Biltong box

[Ungerers (Tanja U)]

HI Guys,

I am so excited. My hubby is currently in the garage building our biltong box. We have only been here for 2 months but we already crave biltong so hubby went of to Bunnings last week Saturday and bought all the goodies and tools and went to buy the meat today. I bought all the spices yesterday after I got clear instructions what needs to go into this biltong. All downloaded on the net off course.

I am hoping we will hang our first biltong tomorrow as hubby was born with 2 left hands and stood last in line when woodwork talent was handed out. But, so far so good. I will let you know in 2 - 4 days time (as per instructions) if this was successful.

Yummy, Biltong

Take Care

Tanja

[BasinOzson]

Tanya I hope you have your biltong soon. We will asked you for help when we are n OZ. By then you will be experts!!

[Ungerers (Tanja U)]

Hallo,

Okay, here are the photos. Not yet finished but usable. Check the biltong. Will keep you updated in 4 days.

Hope it works

Take Care

Tanja

[Sheila2oz]

Hi Tanja

Mmmmmm lekker, Ek kan ook nie sonder biltong nie en my man het ook vir ons 'n biltong kas gemaak. Jy moet laat weet hoe dit proe.

Ons het nou al so paar keer gemaak en elke keer proe dit anders, ons oefen en wil nou droeewors probeer.

My man het 'n ou yskas gekry en 'n fan bo ingesit met luggate aan die kant en 'n lig aan die onderkant. Dit werk soos 'n bom.

Lekker eet.

Cheers vir eers

[Sam]

Baie oulik. Moet net nie dat die landlord dit sien nie. Hulle gril hulself dood vir sulke goed. LOL

[AllisonW]

It looks great! I want to try it myself when i arrive and will be queueing at your door for lessons! I agree with Sam about keeping it from the landlord! They may not understand the hanging meat ! May think that it is your internal wild african coming out! LOL

Keep us posted on the progress!

Al

[Ready2go]

Tanja please let us know how the biltong is progressing ?

Ive seen cardboard boxes at the Spar with lights in it for making biltong and have thought of buying one, but ive now seen a new machine - drier thingie - that says you can make dry fruit, biltong, dry wors - has anyone heard or own one of these ? We will also be renting and dont want to upset the landlord and I cant live without biltong !!

I was born in the Seychelles so we eat alot of "strange" things - and biltong curry is one of them. Delicious !!!!

[LeeInOz]

As a biltong maker of several years I had to look at this thread. Good luck

Some words of warning about biltong boxes. When the box is complete I put a piece of sacrificial meat in it, just a tiny piece and make slices into it. Leave it for a few days, dont bother spicing etc becuase it goes in the bin. If a fly can get in and believe me they get through the smallest holes, they will destroy your meat. Now the weather is cool so they are dormant. The worst is opening the box and finding the meat full of maggots or roaches. Check the seals very carefully. The light in the box will also show where unwanted leaks are in a darkened room

The cardboard boxes work OK but need checking more often for holes as the box gets soft and bent. Some use a fan. I have used fans, light bulbs and the last one had an airconditioner and a heater controlled by a timer. I used it in high humidity Mackay and got good results.

I am about to make the next one (sold the last (too big to move) 1.6m x 1 x 1.8m.

The drier machine you talk of can make biltong but only in small batches. it is about 400mm accross and 200 mm high with a heater and fan in it. It has draws that slide out. A box is better for biltong and cheaper I think

[chester]

Great that your trying to make your own biltong But that box has got me very worried Not enough ventilation.....

We have been making our own biltong for a few years now, with huge success and have helped friends build boxes as well. but all we did was build a cupboard with 4 x square 45mm pieces of wood, add a back panel out of wood, then fly screen sides and a door. Solid floor and roof with legs. Wish I could post a foto for you. To dry we place a fan 24/7 for 4/6 days depending how thick the meat is. Works well.

[Ungerers (Tanja U)]

HI Chester,

This is our first attemp and so far so good, but yeas I also think in summer we will not get the same results. As I posted in the beginning, we are not finished yet but we just could not wait to taste our first biltong. We will drill more holes for ventilation and it also needs to be covered with mesh. It is this weekend's job. In the meantime we are watching the biltong carefully

Thanks for all the tips and interest

Take Care

Tanja

[Bloubul]

Een van die eerste dinge wat ek gedoen het toe ek hier geland het was om vir my 'n biltongkas te bou.

Ek het 'n "extractor fan" aan die bokant ingebou, en 'n rol baie fyn gaas by Bunnings gekoop en aan die onderkant van die waaier vasgesit en ook voor al die ventilasiegate.

SA Essentials verkoop goeie biltongspeserye en ook plastiek biltonghakkies.

