Biltong is a South African cured and dried meat product that dates back to the 17th century, when Dutch settlers at the Cape of Good Hope needed a reliable way to preserve beef, venison, and game on long journeys. The name itself comes from Dutch roots: "bil" (buttock) and "tong" (strip). It is not a snack trend. It is a preservation method with a few hundred years of proof behind it.
The process starts with whole muscle cuts, typically topside, silverside, or eye of round, sliced 1 to 2 inches thick. That thickness matters. Thin slices lose moisture too fast and cook unevenly. Thick cuts cure from the outside in, which is what gives biltong its signature texture: a firmer outer layer and a tender, almost rosy interior depending on how long it hangs.
Before the meat ever hits the drying rack, it gets a thorough marinade in vinegar, salt, and spices. Coriander is the non-negotiable one. Pepper and garlic usually follow. The vinegar does two jobs at once: it drops the pH of the meat to a level where pathogenic bacteria can't take hold, and it begins breaking down the collagen in the muscle through acid hydrolysis. That's why biltong has a tenderness that quick-dried products don't. Malt, cider, or wine vinegar are all traditional choices.
The real difference between biltong and beef jerky comes down to method and texture. Jerky is sliced thin and dried fast at higher heat, often with added sugars or smoke. Biltong skips the heat entirely, relies on vinegar-based curing, and uses thicker cuts. The finished product is denser, less chewy in the string-pulling sense, and higher in protein. A 100-gram serving of finished biltong contains around 30 to 35 grams of protein, which reflects how much water weight the meat sheds during the multi-week dry.
If you want to understand how biltong is cut and why sliced versus slab changes the eating experience, the breakdown of biltong slabs vs. pre-sliced biltong covers that in detail. And if you're new to the product entirely, starting with a biltong sampler pack is a practical way to taste the range of textures and cure levels before committing to bulk.
