Biltong vs Prosciutto: Air-Dried Meat, Two Traditions
Biltong and prosciutto are both air-dried meats, but prosciutto is a pork ham from Italy and biltong is South African beef. Prosciutto is not kosher. Biltong made from kosher beef can be, and ours is certified Glatt Kosher.
We make certified Glatt Kosher biltong and beef jerky in Florida. People who love prosciutto often ask what the closest kosher equivalent is, and people who keep kosher often wonder what they are missing. The honest answer is that biltong and prosciutto belong to the same idea, drying meat in air, and then go in different directions. Here is how they compare, with credit to prosciutto where it is due. For how our certification works, see our kosher page.
What prosciutto is
Prosciutto is a ham. It is made from the hind leg of a pig, salted, and then hung to age in a cool, airy room for a long time. It is not cooked. The salt and the slow drying cure it, and the meat becomes silky, savory and slightly sweet.
It is sliced paper-thin and eaten as it is: draped over melon, folded onto bread, laid on a board. The thinness is part of the appeal. A thick slice would be too salty and too firm.
The important fact for this comparison is the animal. Prosciutto is pork. Pork is not kosher, so prosciutto is not a kosher food, however it is made. No certification changes that.
What biltong is
Biltong is South African air-dried beef. Lean beef is cut, rubbed with salt and spices, treated with vinegar, and hung in moving air until it firms up. Like prosciutto, it is never cooked. The drying is the cure.
Our Original biltong lists grass-fed kosher beef, coriander, black pepper, salt, garlic and vinegar. It is chewy and savory, and it comes ready to eat. If you want the long version of where the method comes from, read the history of biltong.
What they have in common
- Air-dried, not cooked. Both are cured with salt and then dried. Neither goes in an oven or a pan.
- Salt-forward and savory. Both taste concentrated and salty in a good way.
- Eaten as is. You do not cook either one. They are ready to eat.
- Good on a board. Both belong on a platter with olives, pickles and bread.
That shared family is why the comparison is fair. It is the same logic of preservation, applied in two places, to two animals, with two sets of habits. Our guide to meat curing across cultures goes deeper into why so many places arrived at air-drying.
Where they differ
The animal
Beef versus pork. For anyone keeping kosher, that settles the choice. For everyone else, it changes the taste: biltong is beefy and lean, prosciutto is mild, buttery and sweet.
The spice
Prosciutto is traditionally seasoned very simply, mostly with salt. Biltong is built on spice: coriander, black pepper and vinegar in Original, red pepper heat in Peri Peri, roasted garlic in Loaded Garlic. If you want a bold flavor, biltong has more going on. If you want pure, delicate meat, prosciutto is quieter.
The cut and the slice
Prosciutto is a whole leg, sliced very thin. Biltong is lean muscle cut in strips or sliced pieces. Prosciutto melts in the mouth. Biltong has chew. If you do not like to chew, biltong will feel like work. If you like something to bite into, it is the better choice.
Fat
Prosciutto carries a rim of soft fat that is part of its flavor. Biltong is made from lean beef, with a little fat at the edge in some pieces. Our piece on what happens to biltong fat explains what that fat does as the meat dries.
How you serve it
Prosciutto is usually a starter or a topping: wrapped around something, laid over something. Biltong is a snack that stands on its own. You can put it on a board, but you can just as easily eat it in the car.
Is there a kosher prosciutto?
There is no pork prosciutto that is kosher. There are kosher air-dried beef products made in the same spirit, and some are sold as a kosher alternative. Those are not prosciutto; they are beef, and they taste like beef. Biltong is one such tradition, though a distinct one with its own spices.
Another Italian-style dried beef exists: bresaola. We compare it separately in biltong vs bresaola, and it is the closer match in style if you like the delicate, thinly sliced, wine-friendly end of cured meat.
When to choose each
If you keep kosher, you will choose biltong, because prosciutto is not an option. If you do not keep kosher, choose by the moment.
- Pick prosciutto when you want delicate, silky, sweet-salty meat on melon, on bread or on a plate.
- Pick biltong when you want a chewy, spiced, beef snack that travels and needs no fridge.
Biltong is the wrong pick if you want something tender and delicate. It is chewy by design. If you want something sweeter, try our Meat Candy, a cooked, glazed jerky. To start with biltong, try our Sliced Biltong. You can see every size on Buy Biltong Online or browse our kosher beef jerky collection. We ship to every US address, free on orders over $50.
A note for kosher households: biltong is meat. Keep it off any dairy table, so it does not belong on a board with cheese. Ask your rabbi about anything your family's custom treats differently.
Pairing and serving
Prosciutto is famous for pairing with sweet things: melon, figs, a drizzle of honey. The sweetness plays against the salt. Biltong takes a different approach. Its spice and vinegar are happiest beside things that are sharp, briny or crunchy: olives, pickles, roasted nuts, crisp apple slices, good bread.
If you are building a board for a kosher meal, keep it entirely meat or entirely pareve. Meat and dairy are not served together, so cheese does not belong beside biltong. Lean on olives, pickled vegetables, fruit, nuts and crackers instead. Our piece on what goes on a biltong charcuterie board lays out combinations that work, and what to leave off. Label any bag with heat, since Peri Peri has real heat and surprises people who expect a mild cured meat.
One more practical point for anyone coming from prosciutto. A pack of prosciutto is usually a delicate, thinly sliced product that you handle gently and eat soon after opening. A bag of biltong is sturdier. You can toss it in a pack, carry it in a pocket-sized mini, and eat it over several days if you reseal it. That durability is a big part of why people who keep kosher reach for it as an everyday cured meat: it is the one you can actually take with you.
A word on how biltong is safe without cooking
People used to prosciutto understand that salt and time can make meat safe to eat uncooked. Biltong follows the same principle with its own details: salt, vinegar, spice and air drying. If you want the specifics, our guide is biltong raw, cooked or safe answers it properly. The short version is that biltong is cured and dried, not cooked, and it is sold ready to eat.
Bottom line
Biltong and prosciutto share a technique, drying meat in air, and little else. Prosciutto is pork, silky and delicate, and not kosher. Biltong is beef, spiced and chewy, and ours is certified Glatt Kosher. For a kosher board or bag, biltong is the one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is biltong like prosciutto?
They share the method of air-drying cured meat. Beyond that they differ. Prosciutto is pork, thin and delicate. Biltong is beef, spiced and chewy.
Is prosciutto kosher?
No. Prosciutto is made from pork, and pork is not kosher. No certification changes that.
Is there a kosher alternative to prosciutto?
Air-dried beef is the usual answer. Biltong is one choice. It does not taste like prosciutto, but it fills the same role as a cured, ready-to-eat meat for a board or a snack.
Is biltong cooked or raw like prosciutto?
Neither is cooked. Both are cured with salt and dried. Our guide to whether biltong is raw explains how curing and drying make it safe to eat.
Do you eat biltong the same way as prosciutto?
You can put it on a board, but biltong is chewier and not sliced paper-thin. Most people eat it on its own as a snack.
Does biltong need to be refrigerated?
No. Biltong is air-dried and shelf-stable. After opening a bag, keep it sealed and away from heat.
Is Grub's biltong 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.