Die growwe sout wat ek tot dusver gekoop het is sagter as dìe wat ek in SA gekoop het, met die gevolg dat my eerste klomp te souterig was.

'n Waaier werk beter as 'n gloeilamp, probeer dit en proe die verskil.

[Ungerers (Tanja U)]

Wow, dit lyk nou mean, mens kan sien jy weet iets van houtwerk af. Sal vir manlief die fotos wys.

Sal maar bietjie modifications aan ons box doen

Goed gaan

Tanja

[Ungerers (Tanja U)]

Skuus,

Is hierdie SA essentials net in Perth, ek moet seker by die SA shop gaan kyk hier in Melbourne?

[Mia]

Hi, can any of you Biltong Experts tell us how to get that lekker fat on the biltong. My hubby has also made some of his own biltong which is very nice, but the fat just isn't the same as the the fat we used to get from biltong back home.

[VivaOZ]

Hi almal

Hier is ons weer gawe van 'n biltong box. so 2-3 dae en ons eet lekker!!!!! Soos julle kan sien het ons nou die maklike manier gevat en in Bunnings gaan shopping doen. Na baie wik en weeg het ons besluit dat een van daai flatpack kombuis kassies die ding sal moet doen want om al die tools te kry om houtwerk mee te doen sou veroorsaak het dat ons die box sal he maar geen geld vir die vleis nie. Ons het net 'n lig fitting en 'n klein extraction fan by gekry en natuurlik die kas aanmekaar gesit en om bietjie "gemodify" dat hy op sy kop kan staan vir die fan. En toe eet ons lekker. Net jammer my engelse man is verslaaf aan biltong, voor ek nog kan proe dan is dit klaar. Sal seker vir die kassie 'n GROOT slot moet opsit en dan sal ek maar die sleutel om my nek moet dra, dalk kry ek 'n kans om te proe.!!!!

Lekker eet almal!!!!

Wilma

O gonna, ek hoop ek het die pics reg opgelaai

[VivaOZ]

O ja, dit is nie hoe my kombuis lyk nie, hoor. dit is die granny flat agter in my erf wat ons gebruik as 'n stoorplek. Lekker deurmekaar nog maar toemaar

[Johnny & Rene]

Bloubul,

Wees nou die grootste engel wat jy kan wees en deel jou geheime omtrent jou pragtige boksie met die forum.

Al die benodigdhede en spesifikasies, waar kry ons al die pragtige goete te koop. Miskien kan ons van die goete al in SA koop en in die container pak.

Enige iemand in Canberra al die takie van biltong maak aangepak.

Groete en sterkte met die biltong maak.

Rene

[Ungerers (Tanja U)]

Hi Julle,

Ons het sopas by die huis gekom en eet ons eerste poging. Dit is sooo lekker. Net die smaak van biltong versadig al my verlange na SA.

Ek dink ons kan nog bietjie aan die speserye en goed werk maar verder glad nie sleg nie.

Terwyl ons nou op die topic van biltong is. Kan van die experts asseblief bietjie resepte post?

Thanks

Tanja biltong vraat Ungerer

[chester]

Nou nie "n Expert nie, so here goes my spice bottle to which I just keep adding. I never make biltong in the summer as it's just to hot and it will get vrot. Food dehydrators is good for drying out all sorts of thing, fruit, veggies so why not meat. Never tried it so can't say how successfull it would be.

250 gr rock salt

1 Bottle of Mcormick Bush Spice

a few good shakes of ground black pepper (we love black pepper)

Crushed Colander seeds. 100 /200 gr I buy C/Seeds from veggie shops, put in 2 checker's bags, then crush them with a rolling pin or bottle. You could roast them lightly in the oven but I don't bother with it.

Mix in a large bottle, sprinkle lightly over meat on both sides. Layer in plastic container or dish, cover with gladwrap and place in a cool spot or fridge for 1 day. Turn meat so top layer goes to the bottom, don't throw juice away, return to fridge for another 12 hrs. Now you can hang it.

I buy whole rump from Bushes Meat Market for $6.99 a kilo compared to $18 a slice over the counter. They will slice it as thick as you want, Med is just right.

Guess how much Biltong cost here in OZ $65 a kilo, so make your our.

[Janneman]

Chester, don't you use any vinegar?

Just something on dehydrators. If you have a dehydrator that has multiple settings and can operate at a very, very low heat, it might work. I have one, but the heat is too high - even on it's low setting - and it's as if the meat gets cooked in the process. It doesn't work for me and the taste is so-so.

A simple box and a fan (or a box and a light) works best. It takes a little while, but the end result is worth it. I live in the USA's Pacific North West and have been making biltong for a few months now. I'm still experimenting with the seasoning, but the drying out of the meat is a doddle. And I currently use a big cardboard box, two small fans and that's it.

