What Every South African Knows About Biltong That Nobody Else Does

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Walk into any South African home, office, or car mid-road trip, and sooner or later you’ll smell it. That deep, spiced, slightly funky aroma that means someone nearby has biltong. Most people outside South Africa have never heard of it. To South Africans, it’s as essential as breathing.

Born on the Great Trek

The origins of biltong go back to the Voortrekkers of the 1830s and 1840s. These Boer settlers were crossing vast, wild terrain with no way to refrigerate meat. Their solution was ancient: rub strips of beef in vinegar, salt, and toasted coriander, then hang them in the dry highveld air to cure.

What came out the other side was something remarkable. Darker and denser than fresh beef. More flavoursome. Light enough to carry for weeks. The Voortrekkers didn’t know it at the time, but they were creating one of South Africa’s most enduring cultural traditions.

Today the method is almost identical. The spices have barely changed. The obsession with getting it right has only deepened.

Why Biltong Is Not Jerky

This is something every South African needs you to understand. Biltong is not jerky. They are fundamentally different things, and the distinction matters deeply.

Jerky is smoked or oven-dried. Biltong is air-cured. Jerky is sliced thin before drying. Biltong is cut from thick strips, which means the texture ranges from a yielding, slightly moist interior to a firm, crumbly exterior — all in one piece.

The cure is different too. Vinegar. Coarse salt. Toasted coriander seed, ground roughly so you still feel it on your tongue. Then black pepper. Then three to five days of patient air-drying. No shortcuts. No smoke. No dehydrator — unless you’re in a hurry and already apologising for it.

The Wet vs Dry Debate That Divides South Africans

There is no neutral position on biltong moisture. You either love it wet or you love it dry. This is not negotiable and it is not something you can feel vague about.

Wet biltong is still slightly pink in the middle. It yields when you press it. The flavour is intense and almost steak-like. Dry biltong is firm throughout, crumbles at the edges, and keeps for weeks without refrigeration. Neither is wrong. Both sides, however, are absolutely convinced the other is wrong.

South Africa’s braai culture has exactly the same quality — fierce, personal, and completely non-negotiable. The argument is half the tradition.

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The One Spice That Makes Biltong What It Is

Remove the coriander seed and you’ve made dried beef. Biltong without coriander is not biltong. This is an immovable fact in every South African kitchen.

The seed is toasted briefly in a dry pan, then crushed coarsely — not powdered. You want texture. You want pieces. Pressed into the meat alongside salt and vinegar before hanging, it creates a crust that slowly infuses into the curing beef over days.

Beyond coriander, every family adds a signature. Some swear by Worcestershire sauce in the brine. Others add brown sugar or a dusting of dried chilli. Every recipe is the correct one — and every maker will tell you so with absolute conviction.

Where to Find the Best Biltong in South Africa

You will not struggle. Every petrol station from Cape Town to Limpopo sells vacuum-packed biltong. But the best comes from dedicated biltong shops — small, specialist operations where the meat hangs behind the counter and the maker knows every batch personally.

For a proper introduction, the Neighbourgoods Market in Woodstock, Cape Town, on a Saturday morning is a fine starting point. Independent producers bring single-origin game biltong — kudu, springbok, ostrich — alongside the classic beef.

Woolworths Food carries reliably excellent biltong across the country, pre-sliced or in whole chunks. And if biltong sends you down a rabbit hole of South African food, South Africa’s street food heritage is just as fascinating.

What exactly is biltong made from in South Africa?

Traditional biltong uses beef — typically silverside or topside cuts. Game biltong made from springbok, kudu, or ostrich is also popular, particularly in the Cape and Karoo regions. The meat is marinated in vinegar, rubbed with toasted coriander, salt, and black pepper, then air-dried for three to five days.

What is the difference between biltong and beef jerky?

Biltong is air-cured using vinegar and coriander, while jerky is typically smoked or oven-dried. Biltong is cut from thick strips and dried whole, giving it a moist, dense interior that jerky simply doesn’t have. The flavour and texture are entirely different — most South Africans would say biltong is superior, though they’d admit to some bias.

Is biltong a healthy snack?

Biltong is high in protein and naturally low in carbohydrates. Lean cuts made without added sugar or artificial preservatives are genuinely nutritious. South Africans have eaten it guilt-free for two centuries — and the guilt really doesn’t apply.

Where can visitors buy the best biltong in South Africa?

Look for independent biltong shops in any South African town — they’re more common than most newsagents. Cape Town’s food markets are an excellent starting point, particularly the Neighbourgoods Market. Woolworths Food and Checkers also stock excellent packaged biltong at every branch nationwide.

There’s a reason South Africans living abroad list biltong in their top three things they miss. It’s not just the taste. It’s the ritual — the sharing, the debating, the memory of cutting it with someone who grew up doing the same thing. Biltong carries the whole country with it.

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Plan Your South Africa Trip

Ready to taste biltong where it was invented? Our South Africa travel planning guide covers the best times to visit, regional highlights, and everything you need to plan an unforgettable journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between biltong and jerky?

Biltong is air-cured while jerky is smoked or oven-dried, and biltong is cut into thick strips that stay moist inside while forming a firm exterior. The cure is also completely different—biltong uses vinegar, salt, and toasted coriander with no smoke.

Where did biltong come from?

Biltong was created by the Voortrekkers in the 1830s and 1840s as a way to preserve meat during their journey across South Africa without refrigeration. The method has barely changed since then and became one of South Africa's most enduring cultural traditions.

How is biltong made?

Beef strips are rubbed with vinegar, coarse salt, roughly ground toasted coriander seed, and black pepper, then hung to air-cure for three to five days. The result is darker, denser, and significantly more flavorful than fresh beef, and light enough to carry for weeks.

Do South Africans prefer wet or dry biltong?

South Africans are deeply divided on this, with people either loving it wet or dry. Wet biltong has a yielding, slightly moist interior, while dry biltong is firmer and crumblier.

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