"Don't use abrasives on plastic.. you will introduce scratches and micro pits in the plastc that Germs can anchor into and grow in.." Advice from a Home Brew Beer Kit instruction booklet.
Nice to see you northern hemispherites enjoying our traditional South African delicacy. I'm not sure if its been mentioned on this channel but a bit of Saltpetre mixed in with the spices gives biltong its characteristic red colour and preserves its shelf life in wetter / humid climates. Enjoy biltong with beers as we do in SA when we watch rugby 🇿🇦 🍺
I’d say Upde Bokke, but I’m American and undoubtedly screwed that up. So instead: Go Boks! (From Montana, USA.) Rooting for you guys to win this go around again!
i've been making biltong for several years now. a quick and worth while hack: cover your wood dowels that you hang meat from with saran wrap. just cut off a sheet and roll up your wood dowel in it, going around the dowel twice or 3 times. this will keep meat juices from getting on your wood dowels and is super easy to replace should it get mucked up with juices.
Nice one Eric. Easy project. One note ....please make sure if using a computer fan that it is designed for 120vac to plug in and not a 12vdc fan commonly used in computers.
You can also just use an old PC power supply to run the fan , they are easy to power on and have 3, 5 and 12v outputs. I used to use one for a 12v lipo battery charger.
@@ccleadge I was wondering if a single PC fan (12V) would be sufficient, there 120-220V ones are more "industrial". I guess best too much than not enough? eg.: set-up 2 12 V fans?
@@TheBlackadder-Edmund depends on the fan, there are different PC fans (high static pressure and high air flow) if there is no restriction (filters) then air flow (CFM) would be the go. You could also use a fan controller if you wanted to fine tune the fan rather then be restricted to the voltage for speed. I don't see why a single fan wouldnt be sufficient but it may be more noisy then running two at a lower speed with a positive pressure setup (fans as intake). If you do go with fan filters look at fans which are optimised for water cooling (high static pressure).
You can use wood but be careful that it doesn't give off any fumes like pine or chemicals that it's been treated with. Then also don't heat it up too much. Biltong is at it's best when it's air-dried. Another tip, cover your dowels with food grade plastic pipe to prevent contamination. Stay with the computer fan. It works a charm.
I'd suggest food safe metal (e.g. a BBQ skewer) as a longer term option for the rods, you should be able to scrub them spotless with normal oven/kitchen cleaning supplies and avoid warm plastic or wood touching the food.
If you're worried about wood fumes and such affecting taste, I'd recommend simply using poplar wood if you can find some (ik most are used already shipped and processed for packaging but perhaps you can get to a sawmill and offer to get some of it for yourself. The leftovers tend to be processed again for energy burning afterwards; here anyway) Problem of course if solidity, but perhaps there's a variant of poplar that's tougher than others. Could be an avenue to look into, I just don't know if it's feasible given market tendencies with this wood
You could easily incorporate a scale into this assembly and zero the biltong box itself so you’re just weighing the contents of the box. That way you could watch your biltong’s weight reduction in real time
I can totally see this working!! But you'd have to use an analog scale. I don't think a lot of digital scales would stay on throughout the process. And if they turned off, it'd set everything back to square one.
The light is optional in dry climates. The light is only there to decrease the humidity in the box. So that the biltong does not get moldy. The airflow is the most important part, so the fan should not be optional. Otherwise, this box is great!
I did wonder about the lamp, and how much extra it cist to run. Other box builds seen doesn't use one. Plus incandescent bulbs are likely to become less & less available.
I like idea for the box. I used scale under the box so I can control loose of weight at any time. It's very simple to do. Thank you very much for everything you guys do.
This and your carne seca videos are inspiring. I'm gathering stuff to build Biltong. And I took advantage of your Kotai code. The knife arrived yesterday without any problems. Thank you so much for your videos.
Doh! I used a 12V cooling fan and scavenged a router power supply for it. The 120V bulb and fan are much simpler. My favorite main course in South Africa was a good steak (from game) dusted with biltong. I'll check your recipe. Thanks.
