Recipe: Homemade biltong

Matthew Foxon, the executive chef of the five star 54 on Bath hotel in Rosebank, Johannesburg, prepares one of his favourite recipes for us.

Ingredients

2kg silverside beef
125g coarse sea salt
20g brown sugar
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
100ml brown vinegar
100ml balsamic vinegar
50ml Worcestershire sauce
1L warm water

Method

1. Cut the meat into 4 cm strips. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Keep half of it for the end.

2. Rub meat well with spice mix and set aside for 1.5 hours.

3. In a bowl, combine vinegars and Worcestershire sauce. In a long, deep dish, place thicker meat pieces and pour sauce over. Follow with smaller strips and more sauce. Cover and leave in a cool place for 24 hours.

4. Remove the meat and place on a tray. Strain the sauce and dip meat in warm water to remove any dry spice. Gently squeeze water out of meat and pat dry with kitchen towel.

5. Dip the meat in the remaining dry spice mix. Use S-hooks or skewers to hang the meat in a warm, dry place and make sure the meat does not touch each other. Place a fan in the room to create an air flow.

6. Meat takes between three to 10 days to dry depending on weather. A biltong machine will take two to five days.

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