Biltong vs Corned Beef: Two Ways to Cure Beef
Biltong and corned beef are both cured beef, but corned beef is brined and simmered until soft, while biltong is spiced and air-dried until firm. One is a hot meal, the other is a cold snack. We make the snack, and ours is certified Glatt Kosher.
We make certified Glatt Kosher biltong and beef jerky in Florida. Because both foods are salted beef, people sometimes ask whether biltong is a kind of corned beef. It is not, and the difference is a good way to understand what curing actually means. This guide compares the two fairly, including the cases where corned beef is simply the better choice. For how we handle certification, see our kosher page.
What corned beef is
Corned beef is brisket, or a similar tough cut, cured in a salt brine with a mix of pickling spices. The name has nothing to do with corn. "Corn" is an old word for a coarse grain, and the large grains of salt used in curing were called corns of salt.
After the brine, the beef is cooked low and slow in water, often with cabbage and potatoes added near the end. That long simmer is what makes it tender. The finished meat is pink, soft and moist, and it slices or shreds easily. It is a classic for sandwiches, for hash, and for a holiday-style dinner.
So corned beef is a wet-cured, simmered meat. It is made to be eaten as a cooked dish, warm or sliced cold for a sandwich.
What biltong is
Biltong is the South African way of air-dried beef. Lean beef is cut into strips or pieces, rubbed with salt and spices, treated with vinegar, and hung in moving air until it dries and firms up. There is no brine bath and no cooking. The drying does the preserving.
Our Original biltong lists grass-fed kosher beef, coriander, black pepper, salt, garlic and vinegar. The result is dense, savory and chewy, and you eat it cold. If you want the full picture, our complete guide to biltong explains the method step by step.
The real difference: wet cure and cook versus dry and hang
Both foods use salt, and both are ways of keeping beef longer than a fresh cut would last. The roads they take are opposite.
Corned beef adds water, then heat
The brine carries salt and spices into the meat. Then the meat is cooked in liquid. Water is part of the process from start to finish, and the finished product is moist. Because it is a cooked, wet meat, it is handled like other cooked meats: kept cold, and used within a reasonable time. We will not give you a shelf life for deli or packaged corned beef, because that depends on the maker and the pack.
Biltong removes water
Biltong goes the other direction. Salt, spice and vinegar prepare the meat, and then air takes the moisture out. With the water gone, the beef is firm and keeps without a refrigerator. That is why biltong travels in a bag and corned beef travels in a cooler. Our explainer on African dried cured meat shows where biltong sits in that wider family.
Taste and texture
Corned beef tastes of salt, pickling spice and slow-cooked beef. Mustard seed, bay and clove-like notes often come through. It is tender enough to fall apart.
Biltong tastes of the beef itself, with coriander, black pepper, vinegar and garlic. It is chewy rather than tender. If you like Original biltong, you are enjoying the spice and the concentrated beef flavor. If you like corned beef, you are enjoying a soft, briny, comforting meal.
Neither one is a substitute for the other. If you bite into biltong expecting corned beef, you will be surprised. If you want to know what to expect, our Sliced Biltong comes in Original, Peri Peri and Loaded Garlic. Original is the one to start with.
When corned beef is the better pick
This is the honest part. Biltong is the wrong choice in a number of situations.
- You want a hot meal. Corned beef with potatoes and cabbage, or on rye, is a dinner. Biltong is a snack.
- You are feeding a table with plates. Corned beef makes a sandwich. Biltong does not.
- You want soft meat. If chewing a firm, dried slice does not appeal, corned beef is easier.
- You are cooking a classic dish. Hash, a boiled dinner and a deli sandwich all need corned beef.
When biltong is the better pick
- You need no fridge. Biltong is shelf-stable. It fits a desk drawer, a bag or a car.
- You want a snack with no prep. It is sliced and ready to eat. No cooking, no reheating, no plate.
- You are traveling. A sealed bag goes anywhere. Our piece on biltong for road trips shows how.
- You want a savory board item. It sits out well at a gathering. See building a biltong charcuterie board, and leave off anything dairy at a meat meal.
A note on kosher and meat
Corned beef is a staple of kosher delis, and biltong made from kosher beef under supervision is a certified Glatt Kosher snack. Both are meat. In a kosher home, both follow the same rule: keep them away from dairy, and ask your rabbi about anything your family's custom treats differently. Biltong is not a deli meat, and it needs no refrigeration, which is the main reason people keep a bag on hand.
If you like corned beef flavors and want something sweeter and more jerky-like, our kosher beef jerky page shows the cooked, glazed end of our line. You can also see everything we make on Buy Biltong Online. We ship to every US address, free on orders over $50.
How each one is used in a kitchen
Corned beef is an ingredient as much as a food. It is sliced for a sandwich, chopped into hash with potatoes and onion, or served in thick slices next to cabbage. It asks for a stove, a plate and some time, and the payoff is a warm, comforting dinner.
Biltong asks for none of that. You open the bag. If you want to dress it up, slice a few pieces onto a board with olives and pickles, or tear some over a salad. It adds salt and savory depth without any cooking. It is a poor stand-in for a boiled dinner, but it is a very good thing to have in the house when nobody wants to cook.
Many of our customers keep both without any conflict. Corned beef is what you plan a meal around. Biltong is what you grab when the meal is hours away. If you are choosing only one for a trip, a lunchbox or a long day out, biltong wins on convenience alone, because corned beef needs a cooler and something to eat it with.
Bottom line
Corned beef and biltong are cousins, not twins. Corned beef is brined, simmered and soft, a hot-meal meat that lives in the fridge. Biltong is spiced, air-dried and firm, a cold snack that needs no refrigeration. Choose corned beef for dinner and biltong for the bag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is biltong the same as corned beef?
No. Both are cured beef, but corned beef is brined and then simmered until tender. Biltong is spiced, treated with vinegar and air-dried, so it is firm and chewy.
Is biltong cooked like corned beef?
No. Corned beef is cooked in liquid. Biltong is dried in moving air and is ready to eat as it comes. You do not cook it.
Why is it called corned beef if there is no corn?
"Corn" is an old word for a coarse grain. The large grains of salt used for curing the beef were called corns of salt, and the name stuck.
Does biltong need refrigerating like corned beef?
No. Biltong is air-dried and shelf-stable. Corned beef is a cooked, wet meat and should be kept cold. After opening a bag of biltong, keep it sealed and away from heat.
Does biltong taste like corned beef?
Not really. Corned beef tastes of brine and pickling spice and is soft. Biltong tastes of beef, coriander, black pepper and vinegar and is chewy. Original has no sweetness. Meat Candy, our jerky, is the sweeter option.
Is Grub's biltong certified kosher?
Yes. Our biltong and Meat Candy are certified Glatt Kosher. Biltong is meat and should be kept away from dairy. For Passover, we do not claim a Pesach certification, so check the label.
Can I use biltong in a recipe that calls for corned beef?
No. Corned beef recipes rely on a soft, moist, simmered meat. Biltong is dried and chewy, so it will not work as a swap. It is best eaten as it is, or sliced thin onto a board.