Hi from Western Australia, love your work. One question would it be better to have a black plastic container than a clear one? I recall you saying on another video that it's best to keep natural light out in a curing chamber. Interested in your advice. Cheers
Love your video simple build with great instructions. I will be building one today, waiting for the fan coming today. I'm a firm believer in the keep it simple. Great video.
I would think the addition of the lightbulb/heat speeds up the drying to the extent of making a thicker bark and less time for meat to "dry cure" entirely. Also could cause the internal meat to slow in drying as the moisure cant permeat the bark as well as needed. I am thinking the fan would be fine by itself ? Have you tested bulb/no bulb to see ?
A bathroom extractor fan is also a good substitute for the PC fan. Also the combination of a light bulb for heat and an extractor fan speed up the drying process, the more air flow the faster it dries. My biltong and dröewors is generally ready for consumption in 3 days.
Faster is not always better (she said with a wink...). Too much airflow and too much heat is pretty much the same as using a dehydrator which sadly does not give the same result. Also, you will see from his biltong at 10:15, there is a definite line between the 'dry' and the 'wet' that I personally try to avoid. I use the fan only and even then I have slowed it down with a rheostat so that it has a gentler air flow across the meat. This results in an end product that is a more consistent moisture level throughout with the obvious crust / bark on the outside. It takes longer lol, but it is worth it IMHO.
Hi, I like your channel! I am going to make my own biltong at home, but just wonder is food dehydrator be an option for making the biltong? I see the temp range is normally 35-80 degree celsuis, not the ideal temperature for making biltong?
Amazing video, thanks. I really want to try this. But before I begin. 1/ Where do you put your box (inside or outside? 2/ Is it preferable in a dark place/room? 3/ If your room has no air flow, is the fan enough?
I love projects like this! Similar to my first dehydrater build (cardboard box with a light bulb as heat source).. cant wait to build this and try biltong!
Hi Eric, Johann from Johannesburg, South Africa. I like your video, well done and nicely presented. Druvars is Dry Wors or in afrikaans - Droë wors. You did it all very nicely, thank you.
I just invested in a dehydrator. could I use it for this meat product? the lowest it goes is 95 f 35c. Which is 15 degrees warmer than you said in the cook / making video. there is room I could hang it if necessary. I have one hour of education on this as I type. this video your other one. :) looks amazing.
hi i checked many comments looking for the answer to how long does it last. how long will this be good for, can i vac seal in a jar. can i vac seal in a bag, i mean for long term storage, for 5 to 10 years i as my question.
The box will create the right conditions for biltong. With that being said if you live in a very arid or low humid area then you might want to add a small bowl of water in the box to increase the humidity a bit.
Perfect project for very busy family's with them kids spatially now days when most kids so busy with 🖥️ they're forget it's time for everything in this life ♥️
Awesome Eric, thanks for the how to on this. I’m curious what the difference was between the two products, the biltong dried in the ambient air vs dried in the box. In other words, is it worth building the box? Is there a noticeable difference in quality? Or does it just accelerate the drying process? Thanks again!
I can't answer for erik but... If you are going to build one... Idk about the ideal temp heating light bulbs isn't exactly my thing so i have no idea how hot a 40w bulb gets... regardless it'll be sooo much more efficient to use/to cover the tank with foil... to reflect the light inside and you know convert the light radiation into infrared aka heat..... Rather then a clear plastic box where so much of the loght escapes only to heat your room ever so slightly... I mean.... that way even a weaker bulb would do...
@@donotlike4anonymus594 I wonder if just covering the bulb loosely with foil would work for the light to heat conversion. Seems like it would work the same without the hassle of trying to line the box.
Dear Eric. Great job! Congratulations for all you vídeos. I have a question: Did you measure the temperature and umidity inside the chamber? To be a fermentation chamber we will need an umidifier. Isn' it?
I did measure the temp and it averages around 75f - 80f. As far as a fermentation goes, if you are fermenting salami, all you have to di is wrap your salami in cling film. That will keep the humidity very high through fermentation.
