THE DISH

Biltong, South Africa

PLATE UP

Granted, this isn’t one thing you’ll consider as a full dish. Biltong is extra of a snack to most individuals. Nonetheless, to zealots corresponding to myself, to individuals who search out specialist butchers the world over within the hope of accessing an excellent stash of South Africa’s well-known dried, cured meat, biltong is one thing else totally. Jerky, sit. The king of dried meats is most undoubtedly biltong, which may very well be made with nearly any protein, from beef to ostrich to kudu to springbok to even fish, so long as it is cured with salt and vinegar, plus black pepper and coriander seeds, and a no matter secret spice mix the maker creates. The result’s extremely addictive, and greatest consumed alongside chilly beer.

FIRST SERVE

Like a lot of the nice dishes of the world, biltong was born of necessity. Again within the 1600s in South Africa, there weren’t too many fridge-freezer combos getting round, and the indigenous Khoekhoe individuals had begun preserving meat by curing it with salt. When Dutch settlers arrived, they added vinegar, pepper and coriander to the method, thus creating the biltong we all know as we speak (the phrase is a portmanteau of the Dutch phrases “bille”, that means meat, and “tonghe”, that means tongue or strip).

ORDER THERE

Just about each butcher in South Africa makes biltong, and it is all good. Should you’re in Cape City, strive The Butcher Man (thebutcherman.co.za) in Inexperienced Level.

ORDER HERE

In Sydney, there’s a fantastic number of biltong at African Vibe in Balgowlah (africanvibe.com.au). For Melburnians, strive The Saffa Store in Bentleigh (thesaffa.store).

ONE MORE THING

Budding biltong followers ought to take a look at a few of its variations: droewors, a coriander-seed-spiced boerewors sausage that is dried and preserved; and stokkies, also referred to as “snapsticks”, that are smaller, more durable and drier than normal biltong strips – although equally addictive.