Biltong Recipes: 10 Ways to Cook and Serve Kosher Biltong
Biltong is already cured and ready to eat, so the best way to cook with it is to barely cook it at all. Add thin slices or crumbs of certified Glatt Kosher biltong at the end of a dish, and you get ten easy meals below.
At Grub, we air-dry our certified Glatt Kosher biltong from grass-fed beef in small batches in Florida. We eat it from the bag all day. But it also does something most snacks cannot: it works as a seasoning, a topping and a protein in real food.
Every recipe here is meat-friendly and dairy-free, so it fits a kosher kitchen without a second thought. Quantities are for two people unless noted.
Three Rules for Cooking With Biltong
Follow these and nothing goes wrong.
1. Do not cook it through. Biltong is cured and air-dried. It does not need heat to be safe. Simmering it for twenty minutes just turns it tough and leathery. Add it at the end, or let the heat of the dish warm it for a minute.
2. Slice it thin, or crumble it. Our Sliced Biltong is already cut thin enough to eat as is. For toppings and crumbs, run a knife across a few slices, or pulse them in a food processor in short bursts. If you want to cut your own, thickness matters. We covered it in Best Biltong Thickness for Snacking vs Cooking.
3. Salt last. Biltong carries salt, coriander, black pepper and vinegar. Taste the dish with the biltong in it before you add any more salt. Most of these recipes need none.
One note on flavors. Original is the safest for cooking, because it is beef first, then coriander. Peri Peri adds real heat, so use it only when everyone at the table wants heat. Loaded Garlic is rounder and sweeter, and it is very good on eggs and potatoes.
Breakfast and Brunch
1. Biltong Avocado Toast
Toast two thick slices of good bread. Mash one ripe avocado with the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of black pepper. Spread it on the toast, then lay about 1 ounce of sliced biltong across the top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Done in five minutes.
2. Scrambled Eggs With Biltong Crumbs
Crumble 1 ounce of biltong into small pieces. Beat 4 eggs with a splash of water. Scramble in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat, stirring slowly. When the eggs are almost set, fold in the biltong and take the pan off the heat. The residual heat is enough. Loaded Garlic is excellent here.
3. Biltong Potato Hash
Dice 3 medium potatoes into half-inch cubes. Cook in 2 tablespoons of oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, turning every few minutes, until crisp and golden. Add half a diced onion for the last five minutes. Take the pan off the heat, stir in 1.5 ounces of chopped biltong, and top with a fried egg. The potatoes should be done before the biltong goes in.
Lunch and Dinner
4. Biltong Salad
This is the one people ask about most. Combine 4 cups of arugula, 1 sliced cucumber, 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes and a quarter of a thinly sliced red onion. Dress with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a pinch of black pepper and nothing else. Toss, then top with about 2 ounces of sliced biltong, torn into strips. Add avocado if you want it to eat as a full meal. No dairy, no cheese, no problem.
5. Garlic Pasta With Biltong
Boil 8 ounces of spaghetti in salted water. While it cooks, warm 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan with 4 sliced garlic cloves and a pinch of red pepper flakes until the garlic is fragrant, not brown. Drain the pasta, saving half a cup of the water. Toss the pasta with the oil, add a splash of pasta water, and pile on 2 ounces of shaved biltong and a handful of chopped parsley. Skip the cheese. The biltong supplies the salt and the savory depth that cheese usually does.
6. Biltong Rice Bowl
Start with 2 cups of warm cooked rice. Add a handful of shredded cabbage, a sliced cucumber, a few sliced scallions and half an avocado. Top with 2 ounces of biltong strips. Dress with 1 tablespoon of oil and a squeeze of lime. This is a good way to use leftover rice, and it holds up in a lunch box.
7. Soup Topper
Put a small handful of crumbled biltong on top of a bowl of hot lentil, split pea or chicken soup, just before serving. It softens slightly and flavors the first few spoonfuls. Add it to the bowl, not the pot. Leftover soup keeps better without it.
8. Biltong Sandwich
Split a fresh roll or a few slices of challah. Spread with spicy brown mustard. Layer 2 ounces of sliced biltong, a few dill pickle slices and some thin red onion. Press it closed and eat it within the hour. Biltong is chewy by design, so cut the sandwich in half to make it easier to bite.
Snacks, Sides and Small Bites
9. Biltong Crumb Topping
Pulse 2 ounces of biltong in a food processor, five or six short bursts, until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Do not run it continuously or it will turn to paste. Sprinkle the crumbs on roasted carrots, roasted cauliflower or fresh popcorn. A tablespoon or two goes a long way. Store leftover crumbs in a sealed container.
10. Date and Biltong Bites
Slice 8 Medjool dates open and remove the pits. Tuck a thin strip of biltong inside each one and close it. The sweet date and the salty, peppery beef are a classic pairing. It works as an easy appetizer for a Shabbos table or a party.
What to Eat With Biltong When You Are Not Cooking
Sometimes the best recipe is no recipe. Biltong goes with anything sharp, sweet or crunchy. Dill pickles, olives, sliced apples, grapes, roasted nuts, crackers and good mustard all work. For a bigger spread, see Building a Biltong Charcuterie Board. For drinks, Best Drinks to Pair With Biltong has the full list.
If you have never had it plain, start with How to Eat Biltong.
When Biltong Is the Wrong Choice
Be honest about it. Biltong is the wrong pick if the dish needs a long simmer or a braise. It will not melt into a stew the way short rib does, and it turns tough. It is also the wrong pick if you want something sweet and glazed. For that, look at our kosher beef jerky, called Meat Candy, which is cooked and sweet rather than air-dried and savory. It is better as a snack than as a recipe ingredient. And if you only want to know whether you like biltong at all, order the Biltong Sampler Pack before you plan ten dinners around it.
A kosher note. These recipes keep meat and dairy apart, which is why none of them has cheese or cream. If you want to add dairy to any of them, wait the time your family keeps between meat and dairy, or ask your rabbi how to handle it.
Bottom Line
Treat biltong like a finishing ingredient, the way you would treat good smoked fish or a strong olive. Add it late, slice it thin, and let it carry the salt and spice. Start with the salad or the scrambled eggs. If you want to stock up, you can find every size and flavor on Buy Biltong Online. Orders over $50 ship free within the US.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you cook with biltong?
Yes, but gently. Biltong is already cured and air-dried, so it does not need to be cooked. Add it at the end of a dish, or warm it briefly in a hot dish. Long cooking makes it tough.
Should I heat biltong before using it?
No. It is ready to eat at room temperature. The heat of a warm dish, like pasta, soup or scrambled eggs, is enough to take the chill off and release the aroma.
What is the best biltong flavor for recipes?
Original is the safest for most dishes. Loaded Garlic is great with eggs, potatoes and pasta. Peri Peri adds real heat, so use it only when everyone wants it.
What goes well with biltong?
Avocado, eggs, potatoes, rice, greens, pickles, olives, dates, apples and mustard. Anything sharp, sweet, creamy or crunchy balances the salt and spice in the beef.
Can I use biltong in a dairy dish?
Our biltong is beef, so it is a meat product, and meat and dairy are kept separate in a kosher kitchen. For waiting times between the two, follow your family's custom or ask your rabbi.
Can I use Meat Candy instead of biltong in these recipes?
Not really. Meat Candy is sweet, glazed beef jerky, and it would clash with most of these savory recipes. It is best eaten as a snack. The date bites are the one place you could try it, though it would be very sweet.
How do I store leftover biltong crumbs?
Keep them in a sealed container, away from heat and moisture. Use them within a few days, and see our guide on how long biltong lasts for the full storage rules.
