Gifts for Someone Who Already Loves Biltong
Buying for someone who already loves biltong is a different job from introducing it to a newcomer. A sampler is a polite gift for a beginner and a slightly disappointing one for a fan. They know what they like; what they want is more of it, a new way to eat it, or something they would not buy for themselves. Here is how to get it right.
First, find out three things
- Their flavor. Fans have a favorite and they are loyal to it. If you do not know, look at what is in their cupboard or ask someone who does.
- Wet or dry. Some people like biltong soft and red in the middle; others want it dry enough to snap. This decides whether a slab or sliced bags suit them.
- Whether they grew up with it. A South African expat usually wants the reference flavor done properly, in quantity. Novelty is not the point for them.
Gift ideas, by kind of fan
| They are... | Give them | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A daily snacker | A pound of bulk sliced in their flavor | A fan's real problem is running out |
| Someone who likes to cut their own | A biltong slab and a good board | A slab lets them choose the thickness every time |
| A South African abroad | Original, generously | They want the taste of home, not an experiment |
| A heat-seeker | Peri Peri, in quantity | Fans of heat rarely get enough of it |
| Someone who hosts | A slab, a knife and a board | A slab on a board reads as food, not a snack |
| Someone always on the move | A stack of 1 oz minis | One bag per trip, nothing going stale |
| A fan of both biltong and jerky | Their biltong plus a bag of Meat Candy | Savory and sweet, two opposite methods |
The slab gift, done properly
A slab is the most "gift-like" way to give biltong to someone who knows it, because it turns a snack into something they prepare. It only works with the kit:
- A heavy, sharp knife. A dull blade tears biltong rather than slicing it. A proper biltong cutter is a traditional South African gift in its own right, and a fan will appreciate one.
- A wooden board that can live on the counter.
- A note on storage: sealed, it keeps for months in a cool, dry cupboard. Once it is cut into, wrap it in paper, not plastic, and finish it within a few days.
Sent without a knife, a slab sits on the counter for a month while the recipient figures out what to do with it.
Things to pair it with
If you want to build a box around it, pick things that contrast with salty, savory meat:
- A sharp aged cheese (for a recipient who does not keep kosher, or a separate box if they do)
- Dried apricots or figs
- A bold red wine, or a hoppy beer
- Good crackers
- Pickles or something sharp to cut the salt
What not to send a fan
- Tiny amounts. A single 1 oz bag reads as a taster to someone who eats a pound a month.
- A flavor you guessed. A fan of Original will quietly give away a bag of Peri Peri.
- Anything repackaged into a jar. It looks nicer and keeps far worse. The sealed bag with its oxygen absorber is the preservation system.
Every bag we make is dried in small batches in Ormond Beach, Florida, and certified Glatt Kosher. US orders over $50 ship free, which a fan's gift will usually clear on its own.
Try it: Kosher Food Gift Finder. Pick who it is for and the occasion; see what to send.
