Biltong and jerky are not the same thing. They both start with beef and end up in a bag, but the process between those two points is completely different, and that difference shows up in every bite.
The Real Difference Is How They're Made
Jerky is cooked. Heat drives out the moisture, which is what preserves it. Most commercial jerky goes through a dehydrator or oven, and the meat is often marinated first in a sweet, smoky sauce because the cooking process strips a lot of natural flavor. You get that back through seasoning.
Biltong is never heated. The beef is cured in vinegar, salted, and then hung to air-dry over days. No dehydrator. No oven. The vinegar lowers the pH of the meat, and that's what does the preservation work. It's a South African method that's been around for centuries, developed long before electricity was part of the picture.
That distinction matters more than it sounds. When you cook meat, the proteins tighten. That's why jerky can get tough and chewy. Biltong cures slowly at ambient temperature, so the fibers stay looser. The result is a completely different texture. One that's closer to a tender slice of beef than a dried strip of it.
Biltong also doesn't need added sugar or smoke to taste good. Our Sliced Biltong starts with grass-fed beef and a simple spice blend. That's it. The flavor comes from the meat and the cure, not from a glaze. Grass-fed beef has a cleaner, more mineral-forward profile than grain-finished, and when you're not masking it with sweetness or smoke, that actually comes through.
What That Means for Taste and Texture
Jerky tends to be sweet, smoky, and chewy. There's a reason it sells at gas stations next to candy. It hits a lot of the same receptors. Our Meat Candy leans into that honestly. It's sweet, it's savory, and it's designed to feel like a treat. That's a legitimate snacking experience. Just don't confuse it with what biltong is doing.
Biltong is savory and protein-forward. The texture depends on how dry it is. Wetter biltong slices almost like a cold cut, genuinely tender, with a faint tang from the vinegar cure. Drier biltong gets firmer and more concentrated in flavor, which some people prefer for snacking. Our Biltong Slabs let you control that yourself, because you're slicing off the slab fresh. You want a thin, almost translucent slice? You can do that. Thicker and meatier? Also yours to choose. Pre-sliced jerky doesn't give you that option.
If you've never had biltong and you're picturing jerky with a different seasoning, adjust your expectations. The texture is genuinely different. People who try our Sliced Biltong for the first time often describe it as more like real beef and less like a processed snack. That's the curing process, not a coincidence.
Storage, Cost, and When Each One Makes Sense
Biltong doesn't need refrigeration before opening because the vinegar cure already handles preservation. Once you open a bag, keep it in a cool, dry spot and eat it within a week or two for best quality. The moisture content in wetter biltong means it won't last as long as a bone-dry piece, so trust your senses, if it smells off or feels slimy, it's done.
Jerky is shelf-stable and portable in a way that makes it genuinely practical for road trips, gym bags, or anywhere you need something that takes serious abuse. Biltong travels well too, but it's less forgiving in heat and humidity because it hasn't been cooked hard.
On cost, single-serve jerky packs look cheap until you look at the price per ounce. Our Bulk Biltong, a full pound of sliced biltong, brings the per-unit cost down significantly compared to grabbing individual bags. If you're buying for a charcuterie board, a party, or just stocking your fridge for the week, bulk purchasing makes biltong more cost-competitive than the sticker price suggests. The Sampler Pack at $12.99 is also a practical entry point, Original, Peri Peri, and Loaded Garlic in one box, so you're not committing to a full bag of something you've never tried.
Which One Should You Buy?
Buy jerky when you want something sweet, smoky, and snack-casual. Our Meat Candy is exactly that and it doesn't apologize for it. It's a different snacking ritual from biltong, dessert-adjacent, nostalgic, built for fun.
Buy biltong when you want beef that actually tastes like beef. When you're building a charcuterie board and need something that holds up next to cheese and wine without fighting them. When you want a higher-protein snack that isn't loaded with sugar. Or when you're just curious what the rest of the world has been eating while American snack culture was busy coating everything in teriyaki.
They're both worth having around. They just aren't interchangeable. And knowing why makes it easier to pick the right one for the moment.
Still have questions before you order? These are the ones we hear most often.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does biltong taste like beef jerky?
Not really. Jerky is typically sweet, smoky, and chewy because it's cooked and relies on marinade for flavor. Biltong is savory and protein-forward, with a tender texture that comes from air-curing rather than heat. If you're expecting jerky, biltong will surprise you, most people say it tastes more like actual beef. The Biltong Sampler Pack is the lowest-commitment way to find out for yourself.
Why is biltong more expensive than jerky?
A few reasons. Biltong loses a significant amount of weight during the curing process, so you're getting more concentrated beef per ounce than a fresh piece of meat would suggest. It also starts with better raw material. Our biltong uses grass-fed beef, which costs more than the grain-finished beef common in mass-market jerky. Buying bulk (our 1LB bag) closes that cost gap considerably if you're a regular buyer.
Is biltong healthier than beef jerky?
Biltong generally has less sugar than commercial jerky because the curing process doesn't require a sweet marinade. Our biltong uses a simple spice blend with no added sugar or smoke. That said, we're not going to make broad health claims here. If you're comparing specific products, read the labels. What we can say is that biltong is a protein-forward snack made with minimal ingredients, which puts it in a different category from candy-adjacent jerky options.
How long does biltong last once I open the bag?
Store opened biltong in a cool, dry place and plan to eat it within one to two weeks for the best quality. Wetter biltong has a shorter window than drier cuts because there's more residual moisture. Trust your senses. Biltong that's gone bad will smell off or feel slimy. If you buy a Biltong Slab and slice as you go, the uncut portion stays fresh longer because the surface is protected.
What's the difference between a biltong slab and pre-sliced biltong?
A slab is the whole cured piece of beef, uncut. You slice it yourself, which means you control the thickness, and thickness controls texture. Thin slices are more tender and almost melt in your mouth. Thicker cuts are chewier and more filling. Pre-sliced biltong is more convenient but locks you into one thickness. Our Biltong Slabs are also popular as a gift or for sharing because the presentation is more impressive than a bag of pre-sliced pieces.
Can I use biltong on a charcuterie board instead of cured meats?
Yes, and it works well because biltong's savory, lightly tangy profile doesn't compete with cheese or wine the way sweet jerky does. Our Bulk Biltong is specifically popular for this use, a pound of sliced biltong across a board goes a long way, and the three flavor options (Original, Peri Peri, Loaded Garlic) give guests some variety without you needing to source multiple products.
What is Meat Candy and how is it different from regular jerky?
Meat Candy is our take on beef jerky, intentionally sweet, savory, and a little nostalgic. It's made to feel like a treat rather than a protein snack, which is a real and valid snacking experience. It's different from our biltong in every meaningful way: different preparation method, different flavor profile, different texture, different purpose. If you want both ends of the spectrum in one order, grab a Sampler Pack for the biltong side and a bag of Meat Candy for comparison.
