.

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Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mistake 1: Jerky slices too thick

Slices thicker than 5 mm take too long to dry and can stay moist inside. Stick with 3–4 mm.

Mistake 2: Biltong strips touching each other

Hang the strips with enough space between them. Anywhere meat touches itself, mold can form.

Mistake 3: Too much humidity for biltong

High air humidity is the enemy. A small USB fan in a DIY or store-bought biltong box helps a lot – especially in summer or humid kitchens.

Mistake 4: Not patting off the marinade

Before drying, gently blot the meat with paper towels. Too much liquid marinade on the surface unnecessarily extends drying time and can lead to uneven results.

Mistake 5: Impatience

Stopping too early. Taste and test – but give the process the time it needs.

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Conclusion: Easier Than You Thought – Better Than You'd Expect

Making biltong and beef jerky at home is no black magic. With the right meat, clean technique, and a bit of patience, you'll get a product that outshines supermarket versions in every way – in taste, nutritional value, and price.

If you're new to this, start with simple beef jerky in the oven. Once you've developed a feel for drying times and flavors, biltong is the natural next step – and many people who've tried real, homemade biltong once won't want anything else afterward.

Here are the key points once more:

• Biltong: Cut thick, with the grain, don't skip the vinegar step, air dry at 15–25 °C (59–77 °F), 3–7 days
• Beef Jerky: Cut thin, across the grain, marinate long, dry at 70 °C (158 °F), monitor core temperature
• Always: Work cleanly, use lean meat, dry completely, store cool

Now it's your turn – grab a good piece of meat and get started!