RosemaryC Posted May 2, 2016 Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 The one thing we missed about South Africa the most was the biltong! It was so sad how we could not pick up a piece for droewors on any corner. And when you explain the concept to most Australians they are pretty shocked about eating 'raw meat'. lol So in desperation we made our own bilting maker so I could make a constant supply of biltong in my kitchen. Other South Africans have liked our idea. I would to get the option of the forum to see if others would be interested in their own biltong maker as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RYLC Posted May 2, 2016 Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 (edited) There are lots of biltong makers for sale from the various South Africa shops around the place. Even Amazon has dehydrators which work for this (we use one). There are also instructions on Youtube etc. An old computer case with the fan still in works well - looks like that's what you have used? Edited May 2, 2016 by RYLC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeTMI Posted May 2, 2016 Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 Sorry I couldn't resist in case anyone has not seen Suzelle I like the idea of an old computer case with fan. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel-B Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 I love Suzelle. Always have a good laugh (and good ideas!) Its unbelievable how quickly she built a successful brand around herself. Clever clever girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericks Posted May 18, 2016 Report Share Posted May 18, 2016 (edited) I have been making my own biltong and droewors for the last three years. In the beginning i made a single door dryer that used one computer type fan and a couple of lamps. This year i made a unit double the size...four lamps and two computer type fans. Already made a batch of droewors....i only used the fans, there was no need to use the lamps. The product dried within five days... The box is made from a flatpack from Stratco... Busy completing a controller that will be smart enough to speed the fans up and down and control the lamps as required...not needed really but it's fun to do... The droewors hangs on 16mm food grade acrylic rods... Edited May 18, 2016 by ericks ... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 It's very easy to make your own box. We made a massive steel one which can take about 6kgs of meat for $35 and our biltong is ready in 3 days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericks Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 Riekie...that is very true. Mine is way too expensive...! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericks Posted August 10, 2016 Report Share Posted August 10, 2016 My latest batch...they were placed in the box Monday night:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterthe1 Posted August 10, 2016 Report Share Posted August 10, 2016 Quick question. I'm busy making a drier out of an old filing cabinet. Struggling to find the old fashioned light bulbs though. Any suggestions on what to use for warming? I thought of using a fan heater but the temperature setting may not go low enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericks Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 Hi Peter...previously i used 4x 100W incandescent lamps, got them from Bunnings. Now i am using two of these... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 What is the price of beef in Aus more or less? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericks Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 I bought some Topside for the droewors monday...paid $16 /kg... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterthe1 Posted August 11, 2016 Report Share Posted August 11, 2016 15 hours ago, ericks said: Now i am using two of these... At the risk of sounding ignorant but "What is it, and where do you get it from?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericks Posted August 13, 2016 Report Share Posted August 13, 2016 Peter...its an electric ceramic heating element. You will obviously need temperature control on it. They use these inside some fan heaters... I made a controller that controls the speed of the two fans on top of the box and also the two heaters. Inside the box is a temperature/humidity sensor... No real need to control the fan speed but i like to mess around with these things:) http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/391227800014?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPanda Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Yup...we can certainly see that interest in electronics and microcontrollers popping up 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericks Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 The problem with having a hobby like that is you tend to get carried away when making stuff. It even has a remote control...but i am yet to write the software to make use of it...:):) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPanda Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 13 minutes ago, ericks said: ...but i am yet to write the software to make use of it...:):) Tsk-tsk! Swak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPanda Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Although, in all fairness, I don't like coding either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericks Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 I must admit i do like coding...but i have too many things going on...no time atm...:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 On 11 August 2016 at 7:07 PM, ChrisH said: What is the price of beef in Aus more or less? We buy whole yearling rump which we cut up for biltong ourself - about $13 - $18 per kilo in the outer suburbs. A South African Butcher in Rozelle wanted to charge me $35 per kilo for the same meat!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushlovers Posted September 26, 2016 Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 We pay $10 to $12/kg, normally rump which is the cheapest cut in bulk. I then cut it into pieces for biltong, and maybe a nice inch steak or two..... Sometimes we've got other cuts for around $8/kg My biltong maker, I don't bother with heating the box, just massive airflow. Last while it's been taking about 2 days. But in humid Brissy summer more like three. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckytobehere Posted September 26, 2016 Report Share Posted September 26, 2016 Ja: biltong. One thing that surprises me, having grown up on the Highveld is that we hung biltong in the garage in winter only. So it was a dry cold that made it. Yet everyone on this post seems to be using lamps, for heat! Here in the Tropics I also cold-dry my biltong. I put a laundry rack on a bed directly under the ceiling fan, which is going full-ball, along with the aircon at 17 degrees celsius. I do 10kg of silverside at a time, & it takes 2-3 days depending on the thickness of the strips. My Aussie mates have tried to replicate the taste / texture, using food driers, but it ain't the same. Yirra but the locals (with a few exceptions) love the stuff! The cost of it in SA-product shops is prohibitive for a starving teacher, so home-hung is the go for me. Interesting about the hot / cold drying though..... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPanda Posted September 27, 2016 Report Share Posted September 27, 2016 I think most people just use the heat to try to accelerate the drying speed. We also made biltong in the garage, in winter. But Melbourne winters are wet....I'll see what summer dry is like, but then the trouble might be too much heat, and the cuts could go off? Will have to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushlovers Posted September 27, 2016 Report Share Posted September 27, 2016 1 hour ago, RedPanda said: I think most people just use the heat to try to accelerate the drying speed. We also made biltong in the garage, in winter. But Melbourne winters are wet....I'll see what summer dry is like, but then the trouble might be too much heat, and the cuts could go off? Will have to see. I doubt it, I've dried in the middle of summer in Brisbane, so doubt you will have a problem in Melbourne. The heaters are try and reduce relative humidity by increasing temperature. That's not that effective. The best is using the aircon, properly reduces humidity. The big industrial units do just this, and designed by how much water they can suck out of the air Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckytobehere Posted September 27, 2016 Report Share Posted September 27, 2016 That's right, Bushies: if I can make the stuff during the wet season in Cairns, it can be made anywhere (with aircon). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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