Biltong jerky

Biltong jerky is the name given to the jerky made in South Africa. Biltong jerky is made in a similar fashion to beef jerky but is usually cured with vinegar, salt and other spices. Biltong jerky is also usually air dried and is often thicker than other types of jerky. Biltong does not have to be made from beef, although it usually is, other game or fish can be used as well. This is the type of dried meat that the original European settlers made so they could travel further into the interior away from Cape Town. Sausage jerky is another unusual type of jerky.

Biltong Jerky Recipe.

Makes 4 servings

Salting mixture:
1 lb salt.
2 oz sugar.
1 oz saltpeter.
pepper and chili spices to taste.

Cut strips of meat following the grain of muscle.
Make strips 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick.
Best made during cool dry weather if possible.

Salt the meat by rubbing the mixture in well and leave in the basin of salt mixture overnight. Dip a cloth in vinegar, wring dry and wipe the meat well.

Hang the strips of meat in a cool, dry, well ventilated place until dry.

You can also hang the meat on an oven rack placed in the top slot of the oven.

Dry the meat on low heat.

Sausage jerky

Sausage jerky is really a traditional sausage which has been put through a drying process. Sausage jerky is, in reality, jerkified sausage. Since jerky is dehydrated meat it stands to reason that sausage jerky is dehydrated sausage. Like with jerky this would enable you to keep your sausages much longer with no refrigeration than would be the case of with a normal sausage. I haven't tried one but I am sure I would like dried sausage almost as much as I like cold cooked sausage. Jerky made from deer meat is usually called venison jerky.