Great video, thanks! How do you store your Biltong once it's ready? I'm sure I won't need to store it long, as it'll get eaten, but just curious how to keep it fresh.
@@2guysandacooler Cheers Eric! New subscriber and fan... loving all the cooking/ curing tips. Wish I'd found you when I was in the US, back in Europe now, and have a much different climate to deal with :) Keep the great content coming...
deburring tool is a very useful tool to have for not just plastic but other surfaces. Highly suggest anyone wanting to clean up edges of cuts to look at a deburring tool. You can buy one for $10-20.
It would seem good to give the paper towel(s) on the side with the light bulb a gap near the bulb. Otherwise I would think it could be a fire hazard. Looks simple and awesome!
Paper ignites at 451°F so like Eric states it’s not an issue. If your still unsure leave the paper towel out of the box. It is only in there to aid in clean up.
Just made one of these! Supper easy with this video. I do have a question. Do I need to worry about the meat spoiling if I cut a piece in half after curing because it ended up being too long?
I recommend that you search for a recipe for Boerewors (Boer sausage), because we use that to make droëwors (dry sausage), but remember to substitute the pork fat for mutton or beef fat, as pork has a tendency to turn rancid. You also need to use a thin casing, because that would dry much quicker.
So Im wanting to try this but you said in the video you use a 40w bulb but think link you put in the description is for 15w or a 25w. Does it matter the wattage and if so what one is correct?
Very clever. I have a large Cabella’s brand dehydrator with adjustable temperature. Can I use this for the biltong drying or will the humidity be too low? If yes, what temperature should I use? If no what are the dimensions for the storage box? Thanks
Very nice and i will make one myself using the video but i wonder if i can make dryed fish in this box like stockfish. Hope you can help me and grtz from Belgium 🇧🇪
Bureaucrats don't make their own biltong! It may be possible to use a terrarium/pet infrared heat lamp for this. I can't seem to locate any consistent information regarding how much radiant heat is emitted from a standard 40w incandescent, so can't compare that to anything on the current market either.
I got into charcuterie over ten years ago when I searched RU-vid for biltong recipes and how-to videos for making a biltong box. I've been learning new recipes and techniques ever since.
You can make these with 12v ceramic PTC heaters instead of light bulbs. They produce a lot of very controllable heat, are small and can fit anywhere in the bottom of the box with minimal risk of being dripped on and they are cheap cheap cheap.
I watched your video how to make biltong and then came over here to see how to make the box. You mentioned in the other video about the humidity being at 56 to 62 or something like that. I live in Las Vegas NV and my humidity is at 9% today. What is the best way to add humidity and control it with the box?
Hi I made my BB works great and have made a few batches tasty Biltong, so thank you for this video. Question, would the dry curing time decrease if I used 2 lightbulbs, 2 fans or does this have to be a 1xbulb slow dry process? I’m just thinking how to reduce dry time on thicker cuts of beef.
The light (little heat) is for increasing air temperature, increasing moisture holding capacity of the air. Meaning it can draw moisture out of the meat effectively. And also creates the convection current, ensuring airflow without a fan. The way the holes are positioned with the fan means that most of the air is unheated especially along the edges of the box. You could likely do it without the light if you are using a fan. And without the fan or better hole placement if you want the light..
I’m glad this most delicious product of South Africa is spreading all over the world for all to enjoy while watching American football or baseball ( in SA rugby, cricket etc ) anyway eventually any excuse will do to snack on this. Just one thing though, your box is great but not advisable to have a drying stick over the light, that cut biltong looks great for me but some like it a little wetter.
Question, with the fan sucking the air out of the box do the fan blades get any buildup from the drying process? Would it work equally well blowing? Great video, thanks for posting.
The fans don't get any build up. It might work better blowing than sucking because the airflow in that design is bad. The heat / airflow is concentrated around the centre so you're likely to get wet biltong at each end with dryer biltong in the middle. When I created my box I had the air inlet at one end and fans at the other. That way there is relatively even drying through out
I like what you had to offer but how do you store left over Biltong, being from S Africa, that was my favorite, now that I live in Washington state it is moist in the area.
