Billabong Recipes

BILLABONG

Steps:

• Place onion, garlic and stock in a saucepan and simmer 8 minutes, or until onion is tender.
• Lay tomato slices in 4 bowls or soup plates. Season with salt and white pepper. Top with sorrel and parsley.
• Pour soup over tomatoes and herbs.

PERFECT BILTONG RECIPE

Steps:

• Toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan, then grind down in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. It should be mostly powder, with a few pieces of seed shells left in.
• Using a sharp knife, following the grain of the meat, cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) thick lengths and place in a non-metallic container.
• Combine all the spices and sprinkle into the meat. Sprinkle the vinegar on and rub everything in thoroughly whilst turning the meat with your hands.
• Cover the container and let your biltong cure for 24 hours in the fridge, turning and rubbing through the meat occasionally.
• Remove the meat from the container and pat dry with kitchen towels, taking care not to remove too much of the spice.
• Add a hook to the thickest end of each length. Plastic-covered paper clips make for a cheap solution. Hang in your biltong box, or in a well aired, ventilated space with a fan blowing gently to increase air flow. Do not point a fan directly at the meat (to avoid case hardening). Make sure none of the pieces are touching. Place some newspaper below the meat to catch any liquid.
• Drying times will vary with humidity, airflow and temperature. Test the readiness of your biltong every couple of days by squeezing the sides together with clean fingers. If you feel any give in the meat, it's still 'wet' inside.
• Once ready, cut into thin slices with a sharp knife and enjoy some of the best meat you'll ever eat.

SOUTH AFRICAN BILTONG

Steps:

• Cut the beef into strips about 4cm thick. Pack the meat into a smallish bowl, so that it fits tightly.
• Add the vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Leave for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix the coriander and pepper together in another bowl.
• In a third bowl, mix the salt, sugar and bicarbonate of soda together.
• Remove the meat from the marinade, but reserve the marinade for later use.
• Add the beef to the bowl of spices, mixing it around until evenly coated. Save any spices that don't stick.
• Bury the spiced beef in the salt and the sugar mixture and leave it for 3 hours.
• Remove the beef from the brine and dip it back into the reserved vinegar marinade for another 5 minutes.
• Remove the beef from the marinade and using the vinegar, wash all the salt off (don't skip this bit or the biltong will be unbearably salty).
• Squeeze the beef to remove as much liquid as possible. Roll in the spices once more. The meat is now ready for hanging.
• Cut lengths of string, and tie them tightly around one end of each beef strip. Tie the string to the top of your hanging contraption and make sure that they hang freely without touching anything on the sides or bottom.
• Leave the strips hanging for 3-20 days in a warm, dry place. It is difficult to say exactly how long it will take for the biltong to reach the correct stage, it's basically when the meat is as tough as old boots!