I bought a big plastic bin (with a lid) the other day and plan to convert that into a biltong box soon. My advice would be to get or build something that can be opened from the top. It's so much easier to hang the billies or to inspect them. Otherwise one looks as if you're dodging something when you bob and weave to get to the meat hanging at the back.

[Bloubul]

Bloubul,

Wees nou die grootste engel wat jy kan wees en deel jou geheime omtrent jou pragtige boksie met die forum.

Al die benodigdhede en spesifikasies, waar kry ons al die pragtige goete te koop. Miskien kan ons van die goete al in SA koop en in die container pak.

Enige iemand in Canberra al die takie van biltong maak aangepak.

Groete en sterkte met die biltong maak.

Rene

Hi Rene

Dit gaan nogal 'n prysverskil maak as jy van die goed in SA koop. Die kas het my hier $260 uitgewerk!

Al wat jy eintlik in SA kan koop is die Supawood, of MDF soos dit hier genoem word.

Doeane sal darem nie 'n probleem hê daarmee nie.

Dalk ook 'n paar "dowl sticks" van so 12mm duk.

Kyk maar na wat is die standaardgrootte Supawood, ek dink myne was 600 x 1200mm.

Daarvan het jy 5 nodig. 4 vir die kante en 1 wat jy gebruik vir die onder- en bokant.

Myne staan 1.2m hoog, wat 'n bietjie hoog is. 800mm is hoog genoeg.

Ek kan egter 2 rye biltong op 1 slag insit, maar het dit nog nie gedoen nie.

Op die boonste ry kan ek al klaar meer as 40 stukke hang, wat reeds te veel vir my cholestrolvlakke is.

Wiele wat kan swivel en handvatsels kan ook maar daar gekoop word, en skarniere as jy 'n deur wil maak.

Ek het oor kersfees biltong gemaak toe die temperature hier in Perth 44 grade was.

Ek het die kas maar binne in die huis gehou waar dit koeler was.

Soos Chester gebruik ek ook rump wat ek sommer by die supermark koop as die pryse onder $7.00 daal.

See ya later mate

[chester]

No Vinegar as rump is so tender as is. It works well.

[LeeInOz]

As I posted in the beginning, we are not finished yet but we just could not wait to taste our first biltong. We will drill more holes for ventilation and it also needs to be covered with mesh. It is this weekend's job. In the meantime we are watching the biltong carefully

Thanks for all the tips and interest

Take Care

Tanja

Before you go modifying and changing the way it works, just add the gause to keep out flies and roaches. Try the lamp.

Airflow is good but it is not everything. if you are in a dry climate, then airflow is great. if you are in a cool climate the RH of the air will be high (there is less water, but the cool air is still saturated)

If you live in a hot humid climate airflow is also not great because you just blow wet air fast over the meat. So living in Mackay to reduce water in the air is critica. Cooling raises the RH to where the water falls out (look at a car after running the aircon, or home aircon, water pours out) Then if the air is reheated it can suspend more water and has a better drying effect.

A lamp is a low heat but makes the air able to carry more water. A fan in your box could just mess up the drying.

I have used a USB temp RH sensors that logs data, one in the box and one outside to verify results

Becuase Melbourne is cool, stay with the light bulb, and dont make the holes bigger until you have tested it. I have tried the warm air and fan in the many attempts. Every time you make biltog there are suble differences becuase of the meat used and vinager types as well as the salt and pepper used. Also how fresh the coriander is and how heavily it is scorched before use affect the taste.

the pic is of my airconditioned and reheating box with a slow airflow. had great results

[LeeInOz]

No Vinegar as rump is so tender as is. It works well.

The vinegar is not to soften, but to flavour and sterilize the meat. Vinager prevents mould. I also have an ozone generator which stops mould forming

The best is using grape vinager not the real cheap stuff made from coal.

I also have a spray bottle of the white vinegar I use before hanging the meat to sterilize all the panels of the box.

Use a plastic container to prepare the meat, never metal unless enamelled. I use stainless hooks which I boil between uses. paperclips or normal wire work, but rust. I get stainless steel welding rods and make hooks, they last forever.

recently I have been using a coffee grinder on coarse to grind and mix the spices. They come out well mixed and quite fine. Put the rock salt coriander and pepper corns in and a few seconds spin.

[Ungerers (Tanja U)]

Hi,

Thanks for the tip, we had our first batch and it was awesome if I may compliment my hubby on that.

Yes, I agree with the gause, we still need to do that before we make our next batch.

We will then try it again with the bulb, I think the light is definately the way to go during winter in melbourne, perhaps we need the fan in summer

We will keep you posted

Take care

Tanja