Introduction:
That’s not to say there are ONLY five times when biltong is the perfect snack. Biltong is the perfect snack at almost any time - obviously. But, this is where you can get an idea of the real versatility of biltong as a go-to meat snack for some of life’s interesting occasions.
Before we look at the five examples of biltong as the perfect snack, you might be thinking, what is biltong? For those new to the tasty, South African air-dried and seasoned meat snack, here’s a quick definition of the word “biltong”. “Biltong” comes from an Afrikaans amalgamation of two Dutch words: “bil” translates as rump, buttock or hindquarter, while “tong” means strip, or tongue. So, the dictionary definition of biltong is: “lean meat which is salted and dried in strips”. You can find out more about the origins of biltong in our earlier blog on a brief history of biltong. Biltong is not the same as Jerky - there's a whole debate around biltong versus jerky and which is better (no brainer as far as we're concerned - biltong hands down!) In our FAQs we discuss the differences between jerky and biltong, but essentially, biltong is air dried and cured, using spices and vinegar, while jerky is cooked, or smoked, using sweeter ingredients, such as maple syrup or honey.
Biltong comes in a variety of flavour and supply options. There are several flavour choices, including Traditional, Peri Peri, Chilli and Garlic. Plus, there are numerous recipes for making the seasonings: many South Africans make their own biltong and guard their recipes closely. For those who don’t want to faff about making their own biltong at home, there are some truly excellent UK biltong producers who can provide freshly cut and pre-packed options.
As for why it’s the perfect snack, let’s take a closer look at our five examples....
1. Playing Sports:
One of biltong’s superpowers is its protein content. Biltong is made from high quality, grass fed beef. It's made using fine cuts of silverside, topside, or rump, so it’s packed full of nutrients and vitamins. And because the meat is unprocessed - just spiced and air-dried - it retains all that nourishment. As a result, biltong provides a powerful protein hit that’s ideal for athletes and bodybuilders during training and workouts. It also works for those intense, high impact sports, such as boxing, football - and of course, the South African favourite: rugby! You’ll always see lots of ads for biltong around the Rugby World Cup when the Springboks are playing! You can find a lot more health and nutrition information about biltong in our blog “PROTEIN: WHAT IS IT? WHERE DO WE GET IT FROM? AND WHY DO WE NEED IT?” But make sure you come back and read the rest of this one - we’ve got four more examples below of why biltong is the perfect snack…
2. Watching Sports
And here it is - the second one. No, it’s not cheating - watching sport is as exciting and sometimes adrenalin-filled as playing it! Sales of biltong rocketed during the recent Rubgy Union tournament in the UK, especially as South Africa and England met in the final (27-13 to South Africa if you missed it 🙂).
The Biltong Merchant spotted more than a few packets of biltong being consumed during the matches - not surprising, given that biltong goes perfectly with a beer or two (or three…) Snacking on a sensible sized portion of biltong also provides some much needed protein to prevent the hunger hormone ghrelin taking over and sending you off to the bar for crisps and chips! Talking of chips, did you know there is a type of biltong called the Chilli Chip? Basically, it’s the same biltong meat that gets dried a lot more until it’s quite brittle and just gently “snaps” off and melts in the mouth - oh, and it’s flavoured with chilli for a picante crunch - I know, I know - I want some too: click here to buy some before you forget. You won’t regret it…
3. Hiking & Camping
A lot less sweaty, but just as physically demanding is the wonderful pastime which is the mountain or countryside hike. One of the trickiest parts of hiking is having to carry all your supplies with you. This is where biltong is the ideal foodstuff. It’s light to carry and takes up hardly any room in a backpack. You don’t need a lot of it to sustain you and, given that 1gm of biltong provides on average 4 cals of energy, it definitely helps keep you rambling for longer. If you’ve been bitten by the hiking bug, but not sure where to start, I found this article by Lonely Planet useful on the UK’s most iconic hiking experiences. If you’re lucky enough to have transport to take you on longer hiking trips, then great - you have more storage and therefore more biltong - hoorah! Depending on whether you prefer the freshly cut (most delicious), or the pre-packed option (longer life and sealed), you’ll need to just make sure your storage is correct. A quick reminder that fresh cut biltong needs aeration, so make sure you have somewhere appropriate to store it. Properly cared for, your fresh biltong will last you over a week, so plenty of time for hiking and nibbling! If you need some tips on how to store your biltong, take a look at our tips for storing your biltong the right way.
4. Travelling On Long Journeys
Again, portability and saving space during packing are high on the list of priorities when it comes to loading up the supplies for some epic travels. The other beauty of snacking on biltong during a long journey is that it fills you up without having to load up on carbohydrate-loaded sandwiches and endless bags of crisps (chips). Not that you shouldn’t be able to eat a bit of both - it just depends on the length of the journey… 😉. Yet another tick for biltong is that it’s a lot less messy than those other snacks: fewer crumbs, and less plastic packaging - always a bonus! If you need proof of biltong’s role as the perfect snack, here are a couple of excellent examples of biltong appreciation The Biltong Merchant has experienced lately:
- A recent blog from a prestigious motoring company cited biltong as the perfect road trip snack. For some really excellent ideas and information on how to plan the ultimate road trip, this is totally worth a read!
- Some members of The Biltong Merchant tribe are real high flyers - in this case literally! From an Airbus A320 pilot no less, and I quote: “A bloody good work snack”! Can’t argue with that 😍
5. Sharing With Friends - Any Time!
Yes this one might be a bit of a cheat. After all, every example above is fabulous when shared with friends. But, actually sometimes activities like hiking and travelling are better done alone, especially if you’re looking for a little headspace, or solitude. It’s important to remember that food for the mind and the soul is as important as food for the body. The Biltong Merchant loves to go hiking and losing themselves in nature: this 2016 article from mindful.org really made me stop and think about mindful hiking - I guarantee your heartbeat will slow just reading it: wonderful…
But - back to sharing biltong with friends. It doesn’t matter whether it’s sport related, travel sustenance, or even sharing a bowl of biltong during a board games night, or serving it as part of a party buffet, biltong is the ideal meat treat to share with family and friends. Whoever you share it with, enjoy!
What's your favourite biltong snack example? Or do you have your own? Let us know
