Biltong Crumbs and Dust: What to Do With the Bottom of the Bag
The crumbs and dust at the bottom of a biltong bag are concentrated, salty, spiced beef, and they are one of the best seasonings in the kitchen. Ours is certified Glatt Kosher, so you can use every last bit, on eggs, popcorn, roasted vegetables or in a rub.
We make certified Glatt Kosher biltong in Florida, and we slice and bag it in small batches. When you handle dried meat, you get crumbs. They collect at the bottom of the bag, in the bowl after a party, and on the cutting board. Most people tip them in the trash or eat them off a finger. That is a waste. Biltong dust is the whole flavor of the product with the chew taken out, and it behaves like a spice. This guide shows how to use it, with quantities, plus what to watch out for. Our kosher biltong page explains how the certification works.
What biltong dust actually is
Biltong is beef cured with salt and vinegar, seasoned with coriander, black pepper and other spices, and air-dried. Once it is dry, it is firm and can break at the edges. Small bits chip off when it is sliced, bagged, shipped and handled. Those bits are the same meat and spice as the slices. Nothing about them is lower quality. They are just smaller.
Because the pieces are tiny, they carry a lot of seasoning for their size. In our Original biltong, the ingredient list is grass-fed kosher beef, coriander, black pepper, salt, garlic and vinegar. That reads like a spice blend with beef already built in, and that is how to treat it.
One honest note. Sliced biltong bags will not always have much dust, and some bags will have almost none. That is normal. If you want a meaningful amount of powder, there is a better way: make it yourself, described below.
The rule for cooking with it: it is already salty
Almost every mistake people make with biltong dust comes from forgetting that it is salted. Treat it as a seasoned salt and a protein in one. When you add it to a dish:
- Cut or remove the added salt.
- Add the dust gradually, tasting as you go.
- Add it near the end of cooking where you can. Long cooking turns the flavor muddy.
It is also meat. At a kosher table, that means it stays out of dairy dishes, and it does not go near cheese, cream or butter. Use oil, and keep the dish on the meat or pareve side. If you are unsure how long to wait between a meat meal and anything dairy, that is a question for your rabbi and your family's custom.
Eight ways to use biltong crumbs
1. Sprinkled over eggs
The easiest one. Fry or scramble eggs in a little oil, then sprinkle a half teaspoon of dust over the top just before serving. Skip the salt. You get savory depth with no extra work.
2. Biltong popcorn
Pop 1/3 cup of kernels in 2 tablespoons of oil in a covered pot over medium-high heat, shaking until the popping slows. Pour into a bowl, drizzle with a teaspoon of oil, and toss with a heaping teaspoon of biltong dust. Taste, then add more if you want. This is a very good snack for a table, and it is pareve-friendly if you leave butter out and keep it as a meat snack. If anyone at the table is avoiding meat, mention it.
3. A crust for roasted vegetables
Toss 1 pound of cauliflower florets or halved Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons of oil and a pinch of pepper. Roast at 425°F for about 20 minutes, stirring once. Out of the oven, sprinkle on a tablespoon of biltong dust and toss. The crumbs stick to the hot, oily vegetables and the flavor spreads evenly.
4. A crunchy topping
Mix 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of biltong dust. Toast it in a dry pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until golden. Use it over roasted vegetables, a baked potato or a green salad. Check your breadcrumbs for ingredients that fit your table.
5. A dry rub for steak or chicken
Mix 1 tablespoon of biltong dust with 1 teaspoon of paprika and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Pat meat dry and rub the mix over it a few minutes before cooking. Because the dust is salty, skip the other salt, and cook the meat thoroughly as you normally would. The biltong is already cured, but the steak or chicken you put it on is raw and needs ordinary cooking.
6. Stirred into ground beef
For burgers or meatballs, add 1 tablespoon of biltong dust per pound of ground beef, with no extra salt, and mix lightly. It gives the meat a deeper, spiced flavor. Cook the burgers or meatballs completely, as always.
7. In a pot of soup or stew
Stir a teaspoon or two into a bean soup, a lentil soup or a beef stew in the last few minutes. It adds a savory background note. Taste before adding salt, since the dust already carries some.
8. On avocado or a baked potato
Mash an avocado with lemon juice and spoon it onto toast, then dust the top. Or split a baked potato, drizzle with oil, and add a pinch of dust. It does what bacon bits do, without the pork, and it stays kosher.
How to make biltong powder on purpose
If you like these ideas and want more than a bag leaves behind, make powder from biltong itself. This works best with dry, firm pieces.
- Tear or cut some biltong into small pieces. Use the leftover ends and hard pieces, which are perfect for this.
- Put them in a spice grinder or small food processor. Pulse in short bursts, a few seconds at a time, so the machine does not heat up.
- Stop when you have a coarse powder. Do not run it until it turns into a paste. The fat in the meat can clump if it gets warm.
- Store the powder in a clean, dry, tightly closed jar in a cool, dry place and use it within a reasonable time. If it smells off or looks damp, do not use it.
Our Biltong Slabs are a pound of uncut biltong that you slice yourself. They are useful if you want control over the cut and plan to grind some. The last piece of a slab is hard to slice neatly, which is exactly what you can grind. A slab is an ingredient rather than a snack, so it suits cooks more than people who want to eat from the bag. If you want to understand how thickness changes a piece, we wrote about the best biltong thickness for snacking versus cooking.
What not to do with biltong dust
- Do not use it like regular salt. It is a seasoning with salt in it. Start with less than you think you need.
- Do not put it in dairy dishes. No cream sauce, no cheese board, no butter. It is meat.
- Do not store a damp powder. Moisture is what spoils dried foods. Keep it dry and in a closed jar.
- Do not expect it to replace the real thing. Dust is for seasoning. If you want the chew of biltong, you need a slice.
The Sliced Biltong bag in Original, Peri Peri or Loaded Garlic gives you the slices to eat and the occasional crumbs to cook with. If you like a sweeter jerky, browse our kosher beef jerky. For all our sizes, the biltong collection has them. US orders over $50 ship free, and we ship to US addresses only.
Bottom line
The bottom of the bag is not waste. Use biltong dust as a salty, spiced seasoning on eggs, popcorn, vegetables and rubs, and cut the other salt. Keep it on the meat side of the kitchen. If you want more than a bag provides, grind some from a slab, and store the powder dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do with the crumbs at the bottom of a biltong bag?
Use them as a seasoning. Sprinkle them on eggs, popcorn, roasted vegetables or avocado toast, or mix them into a rub or ground beef. Reduce the other salt, because the dust is already salty.
Can I make biltong powder at home?
Yes. Pulse firm pieces of biltong in a spice grinder or small food processor in short bursts until you have a coarse powder. Do not over-process it, and store it dry in a closed jar.
Is biltong dust safe to eat?
It is the same cured, dried beef as the slices, just in smaller pieces. Keep it dry. If it looks damp, smells off or shows any mold, throw it out.
Does biltong dust need to be cooked?
No. Biltong is already cured and ready to eat. If you add it to a hot dish, you are only warming it. Any raw meat you put it on still needs ordinary cooking.
Can I use biltong dust in a dairy dish?
Not at a kosher table. Biltong is meat, and meat and dairy are not served together. Use oil rather than butter, and ask your rabbi about anything your family treats differently.
Does Grub sell biltong powder?
We do not sell a separate powder. We make sliced biltong, slabs, minis, a sampler and Meat Candy. You can make powder from any of our biltong.
Is Grub's biltong Glatt Kosher?
Yes. Our biltong and Meat Candy are certified Glatt Kosher. For Passover, check the label, because we do not claim a Pesach certification.
