Beef Biltong with Coriander
Thin strips of beef marinated in vinegar and salt, rubbed with roasted coriander seeds and pepper, then air-dried in the dry highveld air until concentrated and flavorful. A pantry treasure that keeps for weeks.
Thin strips of beef marinated in vinegar and salt, rubbed with roasted coriander seeds and pepper, then air-dried in the dry highveld air until concentrated and flavorful. A pantry treasure that keeps for weeks.
On the highveld, the air is so dry that meat preserves itself almost entirely—the Voortrekkers knew this well, crossing the country by wagon with their strips hanging to dry. At home, there was always a bag somewhere, and I would nibble a strip while rereading my pages, as others chew a pencil. The secret lies in the coriander: you roast it in a pan until it crackles and perfumes, then crush it coarsely before rubbing it into the meat. Don't skimp on the brown vinegar: it's what protects and bites.
- •Beef strips (silverside) — a fine piece (base)
- •Coarse salt — generously (salting and preservation)
- •Brown vinegar — a glass (protective marinade)
- •Roasted coriander seeds — a handful (signature spice)
- •Cracked black pepper — to taste (heat)
Beef Biltong with Coriander
Thin strips of beef marinated in vinegar and salt, rubbed with roasted coriander seeds and pepper, then air-dried in the dry highveld air until concentrated and flavorful. A pantry treasure that keeps for weeks.
Why this dish? Biltong, spiced dried meat, is the national South African snack, present in every home and office. For a writer who spent her days at her typewriter and later computer, it is the salty nibble one munches without leaving the desk.
On the highveld, the air is so dry that meat preserves itself almost entirely—the Voortrekkers knew this well, crossing the country by wagon with their strips hanging to dry. At home, there was always a bag somewhere, and I would nibble a strip while rereading my pages, as others chew a pencil. The secret lies in the coriander: you roast it in a pan until it crackles and perfumes, then crush it coarsely before rubbing it into the meat. Don't skimp on the brown vinegar: it's what protects and bites.
Ingredients (period version)
- Beef strips (silverside) — a fine piece (base)
- Coarse salt — generously (salting and preservation)
- Brown vinegar — a glass (protective marinade)
- Roasted coriander seeds — a handful (signature spice)
- Cracked black pepper — to taste (heat)
Ingredients
- Beef silverside or top round, cut into 2 cm strips — 1 kg (base)
- Coarse salt — 60 g (salting)
- Cider or brown vinegar — 100 ml (marinade)
- Coriander seeds — 2 tbsp (signature spice)
- Black peppercorns — 1 tbsp (heat)
- Brown sugar — 1 tsp (balance (optional))
Method
- Dry-roast the coriander seeds and peppercorns, then coarsely crush them.
- Rub the beef strips with salt, drizzle with vinegar, and marinate 4 to 12 hours in the fridge.
- Pat the meat dry, press out excess liquid, then coat with the coriander-pepper mixture.
- Hang the strips (with toothpicks or hooks) in a dry, airy, cool place—or in a dehydrator/oven with the door ajar at 50°C.
- Dry for 3 to 5 days depending on climate: the biltong is ready when firm on the outside, still pliable at the center.
- Slice thinly across the grain and enjoy.
How it was made : Long before refrigeration, 19th-century farmers and pioneers (Voortrekkers) dried meat in the dry, cold wind of the South African interior. Vinegar and salt inhibited bacteria; coriander flavored and masked rancidity: a preservation technique turned gourmet pleasure.
The contemporary twist : Serve biltong shaved on a charcuterie board with a glass of South African pinotage: terroir on a plate.
Sources : Renata Coetzee, The South African Culinary Tradition, 1977 · Leipoldt, Leipoldt's Cape Cookery, 1976
Nadine Gordimer · Charactorium